Washington College Magazine
Profs Return To Stage
Professor Tim Maloney played the part of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman.
Ever imagine kissing one of your professors? Senior Carrie Chapter did just that in her role as the woman in the drama department's production of Death of a Salesman, a performance honoring last year's death of the legendary playwright Arthur Miller. Under the direction of Professor Jason Rubin, the performance starred Professor Tim Maloney as Willy Loman, lecturer Polly Kuulei Sommerfeld as Linda Loman, and students in the roles of Biff, Happy and Charley. While each drama season typically offers a production directed by a professor, it has been more than 15 years since Tim Maloney, or any other professor, graced the stage of Tawes Theatre.
Besides the first slightly awkward kiss between Chapter and Professor Maloney during rehearsal, Professor Rubin noticed an evident distinction among his cast of students and professors. Most of the students rely heavily on the Stanislavsky method of acting, which involves an emotional and psychological approach but, through the years, Professor Maloney has developed his own theory, embracing the spontaneity of the moment. According to Rubin, "Part of the beauty of directing Tim is that I only heard about his acting theory. Now I see it alive and in progress. Tim understands the differences in the creative process. He has been as natural and giving as any actor I know, whereas the students are more tentative."
Despite the students' initial reticence, they are learning the importance of collaborating and taking risks—not only on stage but in their daily lives. As Rubin notes, "Death of a Salesman addresses fundamental questions. How successful am I? Who am I? What happened to the American dream? Every day we put ourselves on the line—especially we as actors.
The play has become so important to the American canon of literature because this message touches home with so many people."
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