Chicago Street Theatre will unveil its production of A View from the Bridge, by Arthur Miller, this week. It premieres Friday, May 24, at 8 p.m. and running every weekend through June 8 at the Valparaiso venue.
The play is set in Brooklyn, New York, in the 1950s. The central character, Eddie, is a longshoreman whose wife’s Italian cousins arrive in America and move into Eddie’s home.
As the story develops, one of these immigrants falls in love with Eddie’s niece. Eddie becomes violently opposed to the relationship, and the stage is set for an intense and tragic drama.
“It's a truly American story based on an actual life occurrence,” co-director Karl Berner said. “It has everything the pursuit of the "American Dream" offers: success and reward for honest work and a chance for happiness, but with cautious sirens about the perils of taking too much, of holding on to what may not rightfully be yours.”
Berner said he was drawn to A View from the Bridge by the writing of Arthur Miller, including his riveting dialogue and the way he brings the tone of the story and his characters to life.
The Chicago Street Theatre cast features a collection of veteran actors, many of whom have been nominated for a variety of awards for previous work. Berner said the entire cast has collaborated well in their effort to tell the story of this family. And family is the theme around which much of the conflict in the show revolves.
“Through the contrast of Eddie, the protagonist, and the immigrant, Marco, we see an idealistic clash as to what makes family important, and how the definition of honor and respect differ between these two men,” Berner said. “While one tends to focus on power and possession, the other views family as a village of virtuous individuals all worthy of respect, no matter what.”
Along with the cast, Berner explained that the technical crew has done an impressive job creating the world in which the family and story exists. The stage manager, set, lighting and costume designers have all contributed to bring A View from the Bridge to life, he said.
“I'm hoping that audiences, especially if they've never seen A View From The Bridge, feel that we've done justice to Arthur Miller's work, and that they'll enjoy this grim, hard-hitting piece of 1950s, East Coast Americana,” Berner said.
He added that Chicago Street Theatre was the perfect venue for this production.
“What makes Chicago Street theatre unique is their unwavering tendency toward taking risks for the chance of creating new artistic statements,” he said.
To purchase tickets for A View from the Bridge, call the CST box office at 219-464-1636, Ext. 1, or visit www.chicagostreet.org.
About Chicago Street Theatre
Chicago Street Theatre is a 130-seat theatre located at 154 W. Chicago Street in Valparaiso. It features brand new stadium seating, which makes it an incredible space to enjoy live theatre. For more information about the theatre, visit www.chicagostreet.org or call 219-464-1636.