"A star like that, magnificent, can never really fade away!"
When the titular character of 'Death of a Salesman' utters that line in Act I, he might well be talking about the play itself.
Written in 1948 by playwright Arthur Miller, 'Death of a Salesman' is widely considered one of the greatest American plays of the 20th Century.
And now Arca Images, a Miami-based company known for staging new adaptations of classic theater works, is going up with a Spanish-language version of the iconic play.
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The company, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, is perhaps best known for producing Spanish-language plays with simultaneous English translation delivered via wireless headphones.
Live offstage voice actors translate the dialogue in real time.
'Death of A Salesman' follows the decline of aging traveling salesman Willy Loman, as he and his family navigate broken dreams, unrealistic expectations and past trauma.
Arca Images co-founder and artistic director Alexa Kuve took on the daunting task of translating the play into Spanish.
She says that despite the passage of time, the themes of 'Death of A Salesman' are still relevant today.
"It feels more contemporary because we still live in a culture that often confuses success with value," says Kuve.
"And that is Willy's tragedy — that he cannot separate who he is from what he thinks he has failed to become."
Arca Images' production of 'Death of a Salesman' is directed by Samantha Pazos and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Arca Images presents a new Spanish language adaptation of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” (with simultaneous English translation)
WHEN: August 21–30. Friday and Saturday performances at 8 p.m. Sundays at 5 p.m.
WHERE: Westchester Cultural Arts Center, 7930 S.W. 40th St. Miami.
MORE INFO: www.arcaimages.org
