Arthur Miller’s landmark American drama, All My Sons

Print Story | Email Story
Main Street Stage is proud to present Arthur Miller’s landmark American drama, All My Sons. Directed by Edward Cating and Alexia Trainor, All My Sons runs March 27, 28, 29 and April  3, 4, at 8pm. With one 3pm matinée on Sunday, April 5th. A special Community Night (Pay What You Can) preview will be held on Thursday, March 26 at 8 pm. For tickets call 413-663-3240 or purchase online www.mainstreetstage.org.

Winner of the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best New Play in 1947, All My Sons established Arthur Miller as a leading voice in the American theater. All My Sons introduced themes that thread through Miller's work as a whole: the relationships between fathers and sons and the conflict between business and personal ethics.

The inspiration for the play came from a wartime anecdote Miller heard about a woman who had betrayed her father to the authorities for delivering defective equipment to the U.S. military. From this Miller shaped a drama not about war, but about topics of greater relevance to him: money and greed.

With today’s national headlines of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, executives and financial officers of major corporations behind bars, and fears of financial collapse, All My Sons startles with a contemporary relevance for American audiences. World War II has ended as Joe Keller, an airplane parts manufacturer, is caught in a personal battle between individual responsibility and business success that could threaten his tenuous hold on the American dream.

The cast for All My Sons includes Main Street Stage veterans Linda White and Edward Cating as Kate and Joe Keller, Frank La Frazia as George Deever, and newcomers Samantha Cullen as Ann Deever, and Conor Moroney as Chris Keller.

As a special treat for the run of All My Sons Main Street Stage and Gramercy Bistro are pleased to announce Dinner and a Show!, a $50.00 per person, fixed price, all inclusive package consisting of:

Ticket to All My Sons, A three course meal, consisting of an appetizer, choice of two entrées, and a dessert, gratuity included. Seating is at 6 pm on performance nights, and any time after 5 pm on the evening of the matinée. Reserve the package by calling Gramercy Bistro at (413) 663-5300. The Gramercy Bistro is located at 24 Marshall St., North Adams. See the website at www.gramercybistro.com. Bon Appétit!

Main Street Stage is a non-profit theater company in Western Massachusetts, USA. We are committed to theater with pluck and mettle. We strive to create a community that fosters young artists and nurtures an atmosphere where artistic impulses are respected, coaxed and acted upon. www.mainstreetstage.org.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Armed North Adams Man Arrested Following Domestic Standoff

Staff Reports

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Matthew Parker, a 44-year-old North Adams man, is set to face multiple counts of attempted murder and weapons charges in Northern Berkshire District Court on Friday morning following an hours-long, armed standoff at a Houghton Street home.

The defendant is being arraigned for:

  • Domestic Assault and Battery
  • Assault with the Intent to Murder (3 counts)
  • Carrying a Firearm While Under the Influence of Alcohol (3 counts)
  • Possession of a hi-capacity firearm (4 counts)
  • Improper Storage of a hi-capacity firearm (2 counts)
  • Improper Storage of a firearm (6 counts)

According to a report, on June 10, at approximately 8:42 p.m., officers responded to 365 Houghton St. following a report of a domestic assault and battery. The caller said she and her husband had been involved in a physical altercation.

She said her husband was intoxicated, making suicidal statements about shooting himself, and had access to both a shotgun and a pistol.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with both the caller and Parker. During the encounter, Parker threatened to shoot officers before retreating into the home and refusing to exit.

Officers believed that Parker was armed.

To ensure public safety, police established a perimeter around the home and requested assistance from the Berkshire County Special Response Team (SRT) and North Adams Police crisis negotiators. The Brien Center was also contacted and promptly provided an emergency mental health clinician to assist with the incident.

Special Response Team personnel deployed drones to monitor the residence and provide aerial illumination. During the operation, officers saw Parker exit the house carrying a rifle. He pointed it at the drones, stated a report. Parker subsequently pointed the rifle toward several officers positioned behind their cruisers. After officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, Parker returned inside the residence.

Trained crisis negotiators maintained communication with Parker for several hours in an effort to peacefully resolve the situation. At approximately 2 a.m., Parker ceased communication with negotiators.

Drone operators later observed Parker unconscious in a recliner on the first floor of the residence, with a rifle and shotgun on the floor nearby.

Members of the Berkshire County SRT then executed a coordinated operation. Diversionary devices were deployed through a window while an entry team simultaneously entered the home, secured the firearms, and took the defendant into custody.

A search warrant was executed after Parker was in custody. North Adams Police seized four shotguns, six rifles, two handguns, and thousands or rounds of ammunition from the home.

During the operation, one SRT member sustained a minor injury related to a less-lethal bean bag deployment. Parker also sustained non-life threatening injuries during the arrest and was transported to Berkshire Medical Center for medical evaluation.

"We thank the community for its patience and cooperation throughout this incident, particularly residents in the affected area who complied with temporary shelter-in-place requests," Police Chief Mark Bailey said.  "The North Adams Police Department extends its sincere appreciation to the agencies that provided mutual aid and assisted by handling calls for service during this incident. We are especially grateful to the Berkshire County Special Response Team for its professional and decisive response, the Brien Center for the rapid deployment of a mental health clinician, and our crisis negotiators whose efforts helped maintain dialogue and contributed significantly to the safe resolution of this incident."

View Full Story

More North Adams Stories