Overview
Synopsis
How far would a man go to protect his family, his interests, and his legacy? Joe Keller, the patriarch in All My Sons, desperately wants to secure and maintain the financial security and legacy he spent so many years building, ready to hand it down to his surviving son Chris. At the same time, Joe’s wife Kate is still waiting for their eldest son Larry to return from war, determined that he is alive and will marry the former girl-next-door, Ann --the daughter of Joe’s former business partner who is sitting in prison, punished for Joe’s crimes. To complicate this family drama, Chris and Ann are in love and want to get married. In All My Sons, Arthur Miller creates a post-war American family in a tragic downfall of lies, greed, love, and loss, and demands its audience examine their own social responsibilities to all the sons of American wars.
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Context
Arthur Miller’s All My Sons premiered in 1947 at the Coronet Theatre in New York City. Largely considered Miller’s first commercially successful play, All My Sons picks up on the post-war grief and anger of the 1940s, and is in fact based on a true story. The Curtiss-Wright Aeronautical Corporation, based in Ohio, was under government contract to produce airplane engine parts during World War II. Because of the high demand and immediate need for these parts, and a bit of financial greed,
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Act One
It is late summer in 1947. Joe and Kate Keller have welcomed their former neighbor’s daughter, Ann, for a sudden visit. The play begins the morning after a strong thunderstorm which has destroyed an apple tree in the yard - a tree that was planted as a memorial to Larry Keller, the eldest son who disappeared in battle. The Kellers’ neighbor Frank stops by, assuring Kate that he has almost figured out their Larry’s horoscope. Kate is determined for proof that Larry could not have
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Character Portrayals
See StageAgent members who have performed roles in All My Sons.
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Key Terms
A Tragedy is a form of drama that explores human suffering, conflict, and loss, often leading to a disastrous or fatal conclusion. Traditionally, the main character experiences downfall due to a personal flaw, poor judgment, or forces beyond their control. Tragedy aims to evoke pity and fear in the audience, leading to reflection and emotional release.
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress