THEATER : Miller’s Words Keep ‘All My Sons’ Together

In Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons,” two all-American families--the Kellers and the Deevers--are decimated by the unconscionable pursuit of the almighty buck. At Cal State Fullerton, the eloquence of Miller’s writing transcends a respectful but unbalanced production.

The story hinges on two events of the past that reverberate relentlessly through the Keller household on an August day in 1947. Joe Keller and his former neighbor, Steve Deever, were partners in the wartime manufacture of airplane parts. Both were convicted of shipping defective equipment that failed in flight, precipitating the deaths of 21 airmen. But Deever took the brunt of the blame and is still serving time, while Keller has reestablished himself as a very successful businessman.

Keller’s own son, Larry, is an airman who has been missing in action for three years. His mother, Kate, insists that he cannot be dead, and places herself between her younger son, Chris, and his betrothed, Ann Deever, who had been Larry’s sweetheart before the war. The whole truth, bludgeoned out by the idealistic Chris and Ann’s bitter brother, George, splatters over this Norman Rockwell family.

Although director Alvin Keller has realized a tremendous amount of the play’s humor, the complicated undercurrents of guilt and loyalty that culminate in the play’s final, tragic moments are obliterated by the simplistic brightness of Keller’s direction. The production is stagy and prefabricated, with the exception of Jamison E. Jones as George and Betsy Baldwin as Ann.

Jones has an edge of furious cynicism that brings a needed sense of danger to the story. Baldwin achieves a graceful accord between Ann’s determination and her doubts.

In the pivotal role of Joe, Darrin Shaughnessy has the folksy charm of a man who can talk himself out of (and into) trouble. But Shaughnessy’s Joe is an unshakable, self-satisfied man, confident in the supremacy of the dollar.

Linda Clemon-Karp, as Kate Keller, is lost in the paint-by-numbers landscape, condemned to embody the impending tragedy. She comes off as a selfish nag incapable of the forgiving generosity of the climax.

As Chris, Jim Gray struggles with the role of an eloquent idealist, sounding more preachy than impassioned. Of the rest of the attractive cast, most notable is Michelle Orlie, who has a sweet warmth as Lydia.

Abel Zeballos’ costumes are elegant, and Robert Wyatt’s set looks to hold no dark secrets in the clapboard house and green-grassed back yard. The placement of the symbolic apple-tree stump is awkward, but this production is so carefully mapped out that there’s little chance of an accident, or a genuine theatrical surprise.

‘All My Sons’

A Cal State Fullerton production of Arthur Miller’s drama. Directed by Alvin Keller. With Darrin Shaughnessy, Thomas C. Sunstrom, Jim Skousen, Gail Liston, Michelle Orlie, Jim Gray, Eric Lane, Linda Clemon-Karp, Betsy Baldwin, Jamison E. Jones. Sets by Robert Wyatt. Costumes by Abel Zeballos. Lighting by William Magdziarz. Performances today through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 5 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center Recital Hall, Cal State Fullerton, 800 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton. Tickets: $5 to $8. Information: (7140) 773-3371.