All My Sons Review – A Gen-Xer Reflects on the “Silent Generation”

As a proud Gen X-er, I regularly tell my Millennial and Gen-Z counterparts, “You can’t have everything you want in life – the perfect job, a great home and family. Who told you that you could?”

Gen X-ers would never tell you you could have it all, at least not the ones that I know. Morrissey and others crooners of our time regularly reminded us that nuclear war and annihilation was right around the corner – any day now.

Another generation that’s not going to tell you can have it all is the “Silent Generation”. The Silent Generation, prior to the Boomers, grew up during the Depression and World War II. They learned to live without everyday comforts.

Due to the stresses of their childhood, the Silent Generation is known for conforming later in life. They are also sometimes referred to as “The Traditionalists”. They went to war. They worked in factories, often with hard physical labor and long hours. Their children were drafted into war, many of whom did not return.

The Silent Generation also understands that there’s a cost for everything. In Arthur Miller’s play, All My Sons, based on a true story, we see the price one family paid to have a stereotypical “normal”, traditional American life. They made some questionable moral and ethical decisions to help maintain their traditional American lifestyle.

All My Sons was originally staged on Broadway in 1947 and ran less than one year. Like an Ibsen play, All My Sons examines the family structure. For its time, the play ruffled some feathers. Miller’s critique of the American dream landed him in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s.

The performers of All My Sons were all incredible, and we, in Columbia County, are very fortunate to have such talent in our backyard. The affable father, Joe Keller, played by George Filieau gives an excellent performance with a large range of emotions. The mother, Kate Keller is played beautifully by Paula Kaplan-Reiss. Kate Keller is a mother who has been waiting over three years for her son to return from war. You feel her pain and sorrow, even while she serves grape juice on a warm summer day. The son and daughter-in-law, played by Leo Hernandez and Lara Denmark, through their stellar performances, help us see the conflicts of their time, and give us hope for the future.

The day after I saw this play, I urged a friend to go. She loved it. After living in Hudson for years, she had never been to the Ghent Playhouse. The Ghent Playhouse, on Route 66, is a beautifully-restored theater. It’s near the Ghent fire station at the bottom of the little hill. Riser seating uses the same chairs as the floor seating, just a few inches higher. Tickets are $10-$28 and selling fast.

Last chance this weekend! Go see it!