Many people cringe at the thought of having to sit through live theater, particularly plays. There's just something about sitting still for hours at a time without the slightest hint of million-dollar special effects or Jessica Alba that turns people off to the experience. But if you can overcome the usual qualms about attending plays, live theater can be a thrilling and rewarding experience, as proven this past weekend with the opening of Arthur Miller's masterpiece, "Death of a Salesman."

Directed by Richard Corley and performed by Madison Repertory Theater, "Salesman" follows the life of protagonist Willy Loman as he struggles to give meaning to his life of missteps and wrong turns while trying to support his family. Now in his old age, Loman searches for the respect and riches that he believes his life as a salesman should have earned him, but he continually comes up short and slowly loses his grip on reality, closing the play with his famous last words.

As one of the most recognizable characters in American literature, Willy Loman is understandably also one of the most difficult and complex characters for an actor to portray. In this production, Loman is played by actor Roderick Peeples, last seen in Madison Repertory's "The Price." Peeples does a fine job with the role, giving a vitality to Loman you would not assume to be present in his personality from reading the play. The only drawback to Peeples' performance is he is perhaps too eager to appear unstable at the beginning of the play; he reveals his tragic flaw too early in his performance and does not give himself enough room to grow and expand that aspect of the character. The audience should sense that Loman is a little off at the beginning of the play and slowly begin to realize just how "off" he is throughout the performance, instead of knowing from the get-go that he is mentally unstable.

The standout performance belongs to University of Wisconsin theater professor Patricia Boyette who plays Linda Loman, Willy's wife. Playing Willy's faithfully and, at times, painfully loving wife, Patricia lends an elegance to the role that is unexpected but not unwelcome. Although a bit off-putting at first, the slow and deliberate manner in which Patricia speaks helps to cast Linda in the light of an eternally patient woman, a modern-day martyr who lives and would die for her husband and two sons.

The cast of "Salesman" also includes the two Loman sons, Biff and Happy, as played by Braden Moran and David Wilson-Brown, respectively. Moran does a fine job portraying Biff, the son in whom Willy has invested all of his hope, but at times the relationships between Moran and the other characters in the play appear strained and unbelievable.

The set, designed by Brian Sidney Bembridge, is minimal. Among the few props used are suitcases, which are rearranged to resemble different types of furniture or vehicles, depending on what the scene calls for. This minimalist set design calls for strong actors to carry the show, as there are no fancy props or costumes to hide behind. And for the most part, the actors step up to the plate, delivering specific and intense performances that do this famous play justice.

If you are willing to sit still for a few hours and can afford the $16 student ticket price, "Death of a Salesman" offers a compelling alternative to a movie or concert. "Salesman" delivers in a way that other forms of entertainment can't: It is unpredictable, emotional and alive. See "Death of a Salesman," and find out why critics refer to it as "the great American tragedy."

"Death of a Salesman" is currently playing at the Overture Center for the Arts Playhouse Theater. It runs through Oct. 14.