Some stories are timeless and can be told again and again without seeming stale or clichéd. “A View from the Bridge,” the newest production from the DVC drama department, is one such tale.

Penned by Arthur Miller, the play is set in the 1950s in an Italian neighborhood in New York City.  It tells the story of the Carbone family, which includes Eddie, his wife Beatrice, and their niece Catherine, whom the Carbones took in after the death of her mother, Beatrice’s sister.  

Eddie (played by Mackenszie Drae) is a longshoreman who works the docks to pay for food and housing for Beatrice (Sam Callahan) and an education for Catherine (Holly Kenney), who is studying to become a stenographer.

The story revolves around the arrival of two of Beatrice’s cousins, Rodolpho (Radoslav Antczak) and Marco (Phillip Correa) who sneak into the country illegally to find work. Catherine and Rodolpho quickly become involved in a friendship that eventually turns romantic.

This love affair pushes Eddie over the edge, leading to actions that label him an outcast and a snitch and, ultimately, to his downfall.

Drae’s performance is impressive and steals the show during the later portion of the play.  He displays the anger of a man pushed to the edge. Yet, he also shows the sorrow of a man who has lost his surrogate child and his wife.  

Outside of a slightly forced accent, he is believable and elicits sympathy and even though he could be seen as the antagonist of the play It is his flawed character that makes the play’s ending conflicted.

Another well-performed role is that of Catherine.  She begins as the stereotypical, wide-eyed, young girl, who is a bit naïve to the world’s dangers.  But she also has an independent streak that develops as the play progresses.  While this change in attitude could trip up some actors, Kenney pulls it off with the same, albeit subdued, gusto she showed in her portrayal of Hope Cladwell in “Urinetown” earlier in the semester.

While the tale of “A View from the Bridge” is as old as time itself, director Cyle Swanstrom chose wisely when he picked this particular play.  The story is easy to understand but also has enough depth to make the audience feel conflicted over its outcome. 

“A View from the Bridge” runs at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday until Dec. 14.  For ticket prices, call the box office at 1-925-687-4445.