[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 216 Engrossed in House (EH)]
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
May 3, 2005.
Whereas Arthur Miller was considered a legend during the vaunted period known as
Broadway's Golden Age, earning him a celebrity status that few
playwrights would ever realize;
Whereas, as noted upon his death by The Michigan Daily, the student newspaper
where Arthur Miller honed his writing, Miller was twice denied admission
to the University of Michigan, and gained admittance only after
appealing directly to the Dean;
Whereas in 1949, at the age of 33, with his play ``The Death of a Salesman'',
Arthur Miller seized all major drama awards for the year--the Pulitzer
Prize, the Tony, and the New York Drama Critics Award;
Whereas Arthur Miller's plays, books, essays, and articles touched the moral
fabric of a nation;
Whereas, according to Robert Falls, Artistic Director of Chicago's Goodman
Theatre, ``Probably not a day goes by that, somewhere in the world, one
of Miller's plays isn't being performed.'';
Whereas during his extraordinary life and career, Arthur Miller tapped a social
conscience that will see his work live as long as there is an American
Theatre;
Whereas his courageous response to the McCarthy era witch-hunts of the 1950's
was ``The Crucible'', where his carefully tailored character John
Proctor refused to name names and ultimately died for his convictions;
Whereas Arthur Miller's success did not come easy and was born of hard work and
an uncanny ability to translate the human condition on to the American
stage; and
Whereas Arthur Miller's first plays were written at the University of Michigan
and earned him two Avery Hopwood awards which enabled him to complete
his education, that same University now prepares to honor his memory
with the Arthur Miller Theatre: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the extraordinary contributions to American
literature and American theatre of Arthur Miller;
(2) honors Arthur Miller as a great American and pioneer in the
annals of American history; and
(3) commends the University of Michigan for its commitment to build
the Arthur Miller Theatre, a fitting monument to one of its most
distinguished alumnus.
Attest:
Clerk.