A Small Price to Pay for a Piece of Broadway History

Setting the scene for “The Price” requires many well-aged items to recreate an attic full of old furniture and other belongings. 

Through the good will of friends and local businesses, the Farmington Valley Stage Company was able to find most of the necessary props, including a Victrola on loan from The Flea Circus.

But one item proved especially challenging — a harp, which is a key part of the Arthur Miller classic.

“A harp was very hard to find, but it is an important prop so we searched everywhere,” said Linda Hirsch of the stage company.

They tried symphonies, music stores, friends and schools.

"They are very expensive and harp players don't loan them out,” she said.

Stanley Fellman of West Hartford, who plays Gregory Solomon in the theater company's upcoming production, utilized his connections in the music industry to try and locate one. It didn’t have to be functional.

Finally after nearly giving in, he final came across the name Carl Swanson of Swanson Harp Company .

He called and asked Swanson if he had a harp, even a broken one.

Immediately “he said, ‘you must be doing The Price,’” Fellman said.

As it turns out Swanson had the original harp used in the 1968 Broadway production.

Swanson loaned the piece for a very minimal fee.

Time is running short to see this piece of history and the play, which also features Steve Liskow of Newington (Victor Franz), Ginny Wolf of Farmington (Esther Franz) and Eric Litsky of Simsbury (Walter Franz). 

It continues on Friday and Saturday March 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. at the Canton Town Hall Auditorium. Tickets are $25 for adults; $22 for seniors and students and can be ordered on-line at FVStage.org. Parking is free in the town hall parking lot behind the theater. The theater is handicap accessible