Video: Nathan Lane Explains How DEATH OF A SALESMAN Achieves Intimacy at the Winter Garden
Lane has received a Tony nomination for his performance as Willy Loman.
The day before receiving a Tony nomination for his performance as Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, Nathan Lane visited Late Night with Seth Meyers to discuss the hit revival of the Arthur Miller classic.
Lane spoke about both the grandeur and intimacy of the production, which is playing at the Winter Garden Theatre, a venue best known for musicals. "It's the brilliance of Joe Mantello who has given us this revelatory production. And I think [he and Scott Rudin] both realized that because of the scale of this production, it works for that theater."
Though usually averse to wearing a microphone, Lane noted that wearing one for Salesman allows him to speak softly when necessary and still be heard by the audience. "It has given the play, I think, the kind of intimacy I was worried about losing. It's almost cinematic in that sense, because there are moments that are very quiet."
Watch the full interview, where Lane discusses the unique set design for the production, looks back on his first meeting with co-star Laurie Metcalf, and also previews the comedy film Cut Off, in which he stars alongside Bette Midler, Jonah Hill, and Kristen Wiig.
He and Meyers also provided an update on the imaginary "Cidada, Cidada" musical that Meyers pitched to Lane on a previous visit. The musical (which is not actually in production) would also star Christine Baranski and Harvey Fierstein, and Lane said that he's "raised all the money from a lot of relatives, and a lot of it comes from Russia."
The new production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, starring Lane, began preview performances at the Winter Garden Theatre on Friday, March 6, and officially opened on Thursday, April 9. The limited engagement will play through Sunday, August 9. Read reviews for the production here.
The cast also includes two-time Tony Award winner Laurie Metcalf, Christopher Abbott, Ben Ahlers, Jonathan Cake, K. Todd Freeman, John Drea, Tasha Lawrence, Jake Silbermann, Michael Benjmain Washington, Joaquin Consuelos, Jake Termine, Karl Green, and Jack Falahee. It also stars Katherine Romans (Miss Forsythe), Mary Neely (Letta), Aidan Cazeau, Charlie Niccolini, Alexis Bronkovic, Erik Kilpatrick, and Brendan Donaldson.
Death of a Salesman’s creative team includes direction by two-time Tony Award-winner Mantello, movement direction by Sasha Milavic Davies, original composition by Caroline Shaw, scenic design by Chloe Lamford, costume design by Rudy Mance, lighting design by Jack Knowles, and sound design by Mikaal Sulaiman, and hair and wig design by Robert Pickens.
