Anthony LaPaglia makes Adelaide stage debut in Death of a Salesman

Anthony LaPaglia has won a Tony Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy. He has starred in films that have shaped Australian cinema and television series watched by millions around the world. But there is one thing the 66-year-old actor has never done: performed on stage in the city where he was born and raised.

That changes this September when LaPaglia brings his critically acclaimed portrayal of Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman to Adelaide Festival Theatre. The production runs from 26 September to 4 October, and marks the final season of a staging that has already played to more than 125,000 people across Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane.

A homecoming years in the making

LaPaglia left Adelaide as a young man and built his career in the United States, where his work in theatre, film and television established him as one of the most versatile actors of his generation. His Tony Award came for another Arthur Miller play, A View from the Bridge, on Broadway. His Golden Globe and Emmy recognised his lead role in the crime drama Without a Trace.

In Australia, his screen work has been equally significant. Lantana, Balibo, Holding the Man, Nitram and the recent Boy Swallows Universe have earned him three AACTA Awards and cemented his reputation as an actor drawn to complex, morally searching material.

Death of a Salesman is precisely that kind of work. Miller’s 1949 Pulitzer Prize-winning play examines the life of Willy Loman, an ageing travelling salesman whose belief in the American Dream collides with the reality of his circumstances. It is a play about ambition and failure, fathers and sons, and the stories we tell ourselves to keep going.

More than 75 years after its premiere, it remains one of the most powerful works in the theatrical canon.

Neil Armfield’s acclaimed production

The production is directed by Neil Armfield, widely regarded as Australia’s most celebrated stage director. His Death of a Salesman has received five-star reviews from Limelight and The Guardian since its 2023 Melbourne premiere.

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Limelight described the production as “so gripping that the audience doesn’t make a sound.” The Guardian called it “an electric, devastating tragedy.” The Sydney Morning Herald singled out LaPaglia’s performance as “extraordinary,” while The Age noted the play’s enduring relevance.

Joining LaPaglia on stage is a formidable cast. Alison Whyte, winner of a Helpmann Award and Silver Logie, plays Linda Loman, Willy’s steadfast wife. Josh Helman and Ben O’Toole play their sons Biff and Happy, whose own struggles mirror and amplify their father’s.

An Adelaide production

The staging is presented by Adelaide-based producers Torben and Richelle Brookman of GWB Entertainment, alongside Andrew Henry Presents. For the Brookmans, bringing the production to Adelaide carries particular significance.

“Our production of Death of a Salesman has been a theatrical phenomenon since 2023 when it took Melbourne by storm,” they said. “By the time we get to Adelaide it will have played over 130 performances. It is a huge source of pride to finally bring the production to our and Anthony LaPaglia’s hometown for what is likely to be its final season.”

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO Kate Gould echoed the sentiment: “Death of a Salesman is regarded as one of the greatest plays of the 20th century. It is one of those rare works that continues to resonate with audiences across generations.”