Death of a Salesman Star Sharon D Clarke on Why Attention Must Still Be Paid

When Death of a Salesman first premiered on Broadway in 1949, the Arthur Miller-penned play won six Tony Awards and began a legacy that would go on to include adaptations for film, television, and radio, productions around the world, and five Broadway revivals. It’s rare for a piece of theater to be performed across eight decades and remain timely, but Salesman does just that—and the latest revival, open now at the Hudson Theatre, proves it.

This Miranda Cromwell-directed production, which sees the Loman family played by Black actors for the first time in a major New York City production, comes to Broadway via the West End and London’s Young Vic, but despite its British pedigree, it’s still the quintessential story of the American Dream fallen flat, and it still feels vital to behold. Much of that is due to a crackling cast, including Wendell Pierce as Willy Loman, Sharon D Clarke as Linda Loman, André De Shields, and Khris Davis, among others.

Here, Clarke—whose performance the New York Times called “so paradoxically shattering in her stoicism that she turns what is usually portrayed as unshakable loyalty into a kind of heedless comorbidity”—explains the enduring appeal of the Lomans and why a play with as much history as Salesman can still feel right on time.

What made doing this production of Death of a Salesman exciting for you?

First of all, Marianne [Elliott, who co-directed the London production] asked me. It was wonderful to have someone call and say, “I want to do this play in this way, do you want to be part of that journey?” I’m a jobbing actor; I go and audition for things. But the two shows I’ve done on Broadway I’ve gotten called for, which is lovely. When we spoke, she talked about wanting to hold a mirror up to society and to make the Lomans a Black family. She came to me, someone who knows Death of a Salesman, and knew I didn’t see Linda in the archetypal way—as a doormat. If I’m going to do something like this, which to me honors all the women who made a way for themselves in a country where they weren’t particularly welcome, I have to do it my way.

Linda is one of theater’s iconic characters. What did doing her your way mean?

This wasn’t ever a role I dreamed of playing. As much as I do American shows, they’re usually musicals. And there’s never been a Black actress on Broadway in this role. Having a Black family in this particular classic turned me on; it wasn’t something I’d ever considered. It was a challenge I wanted to take.

Now that you’re a few weeks into the run, how is the experience?

It’s an absolute joy. This is my third time around; when we started at the Young Vic I thought we might transfer, and then when we did was a thrill. Coming to Broadway is fantastic, but it was a surprise. To bring this classic piece of American theater home is incredible. And for Wendell [Pierce] to bring it home? That’s absolutely wonderful.

What do you think has made this production feel important in the current moment?

We’re always trying to attain things outside what we can control, always chasing something that’s never going to happen. We’ve been through the birth of the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Lives Matter movement both within the life of Salesman, which is about the low man trying to chase his dream. The story may be set in 1949, but it’s ongoing. It’s relevant today. The fact that we’re still telling this story after so many years of talking about change is just a reminder that it’s not enough to talk about change, we need action.

What does life off-stage look like when you’re telling such a heavy story eight times a week?

Most of my work makes me want to live each day with oomph and love and as much joy as I can. Our play is heavy and emotional and though-provoking. As a cast, we laugh. That enables us to tackle the issues we’re dealing with, but also remind each other that life is for the living the best way you can. You just don’t take that for granted anymore. Hopefully when people leave the show, they’re having those same thoughts. If there’s a family member they’re estranged from, they might remember that time is short. If people come away with that, then we’re doing our jobs.

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