Meet the Cast of DEATH OF A SALESMAN, Beginning Previews Tonight!
Meet the cast bringing this iconic play to life!
By: Stephi Wild Sep. 17, 2022
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Previews begin tonight, September 17, for the 17-week engagement of Death of a Salesman. The opening night performance is scheduled for Sunday, October 9 at the Hudson Theatre.
Following its critically acclaimed run at London's Young Vic Theatre and on the West End, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman is told - for the first time on Broadway - from the perspective of a Black family. This vibrant and timely production is directed by Miranda Cromwell, who co-directed the London production alongside Marianne Elliott. Together, they won the 2020 Olivier Award for Best Direction.
Meet the cast bringing this iconic play to life below!
Wendell Pierce
Wendell Pierce has established himself as a prolific award-winning actor with a body of work on stage, television, and film for more than three decades. Universally hailed for his portrayal of "Det. Bunk Moreland" on HBO's groundbreaking series THE WIRE, Mr. Pierce was also praised for his starring role of "Antoine Baptiste" on David Simon's critically acclaimed series, TREMÉ. He currently stars as 'James Greer' in Amazon's international hit series Tom Clancy'S Jack Ryan, alongside John Krasinski.
Mr. Pierce returns to Broadway to reprise his portrayal of "Willy Loman" in DEATH OF A SALESMAN after receiving a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play in London for the West End production. Wendell made his Broadway debut as "Boy Willie" in August Wilson's PIANO LESSON. His other Broadway credits include Carol Churchill's SERIOUS MONEY and John Pielmeier's BOYS OF WINTER. Other theater credits include COST OF LIVING (Williamstown, 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama), BROKEOLOGY (Lincoln Center), 'TIS PITY SHE'S A WHORE, CYMBELINE, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, TARTUFFE (New York Shakespeare Festival), WAITING FOR GODOT, THE CHERRY ORCHARD (Classical Theater of Harlem), and THE OEDIPUS CYCLE (Theatre Herod Atticus, Athens).
In film, Wendell's wide-ranging work includes Ava DuVernay's SELMA, Taylor Hackford's RAY, Spike Lee's MALCOLM X and GET ON THE BUS, Forest Whittaker's WAITING TO EXHALE, and Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner CLEMENCY, to name a few.
On television, Wendell is recognized as "Robert Zane" on USA Network's SUITS, and had recurring roles on Showtime's RAY DONOVAN and NBC's CHICAGO PD. He appeared in HBO's award-winning CONFIRMATION as "Clarence Thomas" and BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME, based on the #1 New York Times bestseller by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
A Juilliard alum and a 1981 White House Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Wendell is the recipient of several awards, including the Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in the Theater, the Tribeca Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of "Rev. Tillman" in the drama BURNING CANE, for which he also received Independent Spirit and Gotham award nominations; a Tony Award as a producer of CLYBOURNE PARK; and Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Image Award for his role of "Slick" in the HBO drama, LIFE SUPPORT, opposite Queen Latifah.
Wendell is co-owner of Equity Media, the new ownership group of WBOK 1230AM, a 70-year-old legacy Black talk radio station in New Orleans and the oldest Black-owned radio station in Louisiana. Wendell is the author of his memoir titled The Wind in the Reeds.
Sharon D Clarke
Sharon D Clarke won the 2020 Olivier Award for Best Actress for her work in the West End production of Death of a Salesman, which she is thrilled to bring to Broadway this season alongside Wendell Pierce. She made her Broadway debut just last year in the Roundabout Theatre's acclaimed revival of Caroline, Or Change, for which she received a 2022 Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, plus Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Drama League nominations. A titan of the UK stage and screen, she originated the role of "Caroline" at the Minerva Theatre Chichester followed by transfers to the Hampstead Theatre, London and then to the West End at the Playhouse Theatre, where her performance won the 2019 Olivier for Best Actress in a Musical. A three-time Olivier Award winner, her stage credits include The Amen Corner (Olivier Award), Blues in the Night, Chicago, Fame, Ghost (Manchester Theatre Award), Guys and Dolls, Hairspray, King the Musical, The Life (Offies), The Lion King, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Once on This Island, Porgy and Bess, Rent, and We Will Rock You (WhatsOnStage Award). Her film and television credits include: Oscar winner Rocketman, BAFTA winner Rocks, "Doctor Who," "Holby City," "Show Trial,""Informer," "The Shadow Line," "Silent Witness," "The Singing Detective," "Thunderbirds Are Go," and "Waking the Dead." She is the 2019 recipient of the Black British Theatre Award Lifetime Recognition, and in 2017 was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the New Year Honours for services to drama.
Khris Davis
Khris Davis made his New York stage debut in Marco Ramirez's THE ROYALE at Lincoln Center Theater. In a role loosely based on the life of Jack Johnson, Davis played a charismatic boxer who has the burning desire to become the first African-American heavyweight champion of the world. His star turn in this incredibly physical and emotional role garnered him a Clive Barnes Award, an Obie Award and a Theatre World Award for Best Actor. Davis also starred in the off-Broadway and Broadway productions of the Tony-nominated Pulitzer Prize-winning Lynn Nottage play SWEAT and Atlantic Theater Company's production of FIREFLIES with DeWanda Wise.
Davis recurred on FX's award-winning ATLANTA opposite Donald Glover and for which he received a SAG Award nomination as part of the ensemble. His feature credits include Kathryn Bigelow's DETROIT, SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY with LeBron James and the Oscar-nominated JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH.
After an extensive casting search, Davis was cast as the lead of HEART OF A LION, Sony's biopic about two-time world heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman. George Tillman Jr. co-wrote and is directing the film, which is currently in production.
McKinley Belcher III
Since graduating with an MFA from USC, McKinley Belcher III has been steadily building a strong body of work. Belcher appears on the critically hailed Netflix series "Ozark" as Agent Trevor Evans, in the limited series "The Good Lord Bird" opposite Ethan Hawke for Showtime and was seen as Mark Fein in the Simon Curtis directed film The Art of Racing in the Rain for Fox 2000. He can currently be seen as the series lead in David Simon's "We Own This City" for HBO and will next be seen in a recurring role in Netflix's live action adaptation of "One Piece." He has recently come off playing the pivotal series role of convicted murderer and death row inmate Anthony Carter, in the FOX drama series "The Passage." He was noticed for his work as Samuel Diggs, a free slave and self-educated laborer with the hopes of becoming a doctor on the PBS series "Mercy Street" and on David Simon's HBO miniseries "Show Me a Hero" as the blue-collar Dwayne taking care of his diabetic mother. Prior to this, McKinley recurred on the Starz drama "Power." His other film credits include the biopic Mapplethorpe opposite Matt Smith which premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, and Trial by Fire directed by Ed Zwick as well as John Sayles's independent film Go for Sisters. On stage, McKinley starred in The Light at MCC Theater for which he was nominated for an Outer Critic Circle Award. He made his Broadway debut in the revival of A Soldier's Play for Roundabout Theatre Company.
Blake DeLong
Blake DeLong is a Brooklyn-based actor who has collaborated with visionary film and stage directors including Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, Lee Daniels, Sam Gold, Rachel Chavkin, Richard Nelson and others. He has appeared in over 40 professional stage productions and is best known to New York theater audiences for originating the dual-roles of Andrey and Old Bolkonsky in the Off-Broadway smash Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812, for which he was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award. Other New York stage credits include Illyria at The Public Theater, The Bachelors at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, and Othello at New York Theater Workshop. His film and television work includes The United States vs. Billie Holiday; When They See Us; Pass Over; Tesla; Late Night; The Loudest Voice; Law & Order: SVU; The Blacklist; FBI, and many others. He is honored beyond words to make his Broadway debut among this distinguished company in Arthur Miller's seminal masterpiece.
Lynn Hawley
Broadway Debut. New York Off-Broadway: The Gabriels; the Life of One Family During an Election Year. Hungry, What Did You Expect, Women of a Certain Age (NYSF's Public Theater, The Kennedy Center, International tour), Richard III, Venus, Woyzeck, (The Public), What Once We Felt (Lincoln Center), Aristocrats (Irish Rep), Owners, Traps (New York Theater Workshop), The Illusion (CSC), The Pitchfork Disney (HERE). Regional: Yale Rep, Baltimore's Center Stage, Williamstown Theater Festival, New York Stage & Film, Berkshire Theatre Festival. Film/TV: "FBI: Most Wanted", "Law & Order", "Law & Order: SVU"Hamlet. Acting teacher/Director (Bard College, Juilliard, Middlebury, UCONN), Developing stand up: (Comedy Cellar, Broadway Comedy) MFA:NYU.
Grace Porter
Grace Porter is so honored to be making her Broadway debut! A California native who graduated from Pepperdine University in 2016 with her Bachelors in Theater. She moved to New York to study at NYU Tisch Graduate Acting School where she graduated with her Masters in 2019. Some of her work at NYU included Ma in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and Emmy in A Dollshouse Part II.
Now living in New York, she has been seen in the Williamstown production of Lempicka, The Public Theater's Mobile Unit production of Measure for Measure, the Multi-Media instillation experienceDefinition, and The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park production of Richard III. TV credits include "Madam Secretary", "Prodigal Son", and she's currently recurring on "Godfather of Harlem" as Dr. Betty Shabazz. Movie credits include Figments (short), Under a Silver Moon (short), Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies, and Clock.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11. Thank you to God, my family, and my incredible reps at Innovative Artists and Framework Entertainment! "I DID IT DADDY! Rest In Peace" @gracelandsworld
Kevin Ramessar
Kevin Ramessar is a multi-instrumentalist, conductor, and composer. Kevin enjoys collaborating on stage, in the studio and in the classroom. Broadway credits include Paradise Square, Mrs. Doubtfire, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,Jesus Christ Superstar, and Gettin' the Band Back Together. Kevin's recordings and publications are available online: www.kevinramessar.com. @kevinramessar
New York and regional theatre credits include Rajiv Joseph's Obie-winning play Describe the Night at Atlantic Theater Company and Alley Theatre and the world premiere of Archduke at the Mark Taper Forum and TheatreWorks Silicon Valley; the world premiere of Mrs. Christie at Dorset Theatre Festival; Great Expectations at Portland Center Stage; A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare Theatre Co. in DC and Macau, China; Zoey's Perfect Wedding at Hartford Theatreworks. Flood in the Valley with Gung Ho Productions in Liangshan, Chengdu, and Beijing, China; the Aspen Ideas Festival (dir. Lonny Price);Every Good Girl Deserves Fun at Walkerspace. TV credits: "The Good Fight" (CBS) and "Z: The Beginning of Everything" (Amazon). MFA from NYU Graduate Acting. www.stephenstocking.com
Chelsea Lee Williams
Chelsea Lee Williams was recently seen on Broadway in Girl From the North Country and the Tony Award-winning revival of Oklahoma!. Her other on-stage credits include The Public Theater, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Acting Company, and The Apollo Theater. TV & Film: The Good Fight, That Damn Michael Che, The Bite, Strive. Chelsea is originally from Miami, FL, and is a graduate of Florida A&M University and The Juilliard School. @chelsea_in_hd
Delaney Williams
Delaney Williams most recently appeared on stage opposite Jayne Houdyshell in Morris Panych's The Shoplifters at Arena Stage. Other Arena Stage credits include Eddie Carbone in A View From The Bridge directed by Daniel Aukin, The Rainmaker directed by Lisa Peterson, Orpheus Descending directed by Molly Smith, and Uncle Vanya directed by Zelda Fichandler. Other regional credits include appearances at Shakespeare Theatre Company, Folger Theatre, Ford's Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, & Signature Theatre among many others. Mr. Williams is also known to film & television audiences from his roles as Jay Landsman on HBO's "The Wire", Kevin Davis on HBO's "We Own This City", John Buchanan on NBC's "Law & Order: SVU", O'Connor on Marvel's "The Punisher", Gregory Scholl on Showtime's "Ray Donovan", & Dennis Egan on CBS' "Blue Bloods" among many other guest star appearances.
ANDRÉ DE SHIELDS
In a career spanning more than half a century, André De Shields has acquired a number of sobriquets, among them--"Broadway Deity," "Professional Charmer" and "Papa Dré." A showstopper at age 76, André was the triple-crown winner of the 2019 award season, garnering Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Grammy Awards for his universally praised role as Hermes, Messenger to the Gods, in Hadestown. De Shields has also distinguished himself as director, philanthropist and educator. His defining theatrical performances include roles in the original Broadway productions of The Full Monty (Tony Award nomination), Play On! (Tony Award nomination), Ain't Misbehavin' (Emmy Award) and the titular role in The Wiz. Currently, De Shields is experiencing growing pains as he prepares for his next adventure as Actor/Activist, eradicating the inauthentic while elevating the inexplicable. Ubuntu! www.andredeshields.com.
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