Sam Fragoso

Since his Broadway debut at the tender age of 26 in Noel Coward's Present Laughter, Tony winner Nathan Lane has long been regarded as one of the great entertainers of the stage, in the tradition of Ethel Merman, Zero Mostel, and Bill Silvers.

But in the last decade, Lane couldn't help but think of Peggy Lee singing Is That All There Is?, which inspired Lane to pivot to more dramatic roles.

Hickey in The Iceman Cometh, Roy Cohn in Angels in America, and

and now Willie Loman in Death of a Salesman.

In the hit new Broadway revival, Lane transforms as the prideful patriarch and traveling salesman, oscillating back and forth between bravado and desperation, an emblem of the dissolution of the American family and their dreams.

Arthur Miller's 1949 Pulitzer Prize-winning play has had several acclaimed productions, led by great actors like Lee J. Cobb, Dustin Hoffman, Wendell Pierce, and the late Brian Dennehy, who was a mentor to Lane.

The Guardian has praised his portrayal as, quote, the crown jewel in a life spent on stage, end quote.

The Tonys seem to agree when the nominations were announced earlier this week.

Nathan Lane, welcome back to Fresh Air.

You were nominated this week for a Tony for your performance as Willie Loman in Death of a Salesman.

This marks, I think, your seventh nomination.

Is that right?

I've heard there are pre-show rituals that performers have before they go on stage.

Are there rituals or traditions you have the morning of Tony nominations?

Why don't we hear a little bit of what that performance that you're nominated for sounds like?

The play alternates between the past and present.

And so in this flashback, Willie has just come home from a sales trip up along the East Coast where he's met by his two young boys.

It's funny hearing that scene.

Willie is out on the road selling.

But when he comes back home, you can hear even there he's selling a story or a dream even to his sons.