Sam Fragoso

That's progress.

That's her version of going to a pride parade is what you just heard.

Did your mother enjoy seeing you perform?

Nathan, one of your biggest and most beloved performances is Max Bialystok, the corrupt producer in the namesake The Producers, who's sent to jail for cooking the books while his business partner gets away with it.

And I thought, why don't we listen to a little bit of the song Betrayed.

Nathan Lane, when you sing the word stabbed, how do you do that?

If you're joining us, my guest is actor Nathan Lane.

His latest turn is as Willie Loman in Death of a Salesman opposite Laurie Metcalf.

The show was recently nominated for Best Revival of a Play at the Tonys.

More after a break.

I'm Sam Fragoso.

This is Fresh Air.

When you're in the throes of starring in the producers in the early 2000s, there was a producer who visited you backstage who told The Guardian, quote, seeing him after a performance, it's like he's gone 10 rounds with Joe Louis.

So –

Look, we don't want to age him here.

But, you know, if playing the corrupt, charismatic theater producer Max Bialystok took 10 rounds with Joe Louis out of you, what has Willie Loman done to you?

Toward the middle of Death of a Salesman, I thought maybe we could play a little bit from it where Biff, Hap greet their father at a restaurant.

Both of them, both Biff and Willie, have had big days in very different ways.

So here's how that conversation sounds.

I just want to repeat that line.