RIALTO CHATTER: Andrew Garfield Joins Linda Edmond & Philip Seymour Hoffman in DEATH OF A SALESMAN?

Andrew Garfield has joined the cast of the upcoming revival of Arthur Miller's Pultizer Prize-winning play DEATH OF A SALESMAN, to be directed by Mike Nichols, according to Deadline. Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman will star as traveling salesman Willy Loman, Linda Edmond will play his wife, Linda, and Andrew Garfield will play Loman's son, Biff. Scott Rudin will produce the revival, set to open next March at the Barrymore Theatre.

Death of a Salesman is a 1949 play written by Arthur Miller. The play ran for 745 performances, winning both the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. The original production was directed by Elia Kazan with Lee J. Cobb starring in the leading role of Willy Loman.

The original Broadway production was produced by Kermit Bloomgarden and opened at the Morosco Theatre on February 10, 1949, and won the Tony Award for Best Play, Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Arthur Kennedy), Best Scenic Design (Jo Mielziner), Producer (Dramatic), Author (Arthur Miller), and Director (Elia Kazan), as well as the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play. Jayne Mansfield performed in a production of the play in Dallas, Texas in October, 1953. Her performance in the play attracted Paramount Pictures to hire her for the studio's film productions.

The play has been revived on Broadway three times since: June 26, 1975 at the Circle in the Square Theatre, running for 71 performances. George C. Scott starred as Willy; March 29, 1984 at the Broadhurst Theatre, running for 97 performances. Dustin Hoffman played Willy. In a return engagement, this production re-opened on September 14, 1984 and ran for 88 performances. The production won the Tony Award for Best Revival and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival; February 10, 1999 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, running for 274 performances, with Brian Dennehy as Willy. The production won the Tony Award for: Best Revival of a Play; Best Actor in Play; Best Featured Actress in a Play (Elizabeth Franz); Best Direction of a Play (Robert Falls).

Andrew Garfield previously worked with Rudin in ‘The Social Network,' and will also be playing the young Peter Parker in the 3D ‘The Amazing Spider-Man,' which is being directed by Marc Webb. Garfield started his career in theater in the UK.

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