Nathan Lane Pays Tribute After Terrence McNally's Death

Last week, BroadwayWorld was saddened to report that legendary playwright, Terrence McNally had passed away. He was 81 years old.

Nathan Lane knew McNally for 30 years, and has written a touching tribute to his friend for Time.

Lane writes about his relationship with McNally, from when they first met in the lobby at City Center.

Lane notes that when McNally and John Tillinger cast him in The Lisbon Traviata, it changed his life as an actor, an put him on the map.

"We went on to have a 30-year collaboration, rather unique in the fickle world of the theater," Lane writes. "He gave me some of the best and most important roles of my career and I will be forever in his debt."

He says that he has tears forming in his eyes as he writes the piece, but he believes that McNally will live on.

"But, of course, he is here," Lane writes. "He'll always be here. In the plays, in the musicals, in the operas, in the eloquent and moving speeches he gave, in the love and kindness he generously shared and all the people he inspired."

Read the full piece on Time's website here.

Read McNally's obituary on BroadwayWorld here.