Yangtze Repertory Theater, in association with Gung Ho Projects, is proud to present the world premiere of Salesman之死, a bilingual new play inspired by the true story of Arthur Miller directing Death of a Salesman in China. Written by Jeremy Tiang and directed and developed by Obie Award-winner Michael Leibenluft, Salesman之死 runs October 10–28, 2023, at the Connelly Theater (220 E 4th St, Manhattan) with an opening set for Monday, October 16. Tickets go on sale on August 15 and can be purchased at www.yzrep.org.
In the spring of 1983, in a groundbreaking act of cross-cultural collaboration, Arthur Miller accepted an invitation to direct his play Death of a Salesman with an all-Chinese cast at the Beijing People’s Art Theatre despite not speaking a word of Mandarin. The production was a resounding success due, in no small part, to the multilingual talents of renowned Chinese actor Ying Ruocheng (Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor) who translated the text and played Willy Loman.
This extraordinary encounter, which Miller detailed in his memoir Salesman in Beijing, is the inspiration for Salesman之死, which centers on Shen Huihui, a young university professor, who is summoned to the Beijing People’s Art Theatre for a special task: to interpret for Arthur Miller, who will soon arrive to direct his play Death of a Salesman – in Mandarin. Meanwhile, the Chinese ensemble, newly out of the Cultural Revolution, have never met “a salesman.” Will they be able to find common ground? Mostly based on true events, Salesman之死 is a multilingual tale of cultural confusion, impossible translation, and unexpected encounters amid the chaos of theater making.
Additional information including details on casting, creative team. Please visit www.yzrep.org/salesman
Featured Image: Jeremy Tiang – Michael Leibenluft
