Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • Services
    • Aircheck for Actors
    • Demo Reels
    • Audition Prep/Self-Tape Reader
    • Mailing Labels
    • Contribute
    • Industry Links
    • Advertise
    Daily Actor
    Daily Actor YouTube Page Daily Actor FacebookDaily Actor Twitter Daily Actor Instagram Daily Actor Pinterest
    • Acting Tips
      • Actors on Acting
      • Advice Columns
      • Acting Quotes
      • Audition Tapes
      • How To Become An Actor
      • How to Memorize Lines
    • Monologues
      • Monologues from Plays
      • Monologues from Movies
      • Monologues from Musicals
      • Comedic Monologues
      • Dramatic Monologues
      • One Minute Monologues
      • Monologues for Women
      • Monologues for Men
      • Monologues for Teens
      • Monologues for Kids
      • All Monologues
    • Acting Resources
      • Acting Resume
        • Acting Resume Templates
      • Acting Classes
        • Los Angeles Acting Classes
        • Las Vegas Acting Classes
        • San Diego Acting Classes
      • Acting Schools and Colleges
        • Los Angeles
        • New York
        • BFA Acting Schools
      • Casting Websites
      • Headshot Photographers
        • Los Angeles
        • New York City
        • Headshot Printing
      • Acting Techniques
        • What is Method Acting?
      • Stage Directions
      • Demo Reels: Everything You Need to Know
    • Interviews
      Featured

      Interview: Donna Benedicto: “Not every character needs to fit into a box”

      Recent

      Interview: Donna Benedicto: “Not every character needs to fit into a box”

      May 1, 2023
      Jesmille-Darbouze-A-Dolls-House-Broadway-Interview

      Interview: Jesmille Darbouze on Her Role in ‘A Doll’s House’ on Broadway, Working Without Props and Why She Almost Stopped Acting

      April 27, 2023

      Interview: Lilah Fitzgerald Talks “Dream Come True” Roles in ‘Monster High’ and ‘Lucky Hank’

      April 13, 2023
    • Actor Blogs
    • Reviews
      • Movies
      • Theater
      • Books
      • Products
    • Actor Services
      • Airchecks
      • Demo Reels
      • Website Design
      • Mailing Labels
    Daily Actor
    Home » Theatre » Fran Kranz on Landing His Role in ‘Death of a Salesman’
    Theatre

    Fran Kranz on Landing His Role in ‘Death of a Salesman’

    Chris McKittrickBy Chris McKittrickApril 9, 2012Updated:September 16, 2018No Comments2 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    One of the current most acclaimed — and most successful — shows on Broadway is Death of a Salesman, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as Willy Loman and directed by Mike Nichols. 

    Playing Bernard, the initially nebbish son of Loman’s neighbor Charley who grows into a successful lawyer, is Fran Kranz, best known for starring in most of Joss Whedon‘s projects, including the upcoming The Cabin in the Woods. 

    For most actors, getting a role in this limited production of Death of a Salesman might have been a dream come true, so how did Kranz get cast?  He tells Theater Mania, “My agent called to tell me about this production and so I flew back to New York from Los Angeles to audition. My first instinct was to read for Happy; but I was told Mike Nichols only wanted to see me as Bernard. As it happens, Finn Wittrock auditioned the same day for Happy, and the casting director ran right after him when he was done. So I thought, ‘if they want you, they’re going to chase you.’ They didn’t chase me. Well, I actually made it to the elevator when they caught me and asked me to come back and read for Scott Rudin. And then I got the part the next morning.”

    Once he accepted the part, Kranz’s next challenge was figuring out how to best portray a character who appears in two distinct versions.  He explains, “My first instinct on playing Bernard was to highlight that transformation — to show how this anemic, worried boy becomes this self-assured man. During the audition, I asked Mike if he had any ideas for me and he said this character is all about transformation, which gave me a lot of confidence. Since I got the part, it’s gone back and forth about which part of Bernard is harder for me. Early on, I was worried that I was becoming a parlor trick, like a movie superhero who changes costume in a phone booth, and that I wasn’t threading the two ‘people’ together. I am also aware that it’s Willy’s perception of Bernard that we’re seeing in every scene.”

    Death of a Salesman is now at the Barrymore Theatre.  It runs through June 2.

    Related

    Previous ArticleJason Alexander to receive Lifetime Achievement Award from the Actors Fund
    Next Article Actor Saves Stabbing Victim at Jessie J. Concert

    Related Posts

    Jesmille-Darbouze-A-Dolls-House-Broadway-Interview

    Interview: Jesmille Darbouze on Her Role in ‘A Doll’s House’ on Broadway, Working Without Props and Why She Almost Stopped Acting

    April 27, 2023
    Casting Director Carmen Cuba Stranger Things Season 4

    How Casting Director Carmen Cuba Found the Newest Stars of ‘Stranger Things’

    April 11, 2023
    The Offer Casting Director

    ‘The Offer’ Casting Director John Papsidera on Finding ‘The Godfather’ Stars

    November 17, 2022
    Add A Comment

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Popular Pages
    Become An Actor | Acting Tips | Acting Quotes
    Acting Resume | Resume Template
    Headshot Photographers
    Los Angeles | New York
    Print Your Headshots
    Acting Schools & Colleges
    Los Angeles | New York
    Monologues
    Movies | Plays | Comedic | Dramatic
    Men | Women | Teens | Kids
    • Contact
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Resource Listings
    • Write A Column
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy

    Disclaimer: Daily Actor at times uses affiliate links to sites like Amazon.com, streaming services, and others. Affiliate links provides compensation to Daily Actor which helps us remain online, giving you the resources and information actors like you are looking for.

    © 2023 Daily Actor

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.