Arthur Miller’s iconic Death of a Salesman returns to the Shanghai stage in a Chinese-language production by the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, led by veteran actor Lü Liang. A timeless story about chasing dreams, losing control, and the complicated love between a father and his family.

Willy Loman is a salesman.

In his prime, he was reliable in business, warm-hearted and sincere, with outstanding social skills. Back then, he could often drive long distances to sell his products and was once renowned throughout New England. His wife, Linda, kept the household running smoothly, and his two sons, Biff and Happy, were a source of pride...

Yet, as time passed, his good fortune seemed to slip away, and his life gradually spiraled out of control...

Death of a Salesman is a play written by Arthur Miller in 1949, hailed as one of the greatest American plays of the 20th century. That same year, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award, and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, making it the first play in history to sweep all three major theater awards.

This play made Arthur Miller a household name in America.

Playwright: Arthur Miller (USA)

An American Jewish playwright and Marilyn Monroe’s third husband, Miller is best known for Death of a Salesman and The Crucible. In 1984, he was one of five recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors (awarded to individuals who have made lifelong contributions to American culture, also known as the Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award).

In 1936, Miller’s first play, Honors at Dawn, premiered at the University of Michigan, earning him the Hopwood Award. In 1947, his breakthrough work, All My Sons, ran for 328 performances. Two years later, Death of a Salesman debuted on Broadway, running for 742 performances and winning the Tony Award, Pulitzer Prize, and New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, cementing Miller’s international reputation.

Throughout his life, Miller received numerous accolades, including the St. Louis Literary Award, the Prince of Asturias Award, the Praemium Imperiale (Japan), the Jerusalem Prize, and the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize. His other notable works include The Crucible, A View from the Bridge, and The American Clock.

Lead Actor: Lü Liang

A first-class actor and member of the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, Lü Liang graduated from the Shanghai Theatre Academy.

Major Theatre Acting Credits:

Murder on the Nile, Death of a Salesman, Shang Yang, Murder on the Orient Express, Uncle Vanya, The Witness for the Prosecution, Apricot Blossom Rain, *1977*, Under the Roof of Old Beijing, Under the Neon Lights, Sylvia, Salty Cappuccino, Oleanna, The Song of Everlasting Sorrow, Li Yazi, The Crucible, The Unexpected Guest, Longevity, Self-Cooking, The Coffin Is Too Large for the Hole, Moon Sacrifice, The Left-Behind Woman, The Joy Luck Club, Bastard, The Return, Office Secrets, Stock Fate, Made in China, etc.

Major Directing Credits:

Midnight in Havana, Activated Carbon, Winter in Two Cities, Hairdresser’s Fairy Tale, etc.

Awards:

11th China Theatre Plum Blossom Award, 3rd & 11th Shanghai Magnolia Drama Performance Awards (Lead Role), 5th China Theatre Golden Lion Award for Acting, 1993 China Small Theatre Festival Outstanding Actor Award, 1st & 4th Baosteel Arts Awards, 1st Academy Award (Drama Performance) Best Lead Actor, 2nd Zolin Drama Award Best Actor, 10th Zolin Drama Award Best Supporting Actor, 5th Huading Theatre Awards Best Actor, etc.

Media Reviews:

The New York Times:
“The play is so simple in style, so inevitable in theme, it scarcely seems like a work of art at all. That is because Mr. Miller has penetrated so compassionately into the hearts of ordinary Americans and laid bare their hopes and anguish on the stage without pretense.”

Paul Lieberman, Los Angeles Times:
“What unfolded before the public was not just a work of art but a measure of a nation and its people—its economy, families, values, and dreams. Willy Loman… became a symbol of American bravado, self-deception, and vanity. Yet everyone still roots for this man, who feels his luck has run out and his spirit crushed.”