Nathan Lane is not happy…
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- August
- 8
You just never know what’s going to be in your email inbox. When I logged on this 
morning, there was this note, “A Response From The Original Producer,” responding to this post (and the story in the print edition) about “The Producers” coming to Westchester Broadway Theater.
“Dear Mr. Kramer:
I read your interview with Mr. Amaral and Mr. Newsome, and would like to clear something up.
Mr. Amaral states that “when you go to see Nathan Lane or Matthew Broderick, you go to see those guys, their personas, and you sort of miss the show.” As the man who created the role on Broadway, as an actor and uncredited co-writer, let me just say that is pure crap. In particular, because he never actually saw me in the part!
I was not applying a so-called persona to the character. I wasn’t making a personal appearance. I was acting a role and telling the story to the best of my ability.
I have been a professional actor for 33 years, 26 of which I have spent acting in plays and musicals on and off Broadway. For the role, I won the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards, and in London, the Olivier. I must have some credibility as an actor.
I am grateful that people want to come see me, but I believe it is because they respect the work that I do. Please feel free to print this.
Sincerely,
Nathan Laneâ€
I confirmed it was, indeed, Mr. Lane and have printed his response here.
PHOTO by Richard Drew/The Associated Press: Nathan Lane holds his Tony Award for portraying Max Bialystock in “The Producers” on June 3, 2001.
This entry was posted
on Friday, August 8th, 2008 at 12:53 pm by Peter D. Kramer.
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Peter D. Kramer
I can understand Lane’s frustration. As you probably know from following theater and shows, Lane is often accused of playing himself and, when he does drama or something that is not a musical like Butley or the Odd Couple he is criticized because the audience wants to see him in musicals. His performance in Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Butley and other shows was definitely not just Nathan Lane acting Nathan Lane though there is a persistent belief that he can only do that. I can see why he might be frustrated by the comments people make and by being pigeon-holed when in fact he can do comedy, musicals, drama, films, TV etc. He is truly a stage treasure and a throw-back to the old triple threat days of real stage actors who could do it all.