Anthony LaPaglia makes his South Australian stage debut as Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman at Adelaide Festival Theatre from 26 September to 4 October. The acclaimed production, which has received praise following seasons in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, features LaPaglia alongside Alison Whyte, Josh Helman and Ben O'Toole, with South Australian actors Mark Saturno, James Smith and Luca Sardelis joining for the Adelaide season.
Adelaide-born Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor Anthony LaPaglia will make his South Australian stage debut at Festival Theatre this September as Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, with three new cast members joining the acclaimed production for its Adelaide season from 26 September to 4 October.
Joining LaPaglia for the Adelaide season are South Australian actors Mark Saturno (The Normal Heart, Jack Maggs, A View from the Bridge) James Smith (Euphoria, Jack Maggs, Hibernation) and Luca Sardelis (The Hunting, Nowhere Boys, Deadlock).
Above: Mark Saturno
Above: James Smith
Above: Luca Sardelis
No strangers to Adelaide audiences and having forged careers both nationally and internationally, Saturno will take on the double role of Willy Loman’s boss Howard and waiter Stanley, while Smith will play the nerdy Bernard. Saturno’s career includes 11 years working in New York, including Broadway and Off-Broadway, while Smith is an award-winning actor with extensive credits with State Theatre Company South Australia who also toured nationally with GWB’s production of Girl From The North Country. Rising star, Sardelis, will make her main stage theatre debut as Jenny and Letta.
They join returning cast members Helpmann Award and Logie winner Alison Whyte (A Streetcar Named Desire, The Twelve), Josh Helman (The Pacific, Mad Max: Fury Road) as Biff, Ben O’Toole (The Water Diviner,Hacksaw Ridge) as Happy, Anthony Phelan (Boy Swallows Universe) as Uncle Ben, Marco Chiappi (Coriolanus) as Charley, Paula Arundell (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) as The Woman and Elizabeth Blackmore (Troy) as Miss Forsythe.
Following a triumphant Melbourne season, Death of a Salesman has received widespread acclaim and exceptional reviews, with The Australian hailing LaPaglia’s performance as a “heart-piercing triumph” and The Guardian describing the production as an “electric, devastating tragedy”. The production opens today in Brisbane before heading to Adelaide for its Festival Theatre season.
Above - Credit: Daniel Boud
Adelaide-based producers Torben Brookman and Richelle Brookman of GWB Entertainment said: “We are over the moon to be bringing our production of Death of a Salesman to our hometown after major seasons in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Our recent return season in Melbourne once again had audiences on their feet and critics raving. With the current tour being extended to Adelaide, we’ve been able to bring on board two of South Australia’s most admired actors – Mark Saturno and James Smith – alongside exciting young theatrical newcomer Luca Sardelis. It’s a great opportunity to showcase these special Adelaide performers alongside Anthony LaPaglia, Alison Whyte and the rest of our wonderful cast in the context of Neil Armfield’s once-in-a-generation production.”
Death of a Salesman follows Willy Loman, an ageing salesman struggling to reconcile his dreams of success with the reality of his life and family. More than seven decades after Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play first premiered, its themes of ambition, family, identity and the pursuit of the American Dream remain as resonant as ever.
Tickets on sale now via adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au
Death of a Salesman
Adelaide Festival Theatre - 26 September – 4 October 2026
