Beach actor Bradwell takes on role of playwright Arthur Miller in upcoming production of American Devotion

By JULIA SAWICKI

Beach actor Holm Bradwell never expected a university Shakespeare production to spark a lifelong passion for theatre. But while studying English literature in university, a small role in Richard III, soon blossomed into an adoration for performance that would stay with him for decades.

“I loved putting the words into action,” said Bradwell. “Shakespeare’s almost a kind of poetry, and hearing it and seeing it brought to life sparked a love for theatre in me.”

This led him to years of theatre work, performing with a number of local production companies including Scarborough Players. But his newest role in the upcoming production American Devotion at Crow’s Theatre, is unlike anything he has ever done before.

American Devotion, written by Franca Miraglia and directed by Mario D’Alimontes, is set in 1957 and takes the audience back to the Connecticut farmhouse shared by Marylin Monroe and her husband, author Arthur Miller. Through cocktails alongside Norman Mailer, the tumultuous life, marriage and legacy of the three are brought to the stage.

Holm, who is more accustomed to fictional roles, said portraying Arthur Miller required a different level of preparation. From taking on a Brooklyn accent to understanding Miller as a person, he used careful consideration when deciding how he should embody such a well-known man.

“He’s a 20th century figure, so there’s ample interviews with him, available on YouTube and all sorts of things written about him. A lot of the biographies go into his relationship with Monroe, which was very, I’ll say complex but very fraught. So I have to sort of walk the line between listening to what he says about himself and about his past in these interviews online and, you know, things I’ve read from other points of view,” explained Bradwell.

He said portraying a real historical figure comes with greater responsibility than playing a fictional role.

“As an actor, if you’re trying to embody or enact a real person, someone who actually lived and breathed, and so much is written about him and written by him, you have a duty as an actor to both empathize with the person you’re trying to embody and to try to understand not just what they are, but why they are the way they are,” said Bradwell. 

At the same time, he acknowledges and takes into consideration the criticism behind Miller’s actions and complicated relationship with Marylin Monroe, while approaching the role with empathy.

 “He’s a very complicated person, it’s important to also be objectively critical of the decisions he made of how he acted, especially as it relates to Monroe. But when the acting process starts, you have to sort of put the criticism aside and realize that everybody does things for reasons either unknown to them, or subtle influences in their past shape who they are in the present.”

While portraying Miller has been creatively demanding, Bradwell said the challenge has also been one of the most rewarding aspects of the production.

“Just trying to understand him and trying to, you know, get inside his brain. That’s been really challenging and exciting for me.”

Landing the role happened through an informal, highly collaborative process rather than a traditional audition. Miraglia had worked on the production for more than a decade before connecting with D’Alimontes through the local theatre community. After D’Alimontes’ production of Death of a Salesman, the two began discussing American Devotion, putting together the cast through existing relationships and past work experiences.

D’Alimontes already envisioned actor Mark Rittinger for the role of Norman Mailer after having him perform in Death of a Salesman, while Bradwell was recommended for the role of Arthur Miller after previously working with the director and assisting with set construction. Actress Misha Harding, cast as Marilyn Monroe, was also brought in through mutual connections.

The three actors participated in a table read with the playwright and director, where the cast quickly connected with the script and its portrayal of the characters. Bradwell described the process as “organic,” and said everyone involved immediately responded to the material and challenged each other while helping bring the script to life.

“There’s, there’s a lot going on, and no character is completely innocent and no character is completely a villain either,” said Bradwell. “Each character is very complex and we fell in love with the script.”

Rehearsals officially began in mid April ahead of the production’s opening on Wednesday, June 3. American Devotion will be running until June 21 at Crows Theatre, 345 Carlaw Ave.

Tickets are currently being sold on the Crow’s Theatre website. For more information on the production, or to purchase tickets, please visit https://www.crowstheatre.com/shows-events/american-devotion?date=2026-06-19