Nathan Lane Eyeing Douglas Carter Beane's New Play The Nance

Nathan Lane may already have his next theatrical gig lined up when his run in The Addams Family ends in the spring of 2011. Lane is in talks to star in Douglas Carter Beane's new play The Nance, according to The New York Times. The play's title refers to a derogatory slang word for effeminate men and also to a character type frequently featured in burlesque shows during the 1920s. Lane would play the title role of a performer at the Irving Theatre during the period when Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia was trying to ban burlesque.

Beane recently held a reading of the play at his home featuring Lane, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson's Benjamin Walker, original Rent star Daphne Rubin-Vega and Lane's Addams' co-star Kevin Chamberlin. "Nathan is certainly interested, and was excited about the role,” Beane told the Times. “I’m hopeful. I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever done, in a weird way, considering it’s my first real period piece.” Beane, author of such plays as The Little Dog Laughed, As Bees in Honey Drown and Mr. and Mrs. Fitch and the book of Xanadu, hopes to do another reading at Lincoln Center Theater later this season.

Lane is a Tony winner for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and The Producers and received a Tony nomination for Guys and Dolls. His many other Broadway credits include Waiting for Godot, November, Butley, The Odd Couple, The Frogs, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Love! Valour! Compassion! and Present Laughter.