Chicago Shakespeare Theater Takes on Othello
(courtesy of the production)
Performances of Othello at Chicago Shakespeare Theater begin this evening.
Othello is one of the most respected men in Venice. A successful general and fearsome leader, he is both well-known and well-liked, by most. Everything changes, however, when his trusted ally, Iago, secretly turns on him. On an assignment on the island of Cyprus, Othello’s status as a stranger in a strange land is finally brought to the forefront, as Iago manipulates his life toward unspeakable tragedy. The modern staging explores the most elemental of human emotions: the all-consuming passions of love and jealousy.
As previously announced, Jonathan Munby directs James Vincent Meredith as Othello, Bethany Jillard as Desdemona, Michael Milligan as Iago, Luigi Sottile as Cassio, Jessie Fisher as Emilia, Melissa Carlson as the Duke of Venice, Laura Rook as Bianca, Fred Geyer as Roderigo, James Krag as Lodovico, David Lively as Brabantio and Gratiano, and Bret Tuomi as Montano.
"The ‘nowness’ of Othello gives such momentum to the play," said Munby. "Once Iago starts the ball rolling, there’s a sort of inevitability about this story — an extraordinary kind of pace to the way that this story unfolds. It’s one of the best psychological thrillers that has ever been written."
The creative team includes Lilli-Anne Brown (assistant director), Kevin Gudahl (verse coach), Bea Bosco (dramaturg), Alexander Dodge (set design), Philip S. Rosenberg (lighting design), Linda Cho (costume design), Melissa Veal (make-up design), and Lindsay Jones (musical composition and sound design).
Performances will run through April 10.
