The Public Theater celebrates the official opening of the first show of its 2018 summer season of free Shakespeare in the Park June 18: an all-new production of Othello, directed by Tony winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson.
Olivier Award winner Chukwudi Iwuji stars in the title role alongside Heather Lind as Desdemona and Corey Stoll as Iago. Performances began May 29 in the Delacorte Theater in Central Park and are scheduled through June 24.
For The Public, Iwuji has starred as Hamlet, was seen in King Lear, and, most recently, Bruce Norris' The Low Road. He is an Olivier Award winner for his performance in the company of Royal Shakespeare's The Histories. Lind's credits, among many, include Incognito and TURN: Washington's Spies; Stoll can currently be seen in the new film adaptation of The Seagull and was recently seen in last summer's Julius Caesar.
Completing the cast of Othello are Peter Jay Fernandez as Duke of Venice; Motell Foster as Roderigo; Andrew Hovelson as Lodovico; Flor De Liz Perez as Bianca; Miguel Perez as Brabantio; Thomas Schall as Montano; Babak Tafti as Cassio; Peter Van Wagner as Gratiano; and Alison Wright as Emilia.
The ensemble is made up of Kevin Rico Angulo, Christopher Cassarino, David Kenner, Tim Nicolai, Lily Santiago, Caroline Siewert, and Allen Tedder.
Othello features scenic design by Rachel Hauck, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Jane Cox, sound design by Jessica Paz, music composition by Derek Wieland, hair and wig design by Matthew B. Armentrout, music composition by Derek Wieland, fight direction by Schall, and movement direction by Adesola Osakalumi.
Following Othello will be the previously announced re-imagined staging of the acclaimed 2016 Public Works musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
Tickets to Shakespeare in the Park are distributed two per person at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park beginning at noon on the day of each performance. Tickets will also be distributed by digital lottery on the TodayTix app or website, or can be purchased via a tax-deductible donation. For information and to donate, call (212) 967-7555.
