As the Othello marquee was raised at Broadway's Ethel Barrymore Theatre, director Kenny Leon was on hand to commemorate the moment.
For Leon, it is a return to a familiar home. This will be his third play at the Barrymore, hot on the heels of his hit revival of Our Town. Othello goes deeper than simply a return, however. In 2014, Leon directed Othello star Denzel Washington in a revival of A Raisin in the Sun at the theatre, redefining the classic for himself a decade after Leon made his Broadway debut directing the Lorraine Hansberry play.
As Leon put it, "Shakespeare wrote this play in 1603, and here we are in 2025. His universal themes, how important it is to love, how fragile love is, how poisonous jealousy is... when I tell the actors in rehearsal, I say 'it's not rehearsal, this is discovery. We're discovering and rediscovering the good in us, also the bad in us. Trying to get back to the good.' I'm hoping that audiences will leave this theatre wanting to lean into the love, wanting to get away from the envy and the jealousy and all of that. We can be better. We can do better. And I think I have a cast of actors that can deliver that truth. Shakespeare meets 2025. It's the most human play that I've had the pleasure of working on."
Beginning performances February 24 ahead of a March 23 opening at the Barrymore Theatre, the Leon-helmed production will be led by Washington in the title role and Jake Gyllenhaal as Iago.
They will be joined by Molly Osborne as Desdemona, Andrew Burnap as Cassio, Anthony Michael Lopez as Roderigo, Daniel Pearce as Brabantio, Kimber Elayne Sprawl as Emilia, Neal Bledsoe as The Duke of Venice, Julee Cerda as Bianca, Ezra Knight as Montano, Gene Gillette as Gratiano, and Rob Heaps as Ludovico. The ensemble will comprise William Connell, Ty Fanning, Ben Graney, Daniel Reece, Christina Sajous, Sarah Thorn, and Greg Wood, with swing Abiola Obatolu rounding out the company. Casting is by Duncan Stewart and Jarrett Reiche of ARC.
Shakespeare is, of course, never far from Broadway, though this upcoming revival will be the first Broadway staging of the tragedy since a 1982 revival starring James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer. The classic play follows its title character, a Moorish military commander who falls victim to a psychological campaign from adversary Iago aimed at turning him against his new wife, Desdemona.
The production will feature scenic design by two-time Tony winner Derek McLane, costume design by Tony winner Dede Ayite, lighting design by eight-time Tony winner Natasha Katz, sound design by Obie Award winner Justin Ellington, hair and wig design by Emmy winner Mia Neal, intimacy direction by Claire Warden, and production stage management by Narda E. Alcorn.
The production's lead producer is Brian Anthony Moreland. He's previously received four Tony Award nominations, for The Piano Lesson, American Buffalo, The Sound Inside, and Sea Wall/A Life (co-starring Gyllenhaal).
Visit OthelloBway.com.