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RESOURCE GUIDE
Pittsburgh Public Theater’s education and outreach programs are generously supported by
BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Additional funding is provided by the
Grable Foundation.
CONTENTS
Characters and Setting ........................................................ 3
Synopsis ............................................................................ 4
William Shakespeare ........................................................... 6
Performance History of Othello ............................................. 8
Ottoman Venetian War ...................................................... 11
Shakespearean Tragedy ..................................................... 13
The Language of Shakespeare ............................................ 15
Race in Othello ................................................................. 17
Shakespeare’s Other Plays ................................................. 19
Discussion Questions ........................................................ 20
Meet the Director.............................................................. 21
Meet the Cast .................................................................. 22
Theatre Etiquette .............................................................. 28
PA Academic Standards .................................................... 29
References ....................................................................... 31
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CHARACTERS
Othello, the Moor
Desdemona, wife to Othello
Brabantio, father to Desdemona
Cassio, an honourable lieutenant
Iago, a villain, [ancient or standard-bearer, and third in command to Othello]
Emilia, wife to Iago
Roderigo, a gulled gentleman
Bianca, a courtesan
Duke of Venice
Senators
Montano, Governor of Cyprus
Gentlemen of Cyprus
Lodovico & Gratiano, two noble Venetians, kinsmen to Brabantio
Sailors
Clown
Messengers, Herald, Officers, Musicians, and Attendants
SETTING
Venice and Cyprus
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SYNOPSIS
Othello, a Moorish general of Venice, has promoted
Cassio as his lieutenant; Iago, who was hoping for
the promotion himself, makes plots against both
Cassio and Othello to exact revenge. Othello has
secretly married Desdemona, the beautiful daughter
of Venetian senator Brabantio, and Iago determines
to use Desdemona as the means of his revenge.
When Othello is posted to Cyprus by the Duke of
Venice, Iago escorts Desdemona there to meet him,
Chiwetel Ejiofor as Othello and Ewen
taking along his own wife, Emilia. When they've
McGregor as Iago in 2007 production of
Othello
arrived in Cyprus, Iago sets his machinations to
motion. He tricks Cassio into getting drunk, then has
Roderigo—a former suitor of Desdemona whom Iago has convinced to aid him with the hope of
winning Desdemona back—pick a fight with Cassio that ends in Cassio's arrest. Because of this,
Cassio is demoted. Then Iago has Cassio visit Desdemona, saying that an appeal to her might
do well to convince Othello to reinstate him.
This accomplished, Iago goes straightaway to
Othello so that he can lead him to where Desdemona and
Cassio are talking. As Iago and Othello view the scene,
Iago plants seeds of doubt and jealousy in Othello's mind
concerning Desdemona's fidelity. The scenario Iago
suggests is that Cassio and Desdemona are having an
affair. Later, fortune literally drops Desdemona's
handkerchief into Iago's hand; he gets the handkerchief
Emilia with Othello’s handkerchief
from Emilia, who discovered it, plants the handkerchief in
(Portland State University, 2012)
Cassio's room, and then tells Othello that he saw Cassio
with it. When Othello asks Desdemona about the handkerchief, she tells him that it was lost
(which is the truth as she knows it). Cassio, meanwhile, has given the handkerchief to a
courtesan with whom he is intimate. Iago manipulates a conversation with Cassio about his
courtesan to make it appear to Othello—who is eavesdropping at the behest of Iago—that
Cassio is talking about Desdemona.
His smoldering rage now beginning to bubble over, Othello tells Iago to kill Cassio and
then angrily confronts Desdemona. In spite of Desdemona's protests of innocence (backed up
by Iago's wife, Emilia), Othello is now convinced of her infidelity with Cassio. Iago, meanwhile,
has Roderigo attempt to murder Cassio; when Roderigo fails to do more than wound the soldier,
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Iago slays him so that Roderigo can't implicate him in the affair. Othello strangles Desdemona in
her bed. When Emilia discovers the crime, she decries the
Moor as a villain and at first refuses to believe that Iago
has so evilly manipulated Othello. However, Iago's
appearance and subsequent answers lead Emilia to
confront the fact that her husband is responsible for this
tragedy. When Iago cannot keep Emilia from telling the
truth about the handkerchief, he stabs her and attempts to
escape; not only is he captured, but letters found on
Roderigo's body thoroughly implicate Iago as the
treacherous villain that he is. Faced with the shame of
having murdered an innocent Desdemona, Othello stabs
himself in front of Cassio and dies on Desdemona's bed,
beside her.
John Douglas Thompson and Juliet
Rylance as Othello and Desdemona
in 2008 production of Othello
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William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in
Warwickshire and was baptised a few days later on 26 April
1564. His father, John Shakespeare, was a glove maker and
wool merchant and his mother, Mary Arden, was the
daughter of a well-to-do landowner from Wilmcote, South
Warwickshire. It is likely Shakespeare was educated at the
local King Edward VI Grammar School in Stratford.
Marriage
The next documented event in Shakespeare’s life is his
marriage at the age of 18 to Anne Hathaway, the daughter
of a local farmer, on November 28, 1582. She was eight
years older than him and their first child, Susanna, was born
six months after their wedding. Two years later, the couple
had twins, Hamnet and Judith, but their son died when he
was 11 years old. Again, a gap in the records leads some scholars to refer to Shakespeare’s life
between 1585 and 1592 as 'the lost years'. By the time he reappears again, mentioned in a
London pamphlet, Shakespeare has made his way to London without his family and is already
working in the theatre.
Acting career
Having gained recognition as an actor and playwright Shakespeare had clearly ruffled a
few feathers along the way – contemporary critic, Robert Green, described him in the 1592
pamphlet as an, "upstart Crow". As well as belonging to its pool of actors and playwrights,
Shakespeare was one of the managing partners of the Lord Chamberlain's Company (renamed
the King's Company when James succeeded to the throne), whose actors included the famous
Richard Burbage. The company acquired interests in two theatres in the Southwark area of
London near the banks of the Thames - the Globe and the Blackfriars. In 1593 and 1594,
Shakespeare’s first poems, 'Venus and Adonis' and 'The Rape of Lucrece', were published and
he dedicated them to his patron, Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton. It is thought
Shakespeare also wrote most of his sonnets at this time.
Playwright
Shakespeare was prolific, with records of his first plays beginning to appear in 1594,
from which time he produced roughly two a year until around 1611. His hard work quickly paid
off, with signs that he was beginning to prosper emerging soon after the publication of his first
plays. By 1596 Shakespeare’s father, John had been granted a coat of arms and it’s probable
that Shakespeare had commissioned them, paying the fees himself. A year later he bought New
Place, a large house in Stratford.
His earlier plays were mainly histories and comedies such as 'Henry VI', 'Titus
Andronicus', 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', 'The Merchant of Venice' and 'Richard II'. The
tragedy, 'Romeo and Juliet', was also published in this period. By the last years of Elizabeth I's
reign Shakespeare was well established as a famous poet and playwright and was called upon
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to perform several of his plays before the Queen at court. In 1598 the author Francis Meres
described Shakespeare as England’s greatest writer in comedy and tragedy.
In 1602 Shakespeare's continuing success enabled him to move to upmarket Silver
Street, near where the Barbican is now situated, and he was living here when he wrote some of
his greatest tragedies such as 'Hamlet', 'Othello', 'King Lear' and 'Macbeth'.
Final years
Shakespeare spent the last five years of his life in New Place in Stratford. He died on 23
April 1616 at the age of 52 and was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. He left his
property to the male heirs of his eldest daughter, Susanna. He also bequeathed his 'second-best
bed' to his wife. It is not known what significance this gesture had, although the couple had
lived primarily apart for 20 years of their marriage. The first collected edition of his works was
published in 1623 and is known as 'the First Folio'.
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Performance History of Othello
The play was written between 1601 and 1604. The
first printed Quarto (Q) was published in 1622 by Nicholas
Okes for Thomas Walkley. It was entered in the Stationers’
Register the previous year, 1621. The First Folio (F) was
published in 1623. The second Quarto (Q2) was published
in 1630. Q and F contain many differences: for example,
the Willow Song appears only in F, but profanities were
deleted from F. Modern editions choose readings from both
Q and F.
The first recorded performance of Othello was in
1604, by the ‘Kings Maiesties plaiers’ in King James’
Banqueting Hall at Whitehall, according to the account
book of the then Master of the Revels. There was a
performance by the King’s Men in Oxford in 1610, at
which Desdemona’s dying face “implored the pity of the
spectators;” in contrast, at a performance in 1660, the
diarist Samuel Pepys records that a woman in the audience
“called out, to see Desdemona smothered.”
In the Restoration period, the female roles were taken by actresses for the first time:
Desdemona was played by an actress in 1660 (possibly Margaret Hughes, who appears on a
cast list in 1669). A prologue and epilogue were written by Thomas Jordan for the 1660
production, addressing the issue of whether actresses could perform without being thought to
be loose women. Jordan’s epilogue assured the audience that the actress was ‘As far from
being what you call a whore,/ As Desdemona injured by the Moor’. Jordan invited women
especially to approve the actress playing Desdemona: “But ladies, what think you? for if you
tax/ Her freedom with dishonour to your sex,/She means to act no more, and this shall be/ No
other play, but her own tragedy.”
Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the
play remained popular, often performed in cut and censored
versions, with famous actors of the day taking on the part of
Othello, with varying success. Actors tended to emphasise
either Othello’s thoughtfulness and introspection, or his
explosive passions. The play was turned into the librettos of
two nineteenth-century operas, by Rossini and Verdi. Modern
performances of Othello have seen the lead acted by Laurence
Olivier in 1964 and Anthony Hopkins (for the BBC) in
1981, with famous Iagos including Olivier in 1938 and Richard
Burton in 1956. However, as early as the 1960s, some critics
found it odd to have a white actor playing Othello in dark
makeup, with one complaining of the ‘by-now outrageous
impression of a theatrical Negro stereotype’.
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Laurence Olivier
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The first black actor to play Othello was an
American named Ira Aldridge, who performed the role
in the late nineteenth century. Aldridge received
critical acclaim, but was also the subject of racist
attacks in the press: The Times of 11 April 1833
described a performance of Othello ‘by an individual,
of Negro origin, as his features sufficiently testify,’
saying that ‘such an exhibition is well enough at
Sadler’s Wells, or at Bartholomew Fair, but it certainly
is not very creditable to a great national
establishment’. Aldridge’s only advantage was that he
could play the part ‘in his own native hue, without the
need of lampblack’, and the Times writer commented,
‘Well might Desdemona’s father imagine that sorcery,
and not nature, had caused his daughter to listen to
such a wooer’. However, he had to admit that the
performance was ‘extremely well received’.
Another black actor to perform Othello was Paul
Robeson, first at the Savoy Theatre, London, in 1930,
and later on Broadway in 1943-4. A famous singer,
Robeson played the part with dignity and emphasized
Othello’s noble qualities. More recently, James Earl
Jones played the part on Broadway (1981-2), opposite
Christopher Plummer’s Iago; Jones was also a
commanding presence, as one critic puts it, ‘doing his
Darth Vader voice from Star Wars’, and played Othello
with a mixture of vulnerability and ‘military authority’. In
1995 Laurence Fishburne became the first black actor to
play Othello in a film version, acting opposite Kenneth
Branagh as Iago.
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Ottoman Venetian War
In Act 1 of Othello, the threat of a
Turkish fleet invading the island of Cyprus
draws Othello and Desdemona away from
Venice. Shakespeare’s depiction of this
conflict is based in history, but by no means
historically accurate. Begun in the thirteenth
century, by Shakespeare’s time, the Ottoman
Empire (the Turks of the play) was one of the
most powerful forces in Europe. Based in
what today is Turkey, the empire eventually
reached as far west as Hungary and included
Egypt and Syria. The empire had a large
Christian population (until the second half of
the fifteen century Christians had been the majority) but the ruling class and government was
Islamic.
Unsurprisingly, the Christian nations of Western Europe were deeply suspicious of an
Islamic empire which regularly attempted to increase its holdings and there was a great deal of
tension between the Ottoman Empire and Western Europe. Venice and the Ottoman Empire
fought several wars over holdings in the Adriatic Sea, starting as early as 1423. In 1570, Turks
launched a full scale invasion of Cyprus, a large, strategically important island which the
Venetians had ruled since 1489. The invasion was a complete success; Cyprus became part of
the Ottoman Empire and 20,000 citizens in Nicosia—one of Cyprus’ largest cities—were
massacred.
The loss of Cyprus and the massacre of civilians occurred within living memory of
Shakespeare’s original audience and knowledge of the outcome would have made the scattering
of the Turkish fleet in between Act 1 and Act 2 a surprise to that audience. Shakespeare had a
habit of ignoring history when it suited him; this change is necessary because Shakespeare
needs a big external threat to move Othello and Desdemona away from the civilized world of
Venice. But once they set sail, he had no further interest in the actual historical war and so he
dismisses it with a miraculous storm that damages only Turkish ships and allows everyone else
to arrive safely in Cyprus—where they will face much more deadly, because much more
personal, threats.
Resource from Philadelphia Shakespeare Theater
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1570 – Ottoman Venetian War (Battle of Lepanto)
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Shakespearean Tragedy
Othello is one of Shakespeare’s ten tragedies. While the
word tragedy generally refers to a shocking or sad event, a tragedy
in theater is defined as a play concerned with the downfall or
decline of a noble character. This character, known as the tragic
hero, contributes to his own demise through a personal failing or
fault called hamartia or tragic flaw. A tragic hero is usually a
person of high rank or noble blood, like a king, a knight, or a
commander in an army, or sets himself apart in some way from
the “average” person. In this way, his fall from grace has even
more of an impact.
Shakespearean tragedy derives from the structure and
elements of classical Greek tragedy, outlined by Aristotle. When
you watch Othello, consider how well Othello fits to the elements
of a traditional tragedy.
Aristotle’s Definition of a Tragedy:
“A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude,
complete in itself; in appropriate and pleasurable language;... in a dramatic rather than narrative
form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these
emotions.”
1. “the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in
itself;”
This means that a good tragedy deals with one issue that is very “serious.” You can’t
have a tragedy about something trivial like breaking a fingernail. “Magnitude” here means great
importance. The issue has to be serious and very, very important. That’s why a lot of tragedies
deal with someone’s death. “Complete in itself” means that the play must stick to the one
issue; otherwise, the audience will get lost in the plot.
2. “in appropriate and pleasurable language:”
Ancient Greek tragedy had a chorus whose role was to comment on the action of the
play. The chorus sometimes sang their part. Aristotle said that the language should be easy to
listen to. It should have rhythm and also good harmony for the lines that were sung.
3. “in a dramatic rather than narrative form;”
To narrate a story is simply to tell the story, like telling a friend what happened over the
w eekend. In a play, the story must be dramatized or acted out.
4. “with incidents arousing pity and fear,”
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In a tragedy, the events or episodes in the play should lead the audience to feel very sorry
for the main character—the tragic hero. The audience should also feel afraid for the hero as he
moves toward a destructive end.
5. “wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions.”
As the play moves along, the events should build up the emotions of pity and fear. A
catharsis is a purging, or cleansing of the emotions--a release of tension. In a tragedy, this is
often a moment of revelation when the tragic hero “falls flat on his face,” and the audience can
finally “explode.”
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The Language of Shakespeare
At first, the language of Shakespeare’s plays can seem hard to understand. But after
reading or seeing a Shakespearean work, like Othello, you will get the hang of it! If you’re
stumped, or just curious, try looking at the glossary below to learn some terms from the
Elizabethan era.
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Race in Othello
Othello’s intended ethnicity is in some dispute. ‘Moor’ is a
name applied to the Arab and Berber peoples of North Africa who
inhabited medieval Spain. Thus, Othello may be connected with the
Moors who remained in Spain after the fall of Granada in 1492 until
a later expulsion in 1609, or with the people of ‘Barbary’ in North
Africa. Iago calls Othello a “Barbary horse,” referring to the famous
horses of the Arab world, but also playing on the associations of
‘barbarian’ with paganism and savagery. One contact with Moors of
which Shakespeare could have known came in 1600, when an
ambassador from Barbary came to London with his colleagues to
discuss a possible alliance against Spain: it was observed that the
delegation followed their own religious rituals, and they were called
‘barbarians’ and “infidels.”
The Moor, like Shylock in The Merchant of Venice and
A Moorish nobleman,
Barabas in Marlowe’s The Jew of Malta, was a religious outsider,
painted ca. 1525
and could be associated with unbelief and vice rather than with
Christian virtue. However, Othello does not seem to be a Muslim, speaking insultingly of a
circumcised Turk. The term “Moor” could also indicate a nonwhite person who was not
necessarily a Spanish or North African Muslim; black Africans could be referred to as
“blackamoors.” Yet when Queen Elizabeth desired the removal of “negars and blackamoors”
from Britain in 1601, she seemed to be referring to Moorish refugees from Spain.
Whichever of these categories Othello fits into, it is
clear that Shakespeare portrays Othello’s race as setting
him apart in some respects from the predominantly white
European society in which he lives. Although Othello is
respected for his military prowess and nobility of
character, he inhabits a culture in which underlying racial
tensions, in particular anxieties about the mixing of races
through intermarriage, can be exploited. In Othello, racial
stereotypes are both evoked and problematized. The racial
divide between Othello and Desdemona is portrayed in
intentionally shocking language: Iago tells Brabantio that
“an old black ram/ is tupping your white ewe.” In calling
Othello “Barbary horse” and “black ram,” Iago associates
carnality and animality with Othello and blackness. Yet as
much as Iago’s rhetoric, and Othello’s own later selfconstruction, makes Othello carnal, exotic or monstrous,
he is also human and sympathetic, vulnerable to Iago’s
machinations partly because his difference makes him an
easy target.
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Throughout the play, Shakespeare explores a rhetoric of “blackness.” but always with an
ironic distance. When Desdemona believes that the sun has drawn away Othello’s jealous
“humour”, she refers to black bile, one of the four “humours” that were thought to affect
human emotion. Othello uses “black” to refer to Desdemona’s fraught reputation, “begrimed and
black/ as mine own face,” and also talks of “black vengeance.” Yet, Shakespeare problematises
the use of ‘black’ as a negative signifier. Desdemona’s name is not in fact “begrimed,” because
she is innocent, and only believed to be guilty by Othello; neither is Othello’s face “begrimed,”
since it is naturally dark. The association of blackness with staining or impurity recalls Iago’s
attempt to portray Desdemona as being polluted by Othello’s love, and yet their love is strong
and wholesome until Iago interferes. “Black” vengeance is associated with Iago himself before
Othello seeks vengeance on Desdemona. Ultimately, we are made aware that it is Iago, a white
character, who is guilty both of causing Othello’s descent into “dark” emotions, and of evoking
Othello’s difference in racially charged rhetoric.
Desdemona and Othello by Theodore
Chassiau
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Shakespeare’s Plays
All's Well That Ends Well (1602)
Antony and Cleopatra (1606)
As You Like It (1599)
Comedy of Errors (1589)
Coriolanus (1607)
Cymbeline (1609)
Hamlet (1600)
Henry IV, Part I (1597)
Henry IV, Part II (1597)
Henry V (1598)
Henry VI, Part I (1591)
Henry VI, Part II (1590)
Henry VI, Part III (1590)
Henry VIII (1612)
Julius Caesar (1599)
King John (1596)
King Lear (1605)
Love's Labour's Lost (1594)
Macbeth (1605)
Measure for Measure (1604)
Merchant of Venice (1596)
Merry Wives of Windsor (1600)
Midsummer Night's Dream (1595)
Much Ado about Nothing (1598)
Othello (1604)
Pericles (1608)
Richard II (1595)
Richard III (1592)
Romeo and Juliet (1594)
Taming of the Shrew (1593)
Tempest (1611)
Timon of Athens (1607)
Titus Andronicus (1593)
Troilus and Cressida (1601)
Twelfth Night (1599)
Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594)
Winter's Tale (1610)
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Discussion Questions
1. At the outset of the play, Desdemona and Othello have married in secret. Why
have they chosen to elope rather than marry traditionally?
2. Why does Iago hate Othello so much? Why does he consider himself superior to
Cassio? Should we believe what Iago has to say about his enemies? Why or why not?
3. Why does Brabantio think Othello has bewitched Desdemona? Othello says
Desdemona was enamored of Othello’s stories about his early life. Do you think this is
true? Why else might Desdemona have fallen in love with Othello?—what are his lovable
qualities?
4. Why does Iago go to such great lengths to destroy Othello? Why does he involve
so many people? What does he have to gain from an elaborate plan vs. a quick solution
(e.g. killing Othello)?
5. Why is Desdemona’s handkerchief so significant to Othello?
6. Why does Othello believe Iago when Iago convinces him Desdemona is unfaithful?
Does Othello trust Desdemona?
7. Why does Iago stab Roderigo if they were allies in their plot against Othello?
8. What does Othello mean when he says he loved “too well?”
9. Did Iago get what he deserved? Should he have died? Or is Othello’s wish that he
suffer the rest of his life a more fitting punishment?
10. What seems to be Othello’s “tragic flaw?”
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Meet the Director
Ted Pappas celebrates his 15th season as Producing
Artistic Director of Pittsburgh Public Theater and his 22nd year
of close association with the company as a director. He has
staged more than 49 productions for The Public, including the
works of Euripides, Shakespeare, Schiller, Wilde, Gilbert &
Sullivan, and Sondheim. Some highlights include
Sophocles' Electra, Shakespeare's As You Like It, Kaufman &
Ferber's The Royal Family, Peter Shaffer's Amadeus, Mary
Zimmerman's Metamorphoses, Kander & Ebb's Cabaret, the
American premiere of Alan Ayckbourn's RolePlay, and the world
premiere of Rob Zellers and Gene Collier's The Chief. His career
began in New York City where he worked at Playwrights
Horizons, Joseph Papp's Public Theater, John Houseman's The
Acting Company, New York City Opera under the leadership of
Beverly Sills, and shows on and off Broadway. His regional
credits are numerous and varied and include productions for
Williamstown Theatre Festival, Arena Stage in Washington DC, the Kennedy Center, the
Canadian Opera Company, Toronto's Royal Alexandra, and Goodspeed Musicals. He staged a
hip-hop concert hosted by Harry Belafonte which galvanized the Cannes Film Festival, directed a
Las Vegas extravaganza for impresario Steve Wynn, and served as choreographer for NBC's
legendary series "Saturday Night Live." He studied Shakespeare with Samuel Schoenbaum and
modern drama with Eric Bentley, and holds degrees from Northwestern University and
Manhattan's Hunter College. He is a past president of the Stage Directors and Choreographers
Society, the national labor union.
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Meet the Cast
ROBIN ABRAMSON* (Bianca) is thrilled to be making her Pittsburgh Public
Theatre debut. Most recently, she appeared in Molly Metzler’s Elemeno Pea at
Pittsburgh City Theatre and TAMARA with Quantum Theatre. Previous City
Theatre credits include Michael Hollinger’s Hope and Gravity, TRIBES, Time
Stands Still, and Maple and Vine. Her work in Blackbird and Mary’s Wedding
(also City Theatre) earned her the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Performer of the
Year award in 2009. Quantum Theatre productions include Twelfth Night
(Viola), The Electric Baby, and When the Rain Stops Falling. She has also worked with off the
WALL, PICT Classic Theatre, No Name Players, The Rep, and Philadelphia Theatre
Company. Robin portrayed Annabelle in the CLO Cabaret production of You Say Tomato, I say
SHUT UP! which traveled to Philadelphia, San Diego, and the Denver Center.
TEAGLE F. BOUGERE* (Othello) returns to Pittsburgh Public Theater
where he played The Poet in last season’s one-man show An Iliad. Mr.
Bougere originated the role of Invisible Man in the world premiere stage
adaptation of Ralph Ellison’s iconic novel Invisible Man at The Court
Theater in Chicago. He went on to play the role in Washington, D.C.
(Studio Theatre) and Boston (The Huntington). Broadway: A Raisin in
the Sun (Asagai), The Tempest (Caliban).
International: Macbeth (Macbeth) in Florence, Italy. Selected OffBroadway: Stop/Reset (Signature Theatre); A Soldier’s Play (Second
Stage); Henry V, Antony and Cleopatra (with Vanessa Redgrave) The Public Theater. Selected
Regional: Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing (Henry); Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
(Loomis) and Blue Door, both directed by Delroy Lindo at Berkeley Repertory Theater. Film: Hill
and Gully, Night at the Museum, The Imposters, The Pelican Brief, Two Weeks Notice.
Television: “A Gifted Man,” “The Big C,” “Cosby,” and seven episodes for the “Law & Order”
franchise. Mr. Bougere’s latest film, Good Friday, will be released this summer.
AMANDA LEIGH COBB* (Desdemona) is delighted to return to
Pittsburgh Public Theater’s stage after playing Sybil here in Private
Lives. Her Broadway credits include: The River, The Importance of
Being Earnest, The Country Girl, The Coast of Utopia: Voyage,
Salvaged, Shipwrecked. Best known for the iconic role of Baby
Housman in the original National Tour of Dirty Dancing. Other regional
work includes: Williamstown Theatre Festival: The Front Page, The
Corn is Green, Eurydice. South Coast Repertory: The Real Thing.
Milwaukee Shakespeare: Richard II. Yale Rep: The Black Dahlia, The
Comedy of Errors, The Lonesome West. TV/Film: “Law & Order SVU,”
“Medium,” “What Would You Do?” YouTube series: “Real Actors Read Yelp #6.” MFA from the
Yale School of Drama. Mark Goodson Prize for Distinguished Theatrical Talent. More than 25
audiobooks and full bio: www.amandaleighcobb.com.
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2014-2015 Season
21
SHAUN CAMERON HALL (Soldier) is honored to be making his Pittsburgh
Public Theater debut. He holds a BFA in Acting from Point Park University
and was seen most recently as Oswald in Ghosts and Billy in A Feminine
Ending (off the WALL). Past credits include: Chris in All My Sons (Pittsburgh
Playhouse REP). Regionally he has performed in Elephant Man
and A Christmas Carol (Virginia Stage Company), and Worksong (City
Theatre). Professionally in Skylight (Open Stage Theatre), House of Blue
Leaves (New Century Theater), The Visit, and Hamlet (Pittsburgh Playhouse
REP). He has also appeared in university productions of A Bright Room
Called Day (Smith College), The Pillowman (UMASS), Born Yesterday,
and Joined at the Head (Point Park Conservatory). Television credits include “A Haunting”
(Discovery Channel) as well as numerous commercials and independent film projects.
EDWARD JAMES HYLAND* (Brabantio) is pleased to return to Pittsburgh
Public for his seventh production. Pittsburgh Public: Electra, Harry’s
Friendly Service, Oedipus the King, The Tempest, Mary Stuart, and Much
Ado About Nothing. Broadway: Machinal, Arcadia, The Man Who Had All
the Luck, Festen, The Price, Ah! Wilderness. Off-Broadway: Under My
Skin, Big Doolie, Juno and the Paycock. Regional: Hartford Stage – Hamlet;
Invisible Man at both the Huntington Theatre and Studio Theatre in
Washington, D.C. (Helen Hayes Award – Best Ensemble); Papermill
Playhouse – White Christmas and To Kill a Mockingbird; Ford’s Theatre –
The Heavens are Hung in Black; Arena Stage – Passion Play, Theophilus
North; Shakespeare Theatre of Washington, D.C. – Macbeth. Also
Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Huntington Theatre, Denver Center
Theatre Company, Missouri Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Hartford Stage, Alabama
Shakespeare Festival, among others. Film/TV: Stephen Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies (soon to be
released), True Story, The Happening, The Caller, Asylum Seekers, The Next Big Thing, Cradle
Will Rock, “The Leftovers,” “Political Animals,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “Law & Order” franchises,
“Gossip Girl,” “Guiding Light”, “One Life To Live” among others.
ROSS KOBELAK (Soldier) is a theater, commercial, and film actor born and
raised in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. He recently graduated from Baldwin
Wallace University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater where he performed
in multiple shows including Noises Off (Gary) and Moon Over Buffalo
(Richard). While in Cleveland, he also understudied the roles of Paravicini in
The Mousetrap and Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew at Great Lakes
Theater. Ross was most recently seen as a featured groom in Wix.com’s
2015 Super Bowl commercial and performed in the world premiere of
Existence and the Single Girl (Blaine) at 12 Peers Theater. Other roles
include Spike in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Little Lake Theatre as well as multiple
roles in City Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival this past year. Ross is honored to be making
his professional debut with Pittsburgh Public Theater.
Pittsburgh Public Theater
Othello
2014-2015 Season
22
DANIEL KRELL* (Lodovico) is happy to return to The Public for his 24th
appearance with the company. His performances here have encompassed
contemporary works, classics, and musicals and include such favorites as
Our Town, Born Yesterday, As You Like It, Circle Mirror Transformation, A
Moon for the Misbegotten, Metamorphoses, Amadeus, Cabaret, Oedipus,
Much Ado About Nothing, Sweeney Todd, and most recently the acclaimed
My Fair Lady. He has played a variety of major roles with the region’s
professional theaters, such as City Theatre, CLO, Quantum, Bricolage,
PICT, and The Rep as well as with theaters around the country, including
Clarence Brown Theatre, PlayMakers Repertory, and Gateway Playhouse
among others. Mr. Krell is also a veteran of many films, commercials, industrials, and voiceovers.
JEREMY KUSHNIER* (Iago) is beyond beyond excited to be making his
Pittsburgh Public debut with this amazing role. Recently Jeremy could be
seen on Broadway as Tommy Devito in Jersey Boys, Roger in Rent, Ren in
Footloose, and the last revival of Jesus Christ Superstar in which he covered
Jesus, Judas, and Pilate. TV credits include “The Good Wife,” “Person of
Interest,” and “Nurse Jackie.” Most recently Jeremy appeared in the short
films Subject and Will. Jeremy has two independent CDs of his original music
which can be found on his website www.jeremykushnier.com Follow Jeremy
on twitter @jeremykushnier.
MICHAEL MacCAULEY* (Montano) is honored and thrilled to be back at here
at Pittsburgh Public Theater. He was last seen on this stage in last year’s
production of Noises Off. Michael has performed in several Off-Broadway
productions and at various regional theaters throughout the country including
The Shakespeare Theatre, Florida Stage, Indiana Rep., St Louis Rep, Arena
Stage, and others. His television credits include “Law & Order,” “Law & Order
SVU,” “Law & Order Criminal Intent,” “New York Undercover,” and
“Homeland.” Michael will be making Pittsburgh his new home by next year.
JOSEPH MARTINEZ (Soldier) is delighted to make his Pittsburgh Public Theater
debut in Othello. He is originally from San Lorenzo, CA. In May of 2011, he
completed his Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from Regent University in Virginia
Beach, VA. Joseph has worked with a variety of theater companies in
Pittsburgh, including Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, City Theatre,
Bricolage, August Wilson Center, and Pitt Rep. Past credits include: Our Town,
Doc Gibbs; You Can’t Take It With You, Donald; Spinning into Butter, Patrick
Chibas; Corps Values, Captain Samko; Every Tongue Confess, Stoker Pride;
Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Bailiff/Simon the Zealot.
Pittsburgh Public Theater
Othello
2014-2015 Season
23
CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL McFARLAND* (Roderigo) is making his Pittsburgh
Public Theater debut. Recent work includes Pride in the Falls of Autrey Mill at
Signature Theatre, Touchstone in As You Like It at The Guthrie, and Lennie in
Of Mice and Men with the Acting Company. Other regional credits include The
Kennedy Center, Arizona Shakespeare Festival, Philadelphia Theatre Company,
Yale Repertory Theatre, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and The
O’Neill Theatre Center. Christopher received his MFA from the Yale School of
Drama and is a proud member of AEA.
LARRY JOHN MEYERS* (Gratiano) is honored to celebrate his long and
happy association with Pittsburgh Public Theater during its 40th
Anniversary after appearing last season in Our Town. Since then, he has
performed locally in J.T. Rodgers’ Madagascar (Quantum Theatre) and in
Dickens’ Great Expectations (PICT Classic Theatre), as well as in Bruce
Norris’ Clybourne Park (Florida Rep, Fort Myers), Caryl Churchill’s A
Number (Chester Theatre, Massachusetts), and Theresa Rebeck’s O
Beautiful (Centre Stage, State College). His film work in the past year
includes Low Tide in Serf City, The Mutineer, The Race, Final Greetings, and Concussion.
ANDREW WILLIAM MILLER (Soldier) trained in Music and Martial Arts
throughout his younger years, but he did not come to acting until he was an
undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh. Upon graduation, he continued
his education at The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. In their
Classical Acting program he gained a strong foundation in Shakespeare, as
well as Restoration, Jacobean, and modern drama. Since then he has
appeared on stage and screen throughout the U.S. He recently played
Orlando in As You Like It for Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks and
Jekyll/Hyde in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with Prime
Stage. He is honored to join the cast of Othello.
PAUL TERZENBACH* (Cassio) is thrilled to be making his return to Pittsburgh
Public Theater, having previously appeared in Good People. Recent theater
credits include Philotis/Cardinal in Tis Pity She’s a Whore, Tommy in
Empirical (Off-Off Broadway), Mercutio in Shakespeare’s R&J (Hartford
TheatreWorks), Autolycus in The Winter’s Tale (Rutgers Theater Company at
Shakespeare’s Globe in London), Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet (Rutgers
Theater Company). Film/TV credits include White Boy Brown, The Sisters,
and HBO’s “Mildred Pierce.” Paul received his BFA from Mason Gross School
of the Arts at Rutgers University.
Pittsburgh Public Theater
Othello
2014-2015 Season
24
GARRETT STORM (Soldier) is excited for his second show with Pittsburgh
Public Theater, after My Fair Lady earlier this season (Chorus/Understudy
Freddy). He is a recent graduate of Point Park University. Local credits
include Pittsburgh CLO: A Musical Christmas Carol (Dick Wilkins), We the
People - the Musical (Sam); Prime Stage Theatre: The Strange Case of Dr.
Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Dr. Lanyon), Antigone (Chorus Leader); Little Lake
Theatre: Dancing at Lughnasa (Gerry Evans); McKeesport Little Theater:
Oklahoma! (Curly); and Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks: The Tempest
(Ferdinand). This summer, he will appear as Rapunzel’s Prince in Into the Woods at St. Vincent
Summer Theatre.
MICHAEL LANE SULLIVAN (Soldier) is beyond grateful to be making his debut
with Pittsburgh Public Theater. A native of Pittsburgh, he received his BA in
Communications/Theatre from Robert Morris University. Michael has been
seen in Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s Les Misérables (Coufeyrac/U.S. Enjolras),
Shrek the Musical (Mad Hatter/U.S. Farquaad), Spring Awakening (Georg), and
Jesus Christ Superstar (Simon). Other local roles include Bloody Bloody
Andrew Jackson (Andrew Jackson), The Grapes of Wrath (Tom Joad), Titanic
the Musical (Frederick Barret), and The Company of Pittsburgh’s Man of La
Mancha (Barber).
DAVID WHALEN* (Duke of Venice) marks his eighth production for the
company, having appeared in Candida, Good People, God of Carnage, The
Royal Family, As You Like It, Electra, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Pittsburgh credits include: PICT (23 productions), City Theatre (six
productions), Quantum, The Rep, Kinetic, and barebones. He is a former
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Performer of the Year, and received and has been
nominated for Barrymore, Helen Hayes, and Kevin Kline awards. He has
played leading roles across the country, Europe, and in New York including:
The Roundabout, South Coast Rep (10 productions), Alley Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre, Arden
Theatre, Hartford Stage, Folger Theatre, Everyman Theatre, The Roundhouse, Center Stage,
Huntington Theatre, Laguna Playhouse, McCarter Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Repertory Theatre of
St. Louis, Peoples Light & Theatre, Venice’s Biennale Festival, Playmakers Rep, among others.
TV and Film credits include: The Last Witch Hunter, Southpaw, The Fault in Our Stars, The Last
Samaritan, Jack Reacher, 61*, Paper Umbrellas, The Xmas Tree, Black Dahlia, My Bloody
Valentine, True Blue, “Indictment: The McMartin Trial,” “Without Warning,” “Three Rivers,”
“Pensacola,” “Silk Stalkings,” “Diagnosis: Murder,” “All My Children,” “The Guiding Light.”
Please visit: davidwhalenactor.com.
Pittsburgh Public Theater
Othello
2014-2015 Season
25
JESSICA WORTHAM* (Emilia) is thrilled to be making her Pittsburgh Public
debut. Most recently, she was seen as Queen Katherine in Henry VIII (All Is
True) at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. A frequent collaborator on
new plays, she originated roles in the world premieres of Informed Consent
with Cleveland Play House and Geva Theater Center, and The Ruby Sunrise
as part of Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Humana Festival and at Trinity Rep.
Her regional highlights include The Understudy and Black Pearl Sings! (BATCC
Award for Best Leading Performance) with San Jose Rep, Educating Rita with
Florida Rep, Twelfth Night and Crime and Punishment with Actors Theatre of
Louisville, Boston Marriage with Capital Rep, and in New York City at the
Public Theater and Soho Rep. Internationally, she has performed with Vienna’s English Theatre
and the English Theatre Frankfurt. She has also appeared on the FX series “The Americans” and
holds an MFA from Brown University.
Pittsburgh Public Theater
Othello
2014-2015 Season
26
Theater Etiquette
When you visit the theater you are attending a live performance with actors that are
working right in front of you. This is an exciting experience for you and the actor.
However, in order to have the best performance for both the audience and actors there
are some simple rules to follow. By following these rules, you can ensure that you can be
the best audience member you can be, as well as keep the actors focused on giving their
best performance.
1. Turn off all cell phones, beepers, watches etc.
2. Absolutely no text messaging during the performance.
3. Do not take pictures during the performance.
4. Do not eat or drink in the theater.
5. Do not place things on the stage or walk on the stage.
6. Do not leave your seat during the performance unless it is an emergency. If you do
need to leave for an emergency, leave as quietly as possible and know that you might not
be able to get back in until after intermission.
7. Do clap—let the actors know you are enjoying yourself.
8. Do enjoy the show and have fun watching the actors.
9. Do tell other people about your experience and be sure to ask questions and discuss
the performance.
Pittsburgh Public Theater
Othello
2014-2015 Season
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PA Academic Standards
The plays of Pittsburgh Public Theater’s 40th season, subtitled the Season of Legend
Season, are a wonderful celebration of some of the greatest works in theatrical
history, with rich benefits for school students. The 2014-2015 line-up features a
six-play subscription series, all by renowned composers and playwrights
that hold a special place in any theater enthusiast’s heart. The Season of Legends
will provide examples of the wittiest dialogue, the sharpest characters, and the
most captivating scores.
Applicable to All Plays and Productions:
Arts and Humanities Standards and Reading-Writing-Speaking-Listening Standards
Attendance and participation by students at any play produced by Pittsburgh
Public Theater bears direct applicability to the PA Education Standards in Arts and
Humanities and Reading-Writing-Speaking-Listening (RWSL). These applicable standards
are summarized first. Then, each play for Season 39 is taken in turn, and its relevance to
standards in other Academic Content Areas is cited. All standards are summarized by
conceptual description, since similar concepts operate across all the grade levels served
by The Public’s Education-Outreach programs (Grades 4 through 12); the principal
progressive difference is from basics such as Know, Describe and Explain, moving
through grade levels towards more mature activities such as Demonstrate, Incorporate,
Compare-Contrast, Analyze and Interpret.
9.1: Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts
Elements
• Scenario • script/text • set design • stage productions • read and write
scripts • improvise • interpret a role • design sets • direct.
Principles
• Balance • collaboration • discipline • emphasis • focus • intention • movement
• rhythm • style • voice.
• Comprehensive vocabulary within each of the arts forms.
• Communicate a unifying theme or point of view through the production of works in the
arts.
• Explain works of others within each art form through performance or exhibition.
• Know where arts events, performances and exhibitions occur and how to
gain admission.
9.2: Historical and Cultural Contexts
• The historical, cultural and social context of an individual work in the arts.
• Works in the arts related chronologically to historical events, and to
varying styles and genres, and to the periods in which they were created.
Pittsburgh Public Theater
Othello
2014-2015 Season
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• Analyze a work of art from its historical and cultural perspective, and according
to its geographic region of origin.
• Analyze how historical events and culture impact forms, techniques and
purposes of works in the arts.
• Philosophical beliefs as they relate to works in the arts.
Civics and Government
•
Analyze how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have
influenced the history and development of the world.
•
Analyze strategies used to resolve conflicts in society and government.
•
Examine the causes of conflicts in society and evaluate techniques to
address those conflicts.
History
•
Evaluate how continuity and change have impacted the world today.
o
Belief systems and religions
o
Commerce and industry
o
Technology
o
Politics and government
o
Physical and human geography
o
Social organization
Pittsburgh Public Theater
Othello
2014-2015 Season
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References
Dernbach, Linda. "Aristotle's Ideas About Tragedy." (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
<http://cuip.uchicago.edu/~ldernbach/msw/xhgkaristrag.pdf>.
Kay, Karen. "Race in Othello." Study Tools. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.britaininprint.net/shakespeare/study_tools/race.html>.
"The Publishing and Performance History of Othello." Shakespeare Online. Britain in
Print, n.d. Web. 08 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.britaininprint.net/shakespeare/study_tools/publishing_performance_othello.h
tml>.
"War Between Turks and Venice." Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre. Philadelphia
Shakespeare Theatre, n.d. Web.
<http://www.phillyshakespeare.org/uploads/War%20Between%20Turks%20and%20Ven
ice.pdf>.
"William Shakespeare." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 08 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/people/william_shakespeare>.
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Othello
2014-2015 Season
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