Wednesday, June 04, 2008
New Harmony Theatre launches season with "Othello"
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New Harmony Theatre opens its 21st season of professional theatre in New Harmony, Indiana, on Friday, June 13. Lenny Leibowitz, artistic director, began rehearsals for the opening production of William Shakespeare’s "Othello" last week. According to Leibowitz, this summer the company begins “The Big Four Over Four” - a four-year cycle that will include Shakespeare’s four great masterpieces: "Othello," "Hamlet," "Macbeth," and "King Lear." Leibowitz said, “These plays represent the richest, most inexhaustible body of work ever produced. In their boundless creativity, they are on a par with the Sistine Chapel and Beethoven’s symphonies.” Amy Estes, managing director, continued, “I am so thrilled to be producing these plays at New Harmony Theatre! We hear from our New York actors all the time that our audiences are the best in the country. They deserve to see the best plays of all time on our stage.” Leibowitz has committed to a lean, muscular production of "Othello" that features eight brilliant actors playing all the roles and a running time of just two and a half hours. In his mind, "Othello" is the most intimate of Shakespeare’s great masterpieces. He said, “'Othello' is a tragedy of passion, the most painfully exciting play ever written. From the first moment, it sucks all the oxygen out of the room and grabs the heart with a vice-like grip.” "Othello" is set in the exotic worlds of Venice and Cyprus. Its title character, a powerful Moorish warrior, is celebrated for his unparalleled heroism on the battlefield. Desdemona, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy Venetian senator, is equally seduced by his poetic soul. Othello and Desdemona forge their union in defiance of racial taboos, but their seemingly indestructible marriage soon ruptures when the villainous Iago – Othello’s most trusted aide – wages a covert campaign to destroy Othello and everything he loves. According to Leibowitz, “the play generates its electricity from a clash between mighty opposites, as the spirit of love and the spirit of war vie for Othello’s soul. It roils with passion, jealousy and betrayal.” Broadway stars Franz Jones (Othello), Ken Jennings (Iago), Susan Derry (Desdemona), and Joy Franz (Emilia and Brabantio) lead the cast of "Othello." Jones was in the original Broadway production of Big River; Jennings played Tobias in the original Broadway production of "Sweeney Todd"; Derry is familiar to New Harmony Theatre audiences from last season’s productions of "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "I Do! I Do!," and she was in the Broadway company of "Wonderful Town"; and Franz played the Wicked Stepmother in the original Broadway production of "Into the Woods." Other members of the cast include Jimmy Davis, a recent graduate of The Juilliard School of Drama, as Cassio and the Duke; Kensington Blaylock, a recent graduate of University of Southern Indiana, familiar to New Harmony Theatre audiences from her performance as Cecily in "The Importance of Being Earnest," as Bianca and the Clown; and New York actors Jarred Kjack as Roderigo and Cliff Campbell as Lodovico and Montano. The artistic team for "Othello" includes Tijana Bjelajac, scenic designer; Shan Jensen, costume designer; Craig A. Young, lighting designer; Robert Dagit, sound designer; and Michele Fugate, production stage manager. The University of Southern Indiana Foundation will host a gala dinner before the performance on Friday, June 10, at The New Harmony Inn and Conference Center in New Harmony. For more information, contact the USI Foundation at 812/464-1918. "Othello" runs through June 29 at New Harmony’s Murphy Auditorium. A free post-show discussion with the director and cast members will be held after the performance on Sunday, June 15. Free pre-show discussions with the director, dramaturg, designers, or cast members will be held at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 21 and Saturday, June, 28. Tickets for "Othello" are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $10 for anyone 25 or younger. Group discounts are available for groups of 20 or more. Season tickets are also available. Upcoming productions include "Crimes of the Heart," the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy by Beth Henley, and "My Fair Lady," the Tony Award-winning musical by Lerner and Loewe. For more information, contact the box office at 812/682-3115 or toll free at 1/877-NHT-SHOW (648-7469), or visit the theatre’s new web site at www.newharmonytheatre.com. Amy Estes, managing/marketing director USI Theatre/The New Harmony Theatre aestes@usi.edu 812/465-7110 |
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