Red Velvet at Chicago Shakespeare Theater

The most remarkable story of Ira Aldridge, gentleman, actor, star of the London West End stage. In his lifetime, Aldridge played the most coveted of Shakespearean roles: King Lear, Macbeth, Shylock, and Othello. He toured Europe extensively and performed for many of its crowned heads. These achievements would be remarkable for anyone, but Ira Aldridge was not only an unparalleled and respected theatrical talent. The son of an African American slave, Aldridge was the survivor of the slum life of New York city in the early 1800s. This amazing play by Lolita Chakrabarti ran to critical acclaim in London’s Tricycle Theatre in 2012, and now Gamut Theatre will proudly present it on their stage.