John Leguizamo Brings The Q Brothers' OTHELLO: THE REMIX Off-Broadway Tonight

John Leguizamo presents The Q Brothers' Othello: The Remix, written, directed and composed by GQ and JQ, which will make its New York debut at the Westside Theatre (407 W. 43rd), beginning previews tonight, October 25th, and officially opening on Thursday, November 17th.

The production comes to New York after critical and audience acclaim during its world premiere in 2012 at London's The Globe Theatre and following that, its U.S. premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) in 2013.

Othello: The Remix, which is spun out and lyrically rewritten over original beats, is an 80-minute, high-energy spin on Shakespeare's tragic tale proving that the Bard himself was the original master of rhythm and rhyme. The show features five cast members including: GQ (Iago/Brabantio), JQ (Roderigo/Loco Vito/Bianca), Jackson Doran (Cassio/Emilia), Postell Pringle (Othello) and DJ Supernova (DJ).

Othello: The Remix was originally commissioned by The Globe Theatre for London's "Globe to Globe" as part of the World Shakespeare Festival in May of 2012. Following that run, the production toured Edinburgh, Germany, South Korea and Chicago, captivating audiences around the world, and garnering acclaim and awards, including Edinburgh's Musical Theatre Matters Awards for Best New Musical Theatre Show and a Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Ensemble.

During its U.S. premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, the production played to sold-out audiences from March-August, 2013 and returned there this past spring for a limited run playing, April 12-May 8, 2016 to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare.

Othello: The Remix is The Q Brothers' (aka Gregory and Jeffrey Qaiyum) third hip-hop translation of Shakespeare, following Funk It Up About Nothin and The Bomb-itty of Errors. And this production brings The Q Brothers back to New York, having last performed Off-Broadway in their hit production of The Bomb-itty of Errors, which also received critical acclaim.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

GQ (Founder, Creative Director at Q Brothers) co-created, co-directed, and starred in the original productions of Q Gents (OSF), A Q Brothers Christmas Carol (CST), Othello: The Remix (The Globe Theatre / CST), and Funk It Up About Nothin' (CST). G also co-wrote and starred in the Off Broadway smash hit The Bomb-itty of Errors. Along with his brother and the other Bomb-itty guys, G wrote and starred in a hip-hop/sketch comedy TV show, Scratch and Burn (MTV). G's screen credits include the movies Drumline, Taxi, I Think I Love My Wife, What's The Worst That Could Happen (w/ John Leguizamo), and Werner Herzog's Rescue Dawn. He wrote, directed and starred in the film Just Another Story (Showtime, Tribeca Film Fest), has had prominent roles in Chicago PD (NBC), Boston Public (Fox), Numbers (CBS), and co-starred in the one-hour drama Johnny Zero (Fox), and John Herzfeld's pilot, S.I.S (Sony). He is a member of the Chicago-based comedic hip hop group known as The Retar Crew (youtube). Together with his brother JQ, he recorded The Feel Good Album of the Year. Originally from Chicago, he received his BFA from the Experimental Theatre Wing of Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. @gqtheman

JQ (Creative Director, Musical Director at Q Brothers) made his Off Broadway debut when he laid down the beats as DJ/Composer for The Bomb-itty of Errors. He co-created, co-directed, composed and starred in the original productions of A Q Brothers Christmas Carol, Othello: The Remix and Funk It Up About Nothin'. J co-wrote and starred in the hip-hop/sketch comedy TV show, "Scratch and Burn" for MTV. For his brother G's film, Just Another Story (Showtime), he created the score and original soundtrack. J produced the solo hip-hop album "Foul Mouth Poet" under his moniker J.A.Q., and other albums including "Smashing" (The Grommits), "The Good Thief" (Postell), and "The Feel Good Album Of The Year" (Q Brothers). He is also currently co-host (with oldest brother TQ) of Smallflower TV, a video blog about natural products and old-school shaving based on Merz Apothecary, the other family business.

John Leguizamo (Producer) A multi-faceted performer and Emmy Award winner, John Leguizamo has established a career that defies categorization. With boundless and visceral creativity, his work in film, theatre, television, and literature covers a variety of genres, continually threatening to create a few of its own. Leguizamo's current project includes his one-man show, Latin History for Morons, which can be seen at The Berkeley Rep. He delivers his take on 500 years of Latin History spanning the Aztec and Incan Empires to World War II. Latin History for Morons will come to New York for the 2016-17 season at The Public Theater.

John was most recently see in The Infiltrator, opposite Bryan Cranston and Diane Kruger; Ice Age: Collision Course, and the second season of Bloodline. Next up for him includes A Conspiracy on Jekyll Island with AnnaSophia Robb, Dianna Agron and Ed Westwick and John Wick: Chapter Two with Keanu Reeves and Ian McShane.

In 2015, Leguizamo released his novel, Ghetto Klown, the graphic novel adaptation of his award-winning one-man Broadway show. He was also seen in Get Squirrely with Victoria Justice, and Taxi 22.

Leguizamo recently starred in Fugly, opposite Rosie Perez and RhAda Mitchell, which he also wrote and produced. The film follows Leguizamo's character, a New York comedian, whose near death experience forces him to make difficult life choices.

Leguizamo debuted his 5th HBO solo special, Ghetto Klown, an adaptation of his Drama Desk Award-winning one-man stage show of the same name. Leguizamo performed Ghetto Klown for New York's Central Park's Summerstage 2014 in July. Tales from a Ghetto Klown, which featured a behind-the-scenes look at the production, also aired on PBS as a part of its Summer Arts Festival.

In 2011, John returned to Broadway with his new solo play, Ghetto Klown, the next chapter in his hugely popular personal and professional story. Directed by Academy Award winner Fisher Stevens, Ghetto Klown follows in the unabashed, uncensored, and uninhibited tradition of Leguizamo's Mambo Mouth, Spic-O-Rama, Freak, and Sexaholix... a Love Story.

Other film credits include Chef, Ride Along John Wick, Sisters, American Ultra, Stealing Cars, Cymbeline, Walking with Dinosaurs, The Counselor, Kick Ass 2, Love in the Vanishing on 7th Street, The Lincoln Lawyer, the Ice Age franchise, Love in Time of Cholera, The Happening, Righteous Kill, The Babysitters, The Take and Where God Left His Shoes. In addition, Leguizamo has led his talents to a slew of other films including Miracle at St. Anna, Land of the Dead, Assault on Precinct 13, Sueno, Spun, Summer of Sam, King of the Jungle, Spawn, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, Dr. Doolittle, Carlito's Way, and Casualties of War. His performance as a sensitive drag queen in Too Wong Foo: Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar, Leguizamo garnered a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Leguizamo also picked up ALMA Award nominations for his roles in Moulin Rouge (Best Supporting Actor) and King of the Jungle (Best Lead Actor). He was the recipient of the 2002 ALMA Award for Entertainer of the Year. In the summer of 2007, Leguizamo returned to television in Spike TV's limited series The Kill Point, in which he played the leader of a gang of bank robbers who had recently returned from serving in Iraq. Additionally, Leguizamo appeared as a guest star in twelve episodes of NBC's cornerstone drama ER during the 2005/2006 season, and in 2006 did a guest star arc on the NBC hit My Name is Earl.

In 1991, Leguizamo created an off-Broadway sensation as the writer and performer of his one-man show Mambo Mouth, in which he portrayed seven different characters. He received Obie, Outer Critics Circle and Vanguardia awards for his performance.

Leguizamo's second one-man show, Spic-O-Rama, had an extended sold-out run in Chicago at the Goodman and Briar Street theaters before opening in New York. The play received numerous accolades including the Dramatists' Guild Hull-Warriner Award for Best American Play and the Lucille Lortel Outstanding Achievement Award for Best Broadway Performance. Leguizamo received the Theatre World Award for Outstanding New Talent, as well as a Drama Desk Award for Best Solo Performance. Spic-O-Rama aired on HBO, receiving four CableACE Awards.

Freak, Leguizamo's third one-man show, ended a successful run on Broadway in 1998. Billed as a "Semi-Demi-Quasi-Pseudo Autobiography," Freak was described as "scathingly funny" (New York Times). Along with the Tony Award nominations for Best Play and Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, Leguizamo won the Drama Desk and the Outer Critic's Circle Awards for Outstanding Solo Performance. A special presentation of Freak, directed by Spike Lee, aired on HBO and earned Leguizamo the Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program as well as a nomination for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special.

In fall of 2001, Leguizamo returned to Broadway with Sexaholix...a Love Story. Directed by Peter Askin, the play is based on the sold-out national tour, John Leguizamo Live! Leguizamo was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Solo Performance and the show received a Tony nomination for Best Special Theatrical Performance. Sexaholix aired as an HBO Special in Spring 2002 and also toured the country. Additional stage credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream and La Puta Vida at the New York Shakespeare Festival and Parting Gestures at INTAR.?

To add to his list of attributes, Leguizamo is also an accomplished author. He recently penned his autobiography Pimps, Hos, Playa Hatas, and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends, which was released by Harper Collins in October 2006. The New York Times called the book "brutally funny," while USA Today coined Leguizamo as "one of the most exciting talents to come along in some time." Leguizamo currently resides in New York City with his wife and two children.

Mary Lu Roffe (Producer). Opening fall of 2016, The Great Comet starring Josh Groban and the Q Brothers' Othello: The Remix. Previous productions: The Heidi Chronicles; The Realistic Joneses; the 50th anniversary revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Tony winner 2013); The Addams Family (Broadway, US Tour, Australia); Chinglish; The House of Blue Leaves; Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson; Boeing-Boeing (Tony winner 2008); Tony winner 2005 Spamalot (Broadway, London, Las Vegas, Australia, US Tour); Frost-Nixon (US Tour); The Country Girl; Talk Radio (Tony nominee 2007); Man of La Mancha (Tony nominee 2003); The Retreat From Moscow (Tony nominee 2004); Hedda Gabler; Angels is America (US Tour); Sexual Perversity In Chicago (London); Desperately Seeking Susan (London); Woman Before a Glass; Fully Committed; String of Pearls; Robbers; the Q Brothers' Bomb-itty of Errors. Mary Lu is also working on baseball project, Rounding Third and children's books, Shelf Life and Princess Band. She has been a longtime board member of The Aids Foundation of Chicago and The Broadway League in NYC.

SUSAN GALLIN (Producer). Currently - Off Broadway: Othello: The Remix, Broadway: Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812. From 1987 until the present -Broadway: The Heidi Chronicles, The Realistic Joneses, Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The House of Blue Leaves, Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson, Hedda Gabler, Boeing Boeing, Spamalot, The Retreat From Moscow, Man of La Mancha, Angels in America, Burn This. Off Broadway: The Shape of Things, Woman Before a Glass, Fully Committed, Cowgirls, From the Mississippi Delta, Stomp, The Rothschilds, Other People's Money. London: The Cryptogram, Developed and Produced: Desperately Seeking Susan with the music of Blondie. She is the first recipient of the Robert Whitehead Award for Outstanding Producing.

Rodger Hess (Producer). Broadway: Natasha... the Great Comet of 1812, Bright Star, Disgraced, Annie, The House of Blue Leaves, Enron, All My Songs, Macbeth, Six Dance Lessons..., Wait Until Dark, 1776, Joseph...Dreamcoat, Jelly's Last Jam, Leader of the Pack. Touring: Tin Pan Alley Rag, Swing!, Finian's Rainbow, A Chorus Line, Evita. Also worldwide arena shows starring the Warner Bros. and DC Comics, Inc., cartoon characters.

Pictured: The Q Brothers' OTHELLO: THE REMIX at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

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