LAByrinth Theater Company and The Public Theater Announce Joint Education Initiative

LAByrinth Theater Company (Artistic Directors, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Mimi O'Donnell and Yul Vázquez; Marieke Gaboury, Producing Director) and The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) join forces in announcing an exciting new education initiative beginning with their current co-production of Shakespeare's Othello, now in performance at NYU Skirball Center through October 4th. Under the direction of Peter Sellars, the cast features LAB founders Philip Seymour Hoffman as the villain Iago and John Ortiz in the tragic title role.

Since Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Ortiz (longtime co-artistic leaders of LAByrinth Theater Company) first began conversations with Peter Sellars about collaborating on a production of Othello, education has been a central concern and long-term goal of the production. The several year project is aiming toward the completion of a film version of the play that will be offered as a tool for teaching Shakespeare in schools around the globe. The Othello programming in New York includes: free tickets provided to educators and students from more than seventy area high schools and colleges, visits by the production's creative and performing artists to the classrooms of students who have seen the production, and a speakers' series featuring prominent artists, academics, activists, and community leaders open to the public prior to Sunday performances. Additionally, on Saturday, September 26th, LAByrinth has organized and will host an education symposium for local educators, featuring panelists Harry J. Elam, Jr., Lila Rieman, Carmen Rivera, Steve Seidel, Ayanna Thompson, Candido Tirado, Cusi Cram and moderated by director Peter Sellars.

Production Dramaturge Dr. Avery T. Willis had this to say, "The racial recasting of this production, we believe, opens up the conversation about Othello in a whole new way, giving a new voIce To African-Americans and Latinos. It also forces us to look at these characters not as caricatures but as real human beings." She went on to add, "The main goal of the Symposium is to gather teachers from all over NY and begin a conversation about the challenges of teaching Othello and the Classics in general in our schools which will be continued on in to the future."

With the generosity LAB friends Vin Diesel & One Race Films Foundation, Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson, and Denis & Ann Leary have made these and other Othello education initiative programs possible. To learn more about these programs, or to make a contribution to ensure their ongoing success, contact othello@labtheater.org.

The complete cast for Othello, which began performances September 12th and runs through October 4th, features Julian Acosta as Roderigo; Gaius Charles as Duke of Venice; Jessica Chastain as Desdemona; Liza Colon-Zayas as Emilia; Saidah Arrika Ekulona as Bianca Montano; Philip Seymour Hoffman as Iago; LeRoy McClain as Cassio; and John Ortiz as Othello.

This production is presented in association with Wiener Festwochen and Schauspielhaus Bochum.

For more information, please visit www.labtheater.org

 

 

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