Switch Theatre Company Presents OTHELLO As Part of Shakespeare in the Parks This May

Switch Theatre Company hits the road this Spring with their 6-city tour of Shakespeare in the Parks: OTHELLO.

The show improves upon the company's two previous outdoor productions with a short-format version of The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, one of Shakespeare's final works and widely considered to be among his best. Seventeen performances will be presented free to the public, thanks to the generous support of the Hayti Heritage Center, the Edgecombe County Visitors Bureau, the Town of Knightdale, the AJ Fletcher Foundation, and the parks departments of Raleigh, Durham, and Cary.

SITP:OTHELLO tells the story of Othello, a brave and passionate general who is undone by the schemes of his trusted but duplicitous ensign Iago. When Othello, secretly married to his beloved Desdemona, chooses his friend Cassio for a promotion, Iago uses the prejudices and jealousies of their fellow soldiers and citizens to unseat his rival and gaslight his friend.

Director Asia Mark was drawn to the play during her high school years, and believes its messages are timely. “We see firsthand what it looks like when people are willing to do anything to serve their own agenda,” says Mark. “What can result from that are deep and dangerous webs of lies and manipulation that can completely dismantle a group of people, system or structure.”

While the specter of racism permeates the play, Mark chose to focus more on Othello's personal experience with it, rather than the words and actions of the other characters. “Othello has been given the opportunity to use all that he's been through to gain a sense of pride and recognition. But he has never had a real grasp on who he IS, outside of what he DOES,” continues Mark. Racism has left him hollow and vulnerable to Iago's manipulations, which are reflected in the scenic design of the production. “Iago's layers of manipulation are illustrated through layers of fabric that are added to the set as we witness each piece of his plan fall into place."

Local actor/writer/educator John Frazier plays the titular role of Othello and is joined by a mix of seasoned and well-trained performers, many of whom are recently returning to the Triangle. Marissa Joy plays Desdemona, doomed by her fidelity to Othello's declining mental state. Patrick Lescarbeau brings the audience into his scheming inner world as Iago, while Catherine Kelly Johnson plays wife Emilia, who speaks out too late to save her friend and mistress. Other casualties of Iago's machinations include Cassio (Aryan Anil Kale), Othello's dashing and headstrong lieutenant; and Roderigo (Dylan Atwood), Desdemona's hapless and hopeless would-be suitor. Rounding out the cast are Taylor Cashion, Drew Gulino, Quinn Rollar and Bryan Squires.

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