Joe and Jill Biden attended Sunday night’s premiere of Othello on Broadway. It was their first public appearance since leaving the White House. The play stars Denzel Washington as Othello and Jake Gyllenhaal as Iago.
The cast includes Molly Osborne, Andrew Burnap, and Kimber Elayne Sprawl during previews, “Othello” broke records by grossing $2.8 million in one week, the most ever for a non-musical show on Broadway.
The average ticket price was $361. Many celebrities attended the opening night. They included Samuel L.
Jackson, Angela Bassett, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more. Director Kenny Leon set the play in the near future. He cast Othello as a four-star Army general.
The play explores everything about humanity and life,” Leon said. The production is already a major hit. It is expected to continue drawing significant attention.
Washington and Gyllenhaal’s captivating performances
In the play, Washington’s Othello is more enigmatic than Gyllenhaal’s Iago. Washington portrays a general whose psychology is obscure.
He speaks very fast and betrays little emotion. In contrast, Gyllenhaal’s Iago is more legible. His performance allows the audience to see how a twisted man thinks.
He carefully calculates his actions to cause havoc. While the production embraces the action, it may miss some of the tragedy’s deeper mysteries. However, Washington and Gyllenhaal’s performances offer fresh interpretations.
Tickets for the show are very expensive. Orchestra-level seats range from $216 to $921. This exemplifies a trend of high prices for live theater.
The high cost raises questions about accessibility. If average consumers are priced out, who can afford to attend live theater? Some in the Broadway community are trying to address these concerns.
Hugh Jackman and producer Sonia Friedman are working on an initiative to make productions more accessible. The gamble on star power seems to be paying off for “Othello.” However, whether this trend will sustain Broadway in the long term remains to be seen.
Image Credits: Photo by Gwen King on Unsplash
