By Ashlei Havili Thomas
Celebrating the newest federal holiday Juneteenth is one of the many reasons Little Man Theater Company in Salt Lake City chose to present The Tragedy of Othello this June, according to their director Archelaus “Archie” Crisanto. While one of the more well-known Shakespearean plays, it’s rare to see a performance of the show due to the racially explicit casting needs of the show. Throwing the show into the late 1960’s and the American Civil Rights Movement adds a level of complexity and nuance to this classic play, leaving the audience pondering. Choosing to question the narrative and delve deep into some of the issues of the 60’s that have been watered down over time, this production of Othello is a stellar piece of theater you don’t want to skip this summer.
Othello is both loved and hated as a Moor (a term for dark-skinned Muslims in early Europe). A well-respected military officer, he ruffles feathers when he marries a white noblewoman Desdemona despite her father’s wishes. Iago, one of Othello’s junior officers, decides to destroy Othello’s life through deception and jealousy. Through the course of the play, Iago pours his poisonous words into Othello’s ear regarding Othello’s true friends and his wife. As everything starts to crumble around Othello, he is distraught and isolated, trying to figure out who is friend and who is foe.
Chris Curlett plays the titular character with seeming ease and clarity. Curlett creates a dynamic character of Othello, allowing the audience a glimpse of the growing emotional turmoil the character feels as events play out. Wes Tolman crafts Iago into the perfect antithesis of Othello. Tolman is a charming Southern gentleman to everyone’s face and “slicker than a greased goose.” Even as the audience is aware of the treachery, Tolman’s style and charisma worms its way in and makes everyone question the truth. While often Desdemona is seen as a one-dimensional character, Stacy Wilk gives the audience a glimpse of her depth. Wilk is both genteel and vibrant, making Desdemona’s assumed naivety a complete trust in her love and marriage. Nick Mathews (Roderigo), Noah Kershisnik (Cassio), and Rachel Bennett (Emilia) are perfect pawns in Iago’s game. While each eventually comes to the realization of the treachery and their part in it, they are wholly believable in their genuine—though misplaced—desire to help. Joel Applegate as Brabantio, father of Desdemona, helps sculpt the audience’s understanding of Othello’s societal place. Through Applegate’s acting we better understand the view other members of the play take of Othello and grasp the disdain felt by the aristocratic members of the plot. This is reiterated by the interactions of Joseph Holt (Montano and Ludovico), Christina Shearer (Bianca), and Spencer Ford (Officer), with Curlett’s Othello. The audience is left feeling that Othello is tolerated only as long as he is useful.
The intimate setting of a black box (Light Tree Studios) can seem daunting with an ensemble of characters. The ensemble of Othello creates wonderful scenes throughout the entire play, enhancing the minimalist scenic design through acting choices to pull the audience into the story they create. This may not be the play people remember, and that direction is only possible with the ensemble.
The set, lighting, sound, and costume design are the work of director Crisanto and stage manager Elizabeth Martinez, with help from intimacy director Kimi Handa Brown. While the set is minimal, a thrust design with three levels and one small block, the lighting and sound design allude to several settings and provide needed ambience throughout. The use of a 1960’s classic “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” hints at the deception and rumors that are the downfall of the play. Similarly, the specific choice of color in the costuming and lighting (and the change of those elements) capture the audience’s attention at key points of the show. Crisanto’s clear directive choices force the audience to ask the questions of history’s truths, how stories are told and retold, and our place in their telling.
While many times Shakespeare is seen as a family friendly affair, the strong themes and elements of the show may force parents to answer questions they aren’t prepared to explain. However, this is not a production I would want to miss, and the direct ties to American history start an important conversation around race and our treatment of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) through history and today in our communities. Utah Black History Museum will be coming with their mobile bus exhibit on the closing night of the show. They will also be setting up an exhibit in the lobby of the theater and available to answer questions. This is not the usual summer theatre fare in Utah. Utah’s summer offerings are usually comprised of light-hearted musicals and comedies, but this reviewer couldn’t think of a better way to prepare for the Fourth of July than to take a deeper look into the darker parts of American history and ask how we can better our nation.
Little Man Theater Company presents Othello by William Shakespeare.
Light Tree Studios, 740 W 1700 S, Unit 9, Salt Lake City, UT 84104
June 16-18, 20, 23-25 7:00 PM
Tickets: $30
Website: https://othellograpevine.wixsite.com/website
Little Man Theater Company Facebook Page
Indiegogo: www.indiegogo.com/projects/othello-presented-by-little-man-theatre-company
Utah Black History Museum website
Utah Black History Museum Facebook Page
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