OTHELLO Previews

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 12:35am

O, beware, my lord, of jealousy…

For the first time in over 40 years, the legendary Shakespeare tragedy Othello returns to Broadway. One of the hottest tickets of the season, it stars Denzel Washington as the titular Moor of Venice, Jake Gyllenhaal as his manipulative lieutenant Iago, and Molly Osborne as Othello’s wife Desdemona. The cast also includes Andrew Burnap, Anthony Michael Lopez, Daniel Pearce, Kimber Elayne Sprawl, Julee Cerda, Neal Bledsoe, Gene Gillette, Rob Heaps, and Ezra Knight. This reimagined Othello — which is reportedly being set in 2028 — begins previews tomorrow night (February 24) and opens on March 23 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre for a limited run through June 8; Kenny Leon directs.

“Spurned for promotion, Iago’s relentless quest for vengeance against Othello and his wife, Desdemona, plunges them into a shocking web of deception and betrayal.”

Who’s going?

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 4:24pm

I'm not independently wealthy, so it's the lottery for me on this one. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 4:43pm

Just saw they’re doing the Yonder pouches for this. Guessing it’s not for nudity but time will tell. 

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 4:46pm

Not going until the end of the run at the end of May. The use of Yondr seems unnecessary to me here. Because they’re big names? I mean, okay, but it’s not like there’s any nudity. I’ve only seen it used in those situations. Even Cabaret in London just stuck a sticker over the camera part of the phones and trusted their theatergoers.

I worry about the modern setting (haven’t we don’t that with enough Shakespeare and enough classics already?!), but I’m hopeful that they’ll make it meaningful. I’m going for the cast (the whole cast - not solely Washington and Gyllenhaal), so I look forward to seeing what they’ve created.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 5:18pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Just saw they’re doing the Yonder pouches for this. Guessing it’s not for nudity but time will tell."

“Hoping it’s for nudity…” would also be appropriate for this cast. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 5:22pm

Look i mean that’s just a given that I agree with you…

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 5:27pm

It's being discussed in the other thread, and someone who was at the invited dress described their experience.

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/thread/Denzel-Washington-to-return-to-Broadway-in-OTHELLO/8#5497280

Meanwhile, on Reddit, someone posted they contacted Telecharge and were told it's because Denzel has its in his contract that they be used/no phones, there are no exceptions, and those who can't or won't use the pouches can get a refund (and so many over there are absolutely furious--and apparently sending abusive DMs to the OP who reported it). If true, either Denzel is disrobing (though you'd think there'd be a nudity warning) or just wants to ensure his performance isn't recorded.

Updated On: 2/23/25 at 05:27 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 5:36pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Look i mean that’s just a given that I agree with you…"

Never change, Shirtless Jake!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 5:44pm

I'm sure it's so the performance isn't recorded.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 5:45pm

or just wants to ensure his performance isn't recorded.
 

It's that one since it's 13+. There are the usual things for this production: Haze, smoking, loud noises including gun shots, flashing lights, and the list goes on. My friend who attended the live dress last night said they were very, very strict on the no re-entry policy. So, any emergency you have of any kind or if you just gotta pee, you are out of luck to come back to your seat. I assume that's for the safety of the cast/crew. 

[troynow]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 6:21pm

Was there last night. No issues with locking up my cell phone. Show was pretty cool to me. I have never seen Othello. But it was thrilling. It was a final dress rehearsal. They kept saying family viewing but, I think its feeling very OLD SCHOOl...like they will need preview time. And then hit it out of the park.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 6:31pm

Is there anything “special” in it that warrants the phones being locked up?  

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 7:18pm

Interested to see how this is.  We expect Jake and Denzel to be great.  Kenny Leon's direction is the big question.

From "The Broadway Show":

Denzel: "And what Kenny is doing...he keeps calling it the 'near future.'  So it's cell phones, watches and not in a gimmicky way."

We'll ... see ....

Updated On: 2/23/25 at 07:18 PM

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 10:23pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Is there anything “special” in it that warrants the phones being locked up? "

No.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 2/23/25 at 10:56pm

It's in Denzel's contract which was stated above and confirmed by Telecharge. Not out of the ordinary for such a huge celebrity. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 2/24/25 at 12:26am

That's really interesting. He didn't have that in his contract when he starred in ICEMAN COMETH back in 2018.

I'm just doing rush lottery too. 

Does Barrymore have standing room?

[TheatreMonkey]

Posted: 2/24/25 at 2:41am

Wick3 said: "That's really interesting. He didn't have that in his contract when he starred in ICEMAN COMETH back in 2018.

I'm just doing rush lottery too.

Does Barrymore have standing room?"

For what it's worth, Yondr pouches made their Broadway debut in 2019 -- though invented in 2014, they were primarily used in concert and comedy venues first.

[Melissa25]

Posted: 2/24/25 at 3:26am

How Actor Andrew Burnap Went From Anguishing Over Auditions to Sharing the Stage With Denzel Washington
https://www.culturedmag.com/article/2025/02/18/andrew-burnap-actor-snow-white-interview

 

[troynow]

Posted: 2/24/25 at 7:11am

Sutton Ross said: "It's in Denzel's contract which was stated above and confirmed by Telecharge. Not out of the ordinary for such a huge celebrity."

This is the most absurd thing I have read. Totally untrue about Denzel's contract. 

[sinister teashop]

Posted: 2/24/25 at 8:03am

But who should I trust on this info about Denzel Washington’s contract? Both posters appear to be on a first name basis with the star.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 2/24/25 at 8:27am

Did anyone claim to be in a first name basis with Denzel? I only passed on the info someone on Reddit (who I linked to) said they got from Telecharge, not DW. Maybe it's wrong, maybe the TC agent doesn't know what they're talking about, maybe the production is passing the blame by attributing the requirement with no exceptions to DW. Believe as you will.

Updated On: 2/24/25 at 08:27 AM

[Wick3]

Posted: 2/24/25 at 10:46am

I forgot Yondr pouches started in 2019 for freestyle love supreme.

The Barrymore lobby is tiny and my heart goes to the front of house folks during walk-in as it will be tight.

[OhHiii]

Posted: 2/24/25 at 10:50am

I think the babies whining about putting their phones away for 2.5 hours shouldn't be admitted in. If you can't be without your phone screen for that amount of time (the same as many feature films), you shouldn't be going to the theater where it's expected of you.

[TarHeelAlan]

Posted: 2/24/25 at 11:16am

OhHiii said: "I think the babies whining about putting their phones away for 2.5 hours shouldn't be admitted in. If you can't be without your phone screen for that amount of time (the same as many feature films), you shouldn't be going to the theater where it's expected of you."

Please stop and think about the "babies whining" for a moment. There are parents in the audience with child care at home who may need to reach mom and dad. Ditto for doctors on call and other first responders, as I think pagers have gone the way of the dodo bird. Will those people feel their phones vibrate inside a Yonder pouch? Did you know that some people have apps on their phones for medical purposes, i.e. a diabetic can be alerted if their blood sugar is dropping dangerously low? If these people can just get a silent notification by setting the phone to vibrate only, they can step away to handle an emergency, But will they feel the vibration if the phone is locked in a Yonder pouch?

Seems like there should be some sort of alternative for folks who really need to be notified, but I'll admit I have no clue what that would be. (In the good old days you would provide your seat numbers to the house, they would get the call from someone who had the theater's number, and an usher would notify you by finding you at your seat, which of course is another distraction.) Casual texting is totally unnecessary in the theater, but for some members of the audience those phones can be a critically important lifeline. 

 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 2/24/25 at 11:31am

OhHiii said: "I think the babies whining about putting their phones away for 2.5 hours shouldn't be admitted in. If you can't be without your phone screen for that amount of time (the same as many feature films), you shouldn't be going to the theater where it's expected of you."

100% 

There are parents in the audience with child care at home who may need to reach mom and dad. Ditto for doctors on call and other first responders

They shouldn't be attending this show then. No one is forcing them to go and if they can't follow one of the rules and refuse, they will simply get a refund. Problem solved. 

Love the Yondr idea and this hilarious thread proclaiming they will never come to Broadway amuses me to no end. 

Updated On: 2/24/25 at 11:31 AM