FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Tom Robenolt, Perseverance Theatre (907) 364-2421 x228 [email protected] Art Rotch, Perseverance Theatre (907) 364 2421 x229 [email protected]
Perseverance Theatre Opens 37th Season of Professional Theatre in Juneau with William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello
August 31, 2015 - Juneau – Perseverance Theatre opens its 37th season with The Tragedy of Othello, one of Shakespeare’s best known plays. Othello is a ‘moorish,’ or African, general who has fought many wars for most of his life. While leading an army for Venice, he meets his wife Desdemona, a Venetian woman from a prominent family, and decides to bring his new wife with his army to fight in Cyprus. Meanwhile, Iago, Shakespeare’s most complex and mysterious villain, is upset by a minor slight when a rival, Cassio, is promoted instead of Iago himself. Once they arrive in Cyprus, Iago manipulates Othello and Cassio in a cold hearted act of petty vengeance. Othello is well known for its direct style and large number of intimate, conspiratorial scenes, framed by moments of violence.
The cast features Jamil Mangan as Othello, previously seen at Perseverance as Asagai in A Raisin in the Sun; Kat Wodtke, making her Perseverance debut as Desdemona; and Brandon Demery as Iago, whose extensive list of Perseverance Theatre acting credits include the role of Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Perseverance’s most recent production by the bard. The rest of the cast features actors from Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks. Casting some of the best actors in the state is more possible now that Perseverance mounts seasons in two of Alaska’s largest cities, Juneau and Anchorage. Following its run in Juneau, Othello will play a three-weekend engagement at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts in Anchorage.
The production runs from Sep. 11-Oct. 4, 2015 on the Perseverance Theatre Mainstage in Douglas. Tickets are available now through Hearthside Books, at the JACC, online at PTalaska.org, or by calling 907-463-TIXS (8497). There are two pay-as-you-can performances: 4 p.m., Sunday, September 13 and 7:30 p.m., Thursday, September 17. And there are three pay-as-you-can previews: 4 p.m., Sunday, September 6 and 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday September 10.
Perseverance staff member Tom Robenolt directs the first Shakespeare show produced by the theatre since the tenure of the late PJ Paparelli, a lover of Shakespeare and artistic director at Perseverance from 2004-2007. Robenolt came to Juneau two years ago after working at the Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre for several years. He directed last spring’s comedy, Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England. Robenolt also directed several productions for Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre, most recently the touring production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, performed in Gwich’in, Yupik and Tlingit languages.
The creative team includes set designer Akiko Nishijima Rotch, costume designer Christopher Metzger, lighting designer Raquel Davis, sound designer Lucy Peckham, and fight choreographer Frank Delaney. Amanda Filori stage manages the production.
See fact sheet, page 2.
-more- THE TRAGEDY OF OTHELLO Fact Sheet
WHAT: Perseverance Theatre presents The Tragedy of Othello by William Shakespeare. Directed by Tom Robenolt.
WHEN: September 11 – October 4 (Opening Night: 7:30 p.m., Friday, September 11). Performance times: 7:30 p.m., Thursdays-Saturdays and 4 p.m., Sundays with an extra performance 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 30. There will be two pay-as-you-can previews: 4 p.m., Sunday, September 6 and 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10. There will also be two pay-as-you-can performances: 4 p.m., Sunday, September 13 and 7:30 p.m., Thursday, September 17. The production will also play October 2015 in Anchorage.
CAST AND CREW (Character – Actor): Othello – Jamil Mangan* Desdemona – Kat Wodtke Iago – Brandon Demery* Emilia/Messenger of the Duke – Danielle Rabinovitch Brabantio/Gratiano – Frank Delaney Michael Cassio – Levi Ben-Israel* Roderigo – James Sullivan Bianca/Senator – Hadassah Nelson Duke of Venice/Montano – Eric Vang Lodovico/Soldier – Bryan Crowder Servant/Soldier – Marley Horner Servant/Soldier – Chris Talley * Actors Equity member Scenic Design— Akiko Nishijima Rotch Costume Design— Christopher Metzger Lighting Design— Raquel Davis Sound Design— Lucy Peckham Fight Choreography— Frank Delaney
WHERE: Perseverance Theatre Mainstage, 914 Third Street, Douglas, Alaska, 99824.
TICKETS: Tickets to Othello are now on sale and range from $16-37. Call 907-463-TIXS (8497) for discounted tickets for groups of ten or more. For ticket reservations, call the Perseverance Theatre Box Office at 907-463-TIXS (8497), go to www.perseverancetheatre.org, or pick them up at Hearthside Books or the JACC.
PR: Tom Robenolt, Perseverance Theatre 907-364-2421 or [email protected]. (This phone number and email are not for publication.)
PHOTOS: Email [email protected] for photo availability or to schedule a photo shoot.
Perseverance Theatre 2015-2016 Season Sponsors are: Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Atwood Foundation, Benito and Frances C. Gaguine Foundation, Charlotte Martin Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Shubert Foundation, Alaska State Council on the Arts, The City & Borough of Juneau, The Juneau Arts & Humanities Council, Alaska Airlines, Juneau Empire, 800 KINY - 630 KJNO – MIX 106 - TAKU 105 - 1330 KXJ, KTOO- KXLL-KRNN, Anchorage Dispatch News, Alaska Experience Theatre, Alaska Public Media, and Anchorage Press. Sponsors for Othello are: Northrim Bank and Juneau Empire.
Perseverance Theatre was founded in 1979 in Juneau. Thirty years later, we’ve grown into a leading professional theatre in Alaska, recognized both statewide and nationally for our programming, training and development that’s reflective of the Alaskan community, including 65 world premieres of plays by Alaskan and national playwrights. Perseverance Theatre’s mission is to create professional theatre by and for Alaskans. We value community engagement, professional rigor, and regional voice. In 2012, Perseverance launched the initiative to begin performing a season of plays in Anchorage as a resident company in the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. Find more information on Perseverance Theatre at www.perseverancetheatre.org. You can also follow Perseverance Theatre at facebook.com/PerseveranceTheatre and Twitter.com/PTalaska.
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