News Americas, QUEENS, NY, Thurs. April 23, 2015: A Minnesota-born female actor with Guyanese roots is earning rave reviews for bringing the Shakespearian character ‘Othello’ to life at the Queens Theatre in New York.
Leah Dutchin, born to a Guyanese father and Wisconsin mother, is the lead character in the Titan Theatre Company’s most daring venture yet – an all-female version of “Othello.”
The drama is currently running at the Queens Theatre at 14 United Nations Ave. South, in Flushing Meadows Corona Park through May 2nd.
The tale of love, jealousy and revenge, focuses on the title character, ‘Othello .’ Othello is a general in the Venetian army and a Moor — that is a person of the Islamic faith of mixed Arabian and North or West African descent. He secretly marries Desdemona, the daughter of Senator Brabantio, and the couple is sent to Cyprus, where Othello will lead the fight against the Turks.
Iago, Othello’s ensign, convinces the general that Desdemona has been unfaithful with Cassio, Othello’s recently promoted lieutenant.
Heartbreak, tragedy and plenty of bloodshed ensues.
The play has been streamlined by director Lenny Banovez into a two-hour running time with female actors playing all male roles.
“We have assembled an unrivaled cast of women to tackle one of Shakespeare’s most masculine plays,” said Titan’s Artistic Director Lenny Banovez, who directs the production. “Following the success of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and A Christmas Carol, OTHELLO is a dynamic end to our exciting season.”
Violent in nature, the final curtain death toll may not outpace “Hamlet,” but there are plenty of dead bodies littering the stage by the end. “Othello” is also at turns dramatic, funny and even at times absurd.
Dutchin delivers a compelling performance with all the highs and lows of General Othello.
According to Titan Theater, her first play was ‘Romeo and Juliet in High School and was exposed to the plays through her dad who “can quote Shakespeare like [snaps her fingers].”
Dutchin graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a masters in Fine Arts from the University of California.
The play’s full cast features Leah Dutchin (American Players Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Chicago Shakespeare) as Othello with Emily Trask (Lincoln Center: The Oldest Boy, Yale Rep, Alley Theatre),Carol Linnea Johnson (Broadway: The Full Monty, Mamma Mia!, Utah Shakespeare), Laura Frye (Teatro Franco Parenti, Virginia Shakepeare), Abbey Siegworth (American Players Theater, Dallas Theatre Center), Leah Gabriel, Alyssa Van Gorder, Molly Densmore, Deanna Gibson, Kate Gunther, Alex Spieth and Carolynne Warren.
Tickets for ‘Othello’ are $18 and can be obtained at www.TitanTheatreCompany.com or www.QueensTheatre.org.
Titan Theatre Company began performing in 2009 in a Tex-Mex Bar and Restaurant in Long Island City, Queens. Since that time, Titan’s signature work – which includes distinguished takes on Shakespeare’sKing Lear, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Love’s Labour’s Lost andMacbeth – has been embraced by audiences from all walks of life. Titan is a proud contributing member to the exciting and innovative hotbed that is the Queens theatre scene, and is currently the resident company at Queens Theatre.
