Gilliam, Waterston Lead Commonwealth Shakespeare Co's OTHELLO, Opens 7/28

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) is pleased to announce thecasting for the company's 15 th annual free Shakespeare on The Common production, WilliamShakespeare's immortal drama, Othello, directed by CSC Founding Artistic Director Steven Maler. Othello will be performed at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common from July 28 to August 15.

The cast includes Seth Gilliam as Othello and James Waterston as Iago, as well as a list of local favorites including Marianna Bassham, Adrianne Krstansky, Dan Roach, andFrEd Sullivan, Jr.Othello, known as one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies, is a captivating story about the fall ofa charismatic Moorish general through the betrayal of one of his most trusted soldiers. Setagainst a backdrop of war, Othello is a powerful story about love and jealousy that focuses onthe passions and personal lives of its major figures.

Othello, with its intimate domestic setting, iswidely regarded as the most moving of Shakespeare's great tragedies.Othello will be performed July 28 - August 15 Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundayat 7 p.m., weather permitting. Performances take place outdoors at the Parkman Bandstand onBoston Common and are presented in partnership with the City of Boston and Mayor Menino.CSC productions have become a beloved civic institution and are expected to draw an estimated100,000 people over 18 performances.

All performances are free and open to the public of allages.THE CASTSeth Gilliam (Othello) is best known for his portrayal of Sgt. Ellis Carver on HBO's "The Wire"and as Clayton Hughes on HBO's "Oz." His theater credits include Richard III (Prince Edward,New York Shakespeare Festival); Saint Stanislaus Outside the House (MCC Theater); JeanGenet's The Maids (Madame, Classic Stage Company NYC); Iphigenia and Other Daughters(Orestes, Classic Stage Company NYC); Hey Little Walter (Playwrights Horizons); Man at hisBest (Playwrights Horizons); Dogeaters (LaJolla Playhouse); Topdog/Underdog (Lincoln,Philadelphia Theatre Company); A Soldier's Play (Soldier, Ojai Music Festival); Suzan-Lori Parks'Father Comes Home from the Wars (Homer, The Public Theatre); and Margaret Edson's Wit (Dr.Posner, Union Square Theatre). Other TV credits include "Assault at West Point" (Showtime),"The Cosby Show" (NBC), "Law and Order" & "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" (NBC), "CSI:-Continued-Miami" (CBS), "Nurse Jackie" (Showtime), "As the World Turns" (CBS), and "Mercy" (NBC).

Filmcredits include "Did You Hear about the Morgans?," "Starship Troopers," Courage Under Fire,""The Great New Wonderful," "Tar," "Mr. Wonderful," "Personal Velocity," and "On Board."James Waterston (Iago) has starred in many productions in New York, including The Importanceof Being Earnest (Jack, Brooklyn Academy Of Music); As You Like It (Orlando, New YorkShakespeare Festival); A.R. Gurney's Buffalo Gal (Primary Stages); and Brooke Berman's APerfect Couple (WET). Regional favorites include Mark Antony in Julius Caesar (A.R.T.); Randyin Children (Williamstown); Richard in Ah, Wilderness! (Huntington Theatre Company), and SirAndrew in Twelfth Night. He has also performed in three seasons at Old Globe, three seasonsplaying piano for Greylock Project at Williamstown Theatre Festival and three seasons at TheSundance Institute June Lab. Film/TV credits include: "The Good Wife" (CBS), "Six Feet Under"(HBO, recurring), "Live from Baghdad " (HBO), "The Electric Company," "ER," Dead PoetsSociety, "Christy" (Hallmark), and Little Sweetheart.

Upcoming plans include a tour of France in2011 reprising his role of Brutus in Julius Caesar, David Simon's "Treme" (HBO) and the filmCertainty, written by Boston's own Mike O'Malley.Marianna Bassham (Desdemona), an Elliot Norton Award-winning actress and a veteran of theBoston theater scene, is currently starring in Stoneham Theatre's production of Gaslight.Dan Roach (Cassio) was last seen at CSC in last year's The Comedy of Errors, and hasappeared in numerous Off-Broadway productions and on stages in Los Angeles.

Adrianne Krstansky (Emilia) is an Elliot Norton award-winning actress who has been seen inmany productions around Boston, most recently in the A.R.T.'s production of Paradise Lost, and teaches acting at Brandeis University. FrEd Sullivan, Jr. (Brabantio/Gratiano) played Egeon inlast year's The Comedy of Errors, Jaques (Elliot Norton award- Outstanding actor) in CSC's AsYou Like It, and is also a longtime member of Trinity Rep Company's resident Acting Company.

Jeremy Browne (Montano), no stranger to the bard's plays, was last seen in CSC's The Comedyof Errors, as well as King Lear and Much Ado About Nothing with Hampshire ShakespeareCompany. McCaela Donovan (Bianca) has been seen in many productions both in Boston andNew York City, including CSC's original production of Shakespeare on Love, and recently playedYum-Yum in New Repertory Theatre's production of Hot Mikado.The Company of CSC's Othello also includes Grayson Powell (Roderigo), Philippe Bowgen(Lodovico), John McGinnis (Duke), Arthur Barlas (Senator 1), Arthur Waldstein (Senator 2),Nicholas Crandall (Clown), Greg Coughlin (Ensemble), and Terrell Sledge (Ensemble).

THE CREATIVE TEAM

Steven Maler (Director) most recently directed A Shakespearean Cabaret with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and New England Conservatory as part of First Night Boston 2010 andCSC's production of The Comedy of Errors on Boston Common. As the founding Artistic Directorof CSC, he has directed all of their productions. His CSC production of Much Ado About Nothingwon the IRNE Award for Best Director, his Twelfth Night won the Elliot Norton award for "BestProduction," his first CSC production of A Midsummer Night's Dream won the Elliot Norton Awardfor "Outstanding Director," his production of Suburbia for the Speak Easy Stage Company won theNorton Award for "Best Production," and his production of John Kuntz's Starf***ers won theNorton Award for "Best Solo Performance."

Patrick Lynch (scenic design) is a 2008 Motif Award-winner for his scene design of Figaro at theBrown/Trinity Consortium. David Reynoso (Costume Design) is a 2010 Elliot Norton Award-winner (Outstanding Costume Design) for last year's CSC production The Comedy of Errors.Justin Townsend (Lighting design) won an Elliot Norton award in 2007 for his design on TheOnion Cellar at the American Repertory Theater and is a member of the Obie Award-winningTheatre Of a Two Headed Calf. David Remedios (sound design) has a Connecticut Critics Circle Award for his design of No Exit with Harford Stage and an Elliot Norton Award for MotherCourage and Her Children at the American Repertory Theater.About Commonwealth Shakespeare CompanyCommonwealth Shakespeare Company, best known for its annual free performances on BostonCommon, is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the works of William Shakespeare invital and contemporary productions to the people of Boston.

In addition to the annual BostonCommon production, the company offers a summer "Tour of the Parks," with a Shakespeare-inspired program designed for families as well as other Shakespeare-related programming throughout the summer. Previous productions include Comedy of Errors, As You Like It, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth,Henry V, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar. For moreinformation, or to make a contribution to support the work of CSC, visit www.commshakes.org