The production currently stands as one of the top-grossing Broadway plays of all time.
At an appearance last night at the Entertainment Community Fund Gala, Othello star Denzel Washington shared his thoughts on the high prices of tickets for the Shakespeare revival.
When ET's Rachel Smith pointed out that some tickets are commanding prices of $900 or more, Washington noted that other tickets are also selling as low as $50. "People don't talk about that," the actor said in response. Currently, a limited number of $49 student tickets are made available for every performance of Othello when the Barrymore Theatre box office opens for that day’s performance. In March, the production broke Broadway history as the top-grossing play of all time, a record that itself was quickly broken by another show this season, Good Night, and Good Luck.
During the interview, the actor highlighted his gratitude for the opportunity to perform in this and other productions. “I’ve been blessed beyond measure for a long time. I’m not bragging, but I’ve been a part of sold-out shows before. God has blessed me with a great ability, and I’m humbled by the reaction and the response that we’re getting."
He also reiterated one of his beliefs about the seasons of life and how it affects one's work: "You learn the first part of your life, you earn the second part of your life, and you return in the third part of your life. I’m in the return phase of life. So I’m returning, I’m giving back to others...That's what's important to me."
Othello is currently playing a strictly limited engagement at the Ethel Barrymore Theater through Sunday, June 8 only. Joining Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal are Molly Osborne as ‘Desdemona’, Tony Award winner Andrew Burnap as ‘Cassio’, Anthony Michael Lopez as ‘Roderigo’, Daniel Pearce as ‘Brabantio’, and Kimber Elayne Sprawl as ‘Emilia’. Read the reviews for the production HERE.