Quadracci Powerhouse Stage Presents Shakespeare's OTHELLO, 4/3-5/6

One of Shakespeare's most tragic heroes squares off against literature's greatest villain in a visceral, sexy, hard-driving story of intrigue, betrayal and vengeance, as Iago leads Othello to The Edge of jealous madness by sowing seeds of doubt about his wife's fidelity. This classic revenge tragedy comes to life in a modern and edgy adaptation set in the world of motorcycle gangs. This production of Othello will be directed by Artistic Director Mark Clements, the role of Othello will be performed by guest actor Lindsay Smiling, and the role of Iago will be performed by Rep Resident Acting Company Member Gerard Neugent. The Rep's production of Othello is sponsored by Harley-Davidson Motor Company and runs April 3 – May 6, 2012 in The Rep's Quadracci Powerhouse and previews Tuesday, April 3 – Thursday, April 5, and opens on Friday, April 6.

"Othello is a play that I have wanted to do for a very long time," says Artistic Director Mark Clements. "Shakespeare was the greatest writer of his time and nobody has eclipsed his skills, I believe, in over 400 years. His plays still tell the greatest stories and influence modern movies and plays we see today. Othello is one such story that explores the human condition of jealousy. It is a thriller that will be set with a very contemporary feel, making Shakespeare's text live for today."

The Rep's production of Othello will incorporate contemporary elements of motorcycle gang culture (think Sons of Anarchy), but will still maintain the poetry and beauty of the language of Shakespeare. Clements added, "The choice to set this production in the midst of a motorcycle club came to me almost 20 years ago. Since encountering them at a young age, I have held an affinity and fascination for motorcycles and the lifestyle that accompanies riding them. I had always felt that Othello was a good fit for the worldview shared by these bikers. This being the hometown of Harley-Davidson, it made sense that it was the perfect time to bring the concept to fruition."

Sponsor Harley-Davidson Motor Company has provided guidance and assistance for this production. They have provided two Harley motorcycles that will appear on stage as well as motorcycle parts used for the set and prop design.

THE CAST

The cast for Othello includes: Lee E. Ernst (Brabantio/Montano/Fight Choreographer), a member of The Rep's 2011/12 Resident Acting Company who recently performed the role of Atticus Finch in The Rep's production of To Kill a Mockingbird; other recent roles include Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol and Vince Lombardi in The Rep's hit production of Lombardi; Melissa Graves (Bianca/Ensemble), a member of The Rep's Artistic Intern Ensemble who was recently part of the ensemble in To Kill a Mockingbird, appeared in A Christmas Carol and in the Rep Lab productions of Bright.Apple.Crush., Land of the Dead and Devised; Mattie Hawkinson (Desdemona), making her Rep debut, is a graduate of Northwestern University and The London Academy of Theatre; recent credits include the world premiere of Ken Ludwig's Games Afoot at the Cleveland Play House; other theaters include Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Lookingglass Theatre Company and Victory Gardens Theater, amongst others; film and television credits include Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Everybody's Fine and Law & Order SVU; Michael M. Kroeker (Lodovico), The Rep's Artistic Associate, was previously a member of The Rep's Artistic Ensemble and most recently appeared in last season's production of Death of a Salesman as Bernard and also appeared in The Rep's production of All My Sons (2002/03); Reese Madigan (Michael Cassio), returns to The Rep after appearing as Paul Hornung in The Rep's production of Lombardi earlier this season; he has appeared in many Rep productions including The 39 Steps, Death of a Salesman, King Lear, Sueño and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; Gerard Neugent (Iago), is a member of The Rep's Resident Acting Company who recently appeared in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) in The Rep's Stackner Cabaret and Lombardi in The Rep's Quadracci Powerhouse; other Rep credits include Death of a Salesman, The 39 Steps, Laurel and Hardy and Seven Keys to Slaughter Peak, amongst many others; Alexander Pawlowski IV (Herald), is an Acting Apprentice this season and was a member of last season's 2010/11 Acting Intern Ensemble who recently performed the role of Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird; he also performed the role of Mr. Mudd in The Rep's production of A Christmas Carol and last season was the Customs Officer in Cabaret; James Pickering (Duke of Venice), is a member of The Rep's 2011/12 Resident Acting Company who recently performed the role of Judge Taylor in To Kill a Mockingbird; previously this season he was seen as Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol; Pickering also recently appeared in Next Act Theatre's production of  The Exonerated; Lindsay Smiling (Othello), an award-winning actor (Jeff Nomination and three Barrymore Awards) will be making his Rep debut with this production; credits include: As You Like It (Pittsburgh Public Theater); Othello (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey); Treasure Island (Off-Broadway) and Blue Door (Victory Gardens Theater) amongst others; Deborah Staples (Emilia), is a member of The Rep's 2011/12 Resident Acting Company who recently performed the role of Jean Louise in To Kill a Mockingbird, The Ghost of Christmas Past in The Rep's production of A Christmas Carol and was in last season's Speaking in Tongues and Death of a Salesman; Staples will be appearing in The Blonde, The Brunette and The Vengeful Redhead next at Writers' Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois; Jonathan Wainwright (Roderigo), appeared in The Rep's production of Translations in the 2006/07 season and has performed extensively with other Milwaukee area theaters including Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (Mauritius and Take Me Out), Next Act Theatre, First Stage Children's Theater and Milwaukee Mask and Puppet Theatre.

Members of The Rep's Acting Intern Ensemble appearing in Othello include: N'Tasha Charmel Anders; Eva Balistrieri; F. Tyler Burnet; Cody Craven; Nathaniel French; Melissa Graves; John Mark Jernigan; Eric C, Lynch; Thomas Novak; Elizabeth Telford and Jenna K. Vik.

THE CREATIVE TEAM

The creative team for Othello includes: Todd Edward Ivins (Scenic/Costume Designer), who returns to The Rep after recently designing scenery for Next to Normal, as well as designing scenery and costumes for last season's production of Cabaret; Jeff Nellis (Lighting Director), whose Milwaukee Rep designs include this season's production of Next to Normal, and last season's productions of Cabaret, Bombshells and Death of a Salesmen; Barry G. Funderburg (Original Music and Sound Design), who did original music and sound design for The Rep's current Stiemke Studio production of In the Next  Room or the vibrator play, and has worked on numerous Rep productions including A Christmas Carol, Speaking in Tongues, The 39 Steps, Pride and Prejudice, Armadale, Mary Stuart, Work Song and Angels in America: Millennium Approaches; Gale Childs Daly (Text/Vocal Coach), who has been a text and dialect coach in the Milwaukee area for over ten years and has coached actors in Rep productions of A Christmas Carol, Noises Off, The Mill on the Floss, 2 Pianos, 4 Hands, Cyrano and Greater Tuna; Sandy Ernst (Casting Director/Associate Artistic Director), who has served as Milwaukee Rep's Casting Director for over a decade and is currently directing Always . . . Patsy Cline in The Rep's Stackner Cabaret; Briana J. Fahey (Stage Manager/Production Stage Manager), who finishes up her ninth year with The Rep this season, stage managed Ten Chimneys and A Christmas Carol earlier this year; Richelle Harrington Calin (Assistant Stage Manager) has been stage managing at The Rep since 2004; this season she stage managed Yellowman and last year's credits include Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Bombshells and Cabaret; Hannah Brown (Stage Management Intern) recently worked on The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), as well as Yellowman earlier this season and JC Clementz (Assistant Director), is a member of The Rep's Artistic Intern Ensemble who was the Assistant Director for The Rep's production of To Kill a Mockingbird, as well as A Christmas Carol and Yellowman earlier this season.

KEY BIOGRAPHIES

Mark Clements (Director) began his tenure as The Rep's Artistic Director with the 2010/11 season. He is an award-winning international theater director whose work has appeared in over 100 major theaters throughout Europe and the United States. Recent productions include: Next to Normal, Death of a Salesman, Bombshells and Cabaret at The Rep; Oliver!, Born Yesterday, Great Expectations and Les Miserables (2008 Barrymore Award – Best Production of a Musical) and Of Mice and Men (2007 Barrymore Award – Best Director and Best Production of a Play), all for Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia; The Milliner (Off-Broadway, World Premiere), CSC, New York; My Fair Lady, Copenhagen; The Browning Version (Barclays/TMA Regional Theatre Award) at Derby Playhouse and Blunt Speaking (World Premiere), Chichester Festival Theatre U.K. and Lucille Lortel Theatre, New York both starring Corin Redgrave. Other productions include: Speaking in Tongues (U.S. Premiere) with Kevin Anderson and Karen Allen (SDC's Joe Calloway Award, Best Director Nomination), Roundabout Theatre Company; Speaking in Tongues (European Premiere; Barclays/TMA Best Director Nomination), Hampstead Theatre, London; Creator/Director – Soul Train (Laurence Olivier Award Nomination), West End and three U.K. national tours; and the U.K. national tours of The Glass Menagerie, The Gingerbread Lady and Love & Marriage, all for Bath Theatre Royal productions. Mark served as an Associate Artistic Director for Moving Theatre Company, the Production Company founded by Vanessa and Corin Redgrave. He has also been Associate Director for New End Theatre and New Players Theatre, both in London, Royal Theatre in Northampton and Torch Theatre in Wales. Additionally, Mark served as Artistic Director of the award-winning Derby Playhouse in the U.K. from 1992 to 2002, where he produced over 100 productions, directed 47, including nine transfers to London's West End and many U.K. national tours and international collaborations with leading companies in Europe and the U.S. He serves on the National Advisory Board for the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program at Ten Chimneys.

William Shakespeare (Playwright) is recognized as one of the greatest writers of all time, known for such works a Hamlet, Much Ado about Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, The Tempest and many other works. With the 154 poems and 37 plays of Shakespeare's literary career, his body of works is among the most quoted in literature. Shakespeare's ability to summarize the range of human emotions in simple yet profoundly eloquent verse is perhaps the greatest reason for his enduring popularity. He is the most widely read of all authors and the popularity of the Life and Works of Shakespeare, in English speaking countries, is second only to the Bible. His words have endured for 400 years and continue to reach across the centuries as powerfully as ever.

TICKETS

Tickets for Othello range in price from $10 - $65. (Prices are subject to change.) Students and senior citizens may purchase half-price RUSH TICKETS with proper identification 30 minutes before curtain time based on availability at The Rep Ticket Office. For more information or to charge tickets, call 414-224-9490. Tickets can be purchased online 24/7 at www.MilwaukeeRep.com or at The Rep's Ticket Office located at 108 E. Wells Street.

Single tickets can be purchased online at www.MilwaukeeRep.com, through The Rep's Ticket Office by calling 414-224-9490 or in person at 108 E. Wells Street. Group tickets are also available for purchase by calling Patron Relations Manager Christine Yundem at 414-290-5340.