Broadway is getting more of Shakespeare's Moor. Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal lead Othello, a play that has not been seen on Broadway since 1982. Kenny Leon directs the epic revival.
William Shakespeare’s Othello has left a profound legacy as one of the most powerful explorations of jealousy, betrayal, and the complexities of human relationships in literature. First performed in 1604, the play remains a cornerstone of dramatic art, revered for its psychological depth, poetic language, and timeless themes.
Through the tragic arc of Othello, Desdemona, and Iago, Shakespeare delves into issues of race, gender, power, and manipulation, making it perpetually relevant across centuries. Its influence extends beyond the stage, inspiring countless adaptations in theater, opera, film, and literature.
Tony and Academy Award winner Denzel Washington stars as ‘Othello,’ the noble Moor of Venice and commanding warrior general. Opposite him, Tony and Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal portrays ‘Iago,’ the ambitious lieutenant and masterful manipulator. Spurned for promotion, Iago’s relentless quest for vengeance against Othello and his wife, Desdemona, plunges them into a shocking web of deception and betrayal.
Other stars to play the iconic enemies in past productions include Laurence Fishburne and Kenneth Branagh, Laurence Olivier and Frank Finlay, and James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer.
Yes, I have seen the new Othello with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, the one that is raking in almost $3 million a week by selling out Broadway’s Barrymore Theatre with tickets priced at up to $900. And no, you probably won’t see it. Jealous? Well, you shouldn’t be. It’s not just that jealousy itself—famously described in Othello as ”the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on”—is deleterious to the soul. It’s that this production, though perfectly good in most regards and better than that in several, isn’t worth voiding your purse.
I was looking forward to the production – not just because of the track records of Washington and Gyllenhaal (who have both given excellent performances on Broadway in recent years) and Leon (who helmed a stunning production of “Our Town” at the same theater earlier this season). “Othello” is a play about the dangers of misinformation and mistrust as engineered by an exceptionally persuasive orator. It should speak directly to this cultural moment. Instead, it’s a hollow star vehicle – expensive but cheap, flashy but dull.
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| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
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| 2025 | Drama League Awards | DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE | Jake Gyllenhaal |
| 2025 | Drama League Awards | DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE | Denzel Washington |
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