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.
Gyllenhaal delivers the most engaging Iago I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen some pretty good Iagos: Christopher Plummer with Jones and Daniel Craig with Oyelowo. Gyllenhaal’s performance fuels the show, and when his Iago takes a needed break after getting Cassio wounded and Roderigo murdered, this “Othello” never quite regains either its focus or its propulsive momentum.
Jake Gyllenhaal, who plays Iago, certainly gives the Moor of Venice plenty to fight against, if he chose to do so. Here is far and away the most dynamic performance of the night, a riveting, turbo-charged interpretation that avoids any and all villainous cliches, or flowery self-doubts, and just presents a malevolent but highly effective military guy who sets out to do what he wants to straightforwardly do, a train hurtling down a track, gaining speed with every scene, determined to knock the Othello and Desdemona carriage into the ditch.
| 1751 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1865 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1904 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1905 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1906 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1907 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1907 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1907 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1909 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1911 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1913 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1914 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1915 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1918 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1925 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1935 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1937 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1943 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1945 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1970 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1982 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 2009 | West End |
London Production West End |
| 2016 | Off-Broadway |
NYTW Off-Broadway Revival Off-Broadway |
| 2017 | West End |
National Youth Theatre Adaptation West End |
| 2025 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Production Broadway |
| 2025 | West End |
West End |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Drama League Awards | DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE | Jake Gyllenhaal |
| 2025 | Drama League Awards | DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE | Denzel Washington |
Videos