Hit the Ground Running!

We have a cast, we have read-through and timed the show, and our first rehearsal was a smashing success (with audience and all)!

I am proud to announce the cast of the Garfield Shakespeare Company's Summer 2015 production of Othello: The Moor of Venice:

Othello, an officer in the Venetian military: Tyler Gordon

Iago, his ancient: Jay Brubaker

Roderigo, a Venetian gentleman: Andy Sturm

Brabantio, Dedemona’s father: Bill Baker

Cassio, Othello’s Lieutenant: Eric Davis

Desdemona, a Venetian noblewoman, Othello’s wife and Brabantio’s daughter: Kate Ghormley

Emilia, Iago’s wife: Deborah Snively

Montano, ruler of Cyprus: Josh Wooten

Lodovico, a noble Venetian, Kinsman to Brabantio: Zach Taylor

Gratiano, a noble Venetian, Brother to Brabantio: Mike Harold

Bianca, a Courtesan, Mistress to Cassio: Emily Grossman

Duke of Venice, ruler of Venice: Fred Margison

Sailor, Venetian soldier: Zoe Cunningham

Rehearsals have begun in earnest tonight with our actors on their feet for the first time. I enjoy this early process because it means we get to play together, which is a lot of what theater is about to me. Iago, Othello, and Cassio ran through some of their scenes, and we also experimented with the relationships explored in the play. Tonight's focus was the relationship between Iago and Othello - Iago earn Othello's trust, and we see the playfulness in their interactions in the beginning. When Othello starts to question his own senses, Iago is there to point him in the right direction. Or, at least, the direction Iago wants Othello pointed. Iago then has to direct the storm that is Othello when he uses Cassio as bait. As Othello conspires to kill Cassio, Iago is again there to make sure the scalpel is aimed true.

We also took a few shots to think about for publicity. We believe the strawberry-spotted handkerchief represents the show well, and plan to feature it in our marketing.

Initial Thoughts

I spent the weekend combing through the script looking for those tiny clues that tell us, "Oh, this character needs to have a letter on her," and "There needs to be a chair for him to sit on," and, "A trumpet fanfare plays here before they enter." I also noted incidents of stage combat with the goal of having all stage violence cheographed before even casting the show.

Also, I need to think about the show in two very different spaces.

For the first time ever, the Garfield Shakespeare Company will be participating in a Shakespeare festival. Because of this, we will perform our regularly scheduled show at Garfield Park in addition to a run at Bard Fest 2015, which will perform at Studio 15 in Carmel, Indiana.

Our regular performance venue for our summer production is the MacAllister Amphitheater, a large stage that seats 800 with room for lawn seating behind and beside built-in bleachers. Studio 15 is a 32' × 17' blackbox with a very low ceiling that seats 70. Under normal circumstances, each space has its benefits and drawbacks. The amphitheater can stage a 25-person combat and never look cluttered. In the blackbox, Hamlet's soliloquy's can be shared more intimately and personally with the audience. Staging Othello, which requires both a hefty fight scene and an intimacy between seceral pairs of characters will be a challenge.

At the amphitheater, we will use a series of playforms to provide an artificial rake, allowing the audience to see more of the stage. The incline provided by these platforms serves to counter-act the relatively flat area where audience is seated. We will not need these in the blackbox - the audience, seated just a few feet from the edge of the stage, sits on a series of risers, able to see everything at once.

There are a few scenes of violence in Othello, all assumed to take place with rapiers. At the amphitheater, space is not an issue. There is room to draw and look threatenening with several feet between actors. The ceilings of the blackbox, however, present a challenge in choreographing stage combat. One option is to change the weapons to daggers. Right now, after analyzing the script, I believe a mic of rapiers and daggers depending on the rank and location of the characters will be suitable.

Othello takes place at several locations in Venice and Cyprus. Just using the scene descriptions that head every scene, each takes place in a new location with very few, if any, re-visits to a single location. At the amphiteater, we can rely on the large space to serve as different locations, and our actors will highlight the text that lets the audience know the scene has changed. In the blackbox, we will have greater control over lighting, and we may be able to divide the stage by lights.

The next step in this process will be to put together a set design. Right now, my plan is to design two different sets, one for each space. Stay tuned for sketches and futher discussion.