Othello in Detroit

L to R Othello played by Hugh Duneghy II and Iago played by Dennis Kleinsmith in Shakespeare in Detroit's Othello

(Courtesy photo)

"Tis within ourselves that we are thus or thus."

-William Shakespeare, Othello

DETROIT, MI - When Samantha White was 14, she saw Laurence Fishburne star in the movie version of Othello.

The Detroit actor and producer remembers being "shocked and pleased" by seeing a Shakespearean protagonist who looked like her.

"I had never seen a Shakespeare movie, play or performance where there was a black protagonist," White shared with MLive. "I had been a fan of Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Hamlet as a kid, but I had never paid attention to or even had the interest in reading Othello until that moment."

White hopes to give that same experience to aspiring Detroit actors on Aug. 14 with a production of "Othello" in Grand Circus Park. The free, one-night show is the start of White's larger plan to add a full-fledged Shakespeare festival to the city's cultural offerings.

The idea formed last year after White watched actor friends move out of Detroit to find roles in other cities.

"I've seen so many of my actor friends move to Los Angeles, New York, Chicago," she said.

A long-time actor, White decided to switch to a producer role and try to create local theater jobs. She took a business start-up classes at Wayne State University's TechTown last year and drafted a business plan for a free Shakespeare festival in Detroit.

"Chicago, LA, New York, even Miami, they all have some sort of festival as it relates to the bard," White reasoned. "We don't."

She acknowledges there are Shakespearean offerings in the area. Royal Oak hosts an outdoor performance every year - this year it's the "Merry Wives of Windsor" and "Much Ado About Nothing" through Aug. 11 - Jackson hosts the Michigan Shakespeare Festival, and the Stratford Festival in Ontario is nearby.

Her goal, however, is to bring the famed playwright into the heart of Detroit. She found support from the Detroit 300 Conservancy, which is sponsoring the one-night performance.

"It's the only Shakespeare in the Park you can get in Detroit," White said. "Within the city boundaries, there's no where to go, until now."

Often called Shakespeare's most intimate tragedy, "Othello" is the story of love and the "green-eyed monster." Iago is jealous of young Cassio's promotion – given to him by Othello. So he manipulates, lies and evokes murder among the cast of characters that also include Desdemona, Emilia and Roderigo as he seeks revenge on Othello.



"Even though 'Othello' was written hundreds of years ago, the story is timeless," says producer Michael Lopetrone. "It contains universal themes like jealousy and betrayal, and is just a captivating story that anyone can latch on to."



Othello quotes 8 Gallery: Othello quotes

Along with a personal connection, White explained she chose "Othello" for societal parallels she sees between the centuries-old play and Detroit, and for the universal themes anyone can relate to. She explained:

She added: "And, I just think it is a well-written play and interesting to watch."

The production team includes assistant director and stage manager Johnathan Smick, costume director Cal Schwartz and producer Lopetrone. The cast includes Hugh Duneghy II as the title character, and Dennis Kleinsmith as the scheming Iago.

The performance will be a part of the Theater in the Park series, which showcases Detroit's historical Entertainment District.



"Unlike a lot of productions we are free, we are accessible and we are in the city," says White, who also is executive producer. "The goal is to expose, entertain and educate the city of Detroit about William Shakespeare and his work."

"Othello" will begin at 7 p.m. on Aug. 14. Jazz will precede the show from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Theatre-goers can bring chairs or blankets to watch the performance. There are some benches in the park.

In the event of inclement weather, the performance could be moved to a new date.

Dustin Block is the editor of MLive Detroit. You can email him at: dblock@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter.