Michael Ray is a member of AEA and SAG*AFTRA. He has appeared in film, television, and radio and was the host of a series, Home Transformations, on the DIY Network. He has directed for film and theatre, recently directing Million Dollar Quartet for Sierra Repertory Theatre. Off-Broadway, international, and regional credit includes: 59e59 Theaters (NYC), Teatro Santa Ana (SMA), Aurora Theatre Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, San Francisco Playhouse, Center Repertory, TheatreWorks, Marin Theatre Company, Magic Theatre, Marin Shakespeare Company, American Musical Theatre, and others. Recent roles include: Bottom in A Midsummer Nights Dream for San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Ray in Blackbird for Pacific Repertory Theatre and Don in Rapture Blister Burn for Lucky Penny Productions. Michael Ray has worked professionally in the Bay Area and beyond for over 25 years. Michael Ray Wisely* is honored to make his debut at African-American Shakespeare Company in Othello. Shakespeare’s Othello is a cautionary tale for our times, and the Globe theater’s original production was done mostly in contemporary dress and staging …of that time! Our production celebrates Shakespeare’s glorious words with a modern, contemporary setting to explore the painfully relevant topic of society’s polarizing struggle with difference. It is the Green-eyed monster which will mock the meat it feeds on! (III.3) Meanwhile, “honest Iago,” his “loyal” friend, joined the service at the same time, but has only risen to the rank of sergeant, causing him to become increasingly jealous of his general. In our production, Othello’s backstory is that of a conscripted child soldier in Ethiopia by way of Sudan, who has used his learned violent skills and street smarts to rise to the top of the American military.
Othello, a man used to vicious fighting and bloody death since the age of seven, is this story’s protagonist and the troops’ general. Sequestered in a stiflingly hot army base in the middle east, the agitated troops experience rising tension with no release in sight. Here, an army goes to battle only to find out that the war has already been won before it began. The military serves as a central vehicle in framing these vital issues. Given the fact that these tragic and alarming issues are becoming increasingly relevant and an urgent story for our nation, we have decided to stage this production in our contemporary times. The central themes and issues in Othello are as vital today as they were when the play was written (circa 1603/4). The African-American Shakespeare Company’s mission statement reflects and embraces the complexity of race that informs this magnificent and malevolent story! In this magnificent play, the Bard tackles huge issues of ‘difference’-such as race and national origins, xenophobia, religious bigotry, misogyny, and jealousy! Othello is one of four great Shakespearean tragedies. To tyrannous hate! Swell bosom from your weight,
Give up, oh love, your seat and precious throne Peter Callender (Othello) and Michael Ray Wisely (Iago) join host David Latulippe on Open Air to chat about Othello the interview starts at 2:18.Īrise black vengeance from thy hollow hell! Petaluma’s Carl Jordan teams up with SF’s African-American Shakespeare Master of menace and natural hero star in African-American Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’
SHAKESPEER ON THE GREEN OMAHA CRACK
REVIEW: “OTHELLO” BY THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN SHAKESPEARE COMPANY (****)īay Area Shakespeare vet takes his first crack at Othello - ‘it’s upsetting me’ Lead actors light up African-American Shakes’ ‘Othello’ Monsters of our moment lurk in this ‘Othello’ Rating: 5 E’s – Loved It – A classic, would see it a second time. “Othello” Explodes! at African-American Shakes, S.F.
SHAKESPEER ON THE GREEN OMAHA DOWNLOAD
To view and download high resolution press photos, please visit the Press & Photo Gallery page. Running time: Approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes including one 15 minute intermission
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