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The complete cast has been announced Shakespeare’s Othello, starring Tony Award® winner and two-time Academy Award® winner Denzel Washington and Tony Award nominee and Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal, directed by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon and lead produced by Brian Anthony Moreland.
Joining Washington and Gyllenhaal are Neal Bledsoe as ‘The Duke of Venice’, Julee Cerda as ‘Bianca’, Ezra Knight as ‘Montano’, Gene Gillette as ‘Gratiano’, Rob Heaps as ‘Ludovico’, ensemble members William Connell, Ty Fanning, Ben Graney, Daniel Reece, Christina Sajous, Greg Wood, and swing Abiola Obatolu.
Previously announced cast members included Molly Osborne as ‘Desdemona’, Tony Award® winner Andrew Burnap as ‘Cassio’, Anthony Michael Lopez as ‘Roderigo’, Daniel Pearce as ‘Brabantio’, and Kimber Elayne Sprawl as ‘Emilia’.
The new production will play Broadway’s Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street). Previews will begin Monday, February 24, 2025, for a Sunday, March 23, 2025 opening night, playing a strictly limited 15-week engagement at the Barrymore through Sunday, June 8. Tickets for Othello are on sale now.
This spring, experience Shakespeare’s epic tale like never before. 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 (portrayed by Molly Osborne), plunges them into a shocking web of deception and betrayal.
The award-winning creative team will feature two-time Tony Award winner and two-time Emmy Award winner Derek McLane (scenic design), Tony Award winner Dede Ayite (costume design), eight-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (lighting design), two-time Tony Award nominee and OBIE Award® winner Justin Ellington (sound design), Academy Award winner and Emmy Award® winnerMia Neal (hair and wig design), Claire Warden (intimacy director), Narda E. Alcorn (production stage manager), ARC / Duncan Stewart, CSA & Jarrett Reiche (casting director), Ioana Alfonso(associate director), Dawn-Elin Fraser (voice coach), and James Shapiro (Shakespeare consultant). 101 Productions, Ltd. serves as general managers with production management by Neil Mazzella/Hudson Theatricals.
Meet the Cast
Neal Bledsoe (The Duke of Venice) is a versatile performer and creator whose work spans theater, film, television, performance art, and journalism.
His stage career includes an Ovation Award-nominated performance in Michael Arden’s production of The Pride at The Wallis Annenberg Center, the creation of The Count in Stephen Wadsworth’s The Figaro Plays at the McCarter Theater, and the title role in Antony and Cleopatra at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. He previously appeared on Broadway as an understudy in Impressionism, working alongside Jeremy Irons, Joan Allen, Andre De Shields, and Marsha Mason under the direction of Jack O’Brien.
On television, Bledsoe has built an impressive body of work including roles in acclaimed series such as “The Man in the High Castle,” “The Last Tycoon,” “Shameless,” and “Smash.” His film work spans studio features like Revolutionary Road and Sex and the City 2, as well as award-winning independent films including Junction, West End, and After The Sun Fell. Next year, he will be seen in Kathryn Bigelow’s upcoming Netflix film opposite Rebecca Ferguson.
As a journalist, Bledsoe has contributed to Variety, Men’s Health, and Sports Illustrated since 2014, where his series The Delicate Moron chronicled his remarkable attempt to play professional football for the LA KISS. He’s also a narrator for The New York Times, having also read work for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Outside, and many more. His artistic collaborations include work with Jon Kessler on The Web, exhibited in New York City and at the Museum Tinguely in Basel, Switzerland, and with avant-garde artist Mark Flood in his surreal film Art Fair Fever in Austin, TX.
He is also a filmmaker, author, and poet; a proud graduate of both UNCSA’s School of Drama (BFA ’05) and member of The Actors Center; has played the occasional Christmas Prince, and was once even an Old Spice Man.
Julee Cerda (Bianca) returns to Broadway as Cassio’s love interest, Bianca, in Othello. She was previously seen on stage portraying civil rights attorney, Edna Klein, in Mark Medoff’s Broadway production of Children of a Lesser God, also under the direction of Leon. Other favorite past roles include Ginny in Lydia R. Diamond’s regional production of Smart People at True Colors Theatre in Atlanta. Known for her powerful portrayal of diverse, empowered women, Cerda can be seen on screen as the formidable Evil Stepmother in Disney’s Descendants: The Rise of Red. Other film credits include Vacation Friend’s 2, Passengers, and The Intern. This year, audiences can look forward to seeing Julee co-star in the rom-com feature, Solo Mio, alongside Kevin James. Television show credits include “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers,” “Homeland,” “House of Cards,” “Blindspot,” “Marvel’s “Iron Fist,” and Showtime’s “The Loudest.”
Based in London, Cerda is represented by the Artist International Group, Stewart Talent, and United Agents.
William Connell (Male-Identifying Ensemble). Selected New York City/regional credits include: A Soldier’s Play (Roundabout, National Tour), Ink (MTC); A View From the Bridge (2010 Broadway revival); The Coast of Utopia (Lincoln Center); The Lehman Trilogy (PTC); Play That Goes Wrong (PTC); Nureyev’s Eyes (George Street); Alphabetical Order (Keen Co.); Hamlet (Aspen Music Festival); One Man, Two Guvnors (PTC, Berkeley Rep, South Coast Rep); The Hour of Feeling (Humana); The Winslow Boy (Rep Theatre of St. Louis); The 39 Steps (PA Shakes. Fest.); In the Next Room (Gulfshore Playhouse); The Voice of the Turtle (Merrimack Rep.); Pride and Prejudice (Geva); The Glass Menagerie (Two River Theatre); Murder On The Nile (Dorset Theatre Festival); As You Like It (Weston Playhouse); All’s Well That End’s Well (TFANA),Television and film: “Succession,” “Bluff City Law,” “Blindspot,” “Blacklist,” “Madam Secretary,” “Bull,” “MA,” “Smash,” “Not Fade Away,” “Gossip Girl,” “Law & Order,” “Guiding Light.” B.F.A. UNCSA.
Ty Fanning (Male-Identifying Ensemble). Broadway Debut. Most recently, Fanning played the title role in Hamlet at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and Romeo in Romeo & Juliet at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. He has performed in more than 30 Shakespeare productions over the course of his career. Off-Broadway: Jen Silverman’s SPAIN at Second Stage (world premiere) and Boswell at 59E59. Chicago: Lindiwe at Steppenwolf Theatre Company (world premiere), Teenage Dick at Theater Wit (Chicago Premiere), and numerous productions at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. He also enjoyed five seasons at American Players Theatre, with notable roles in An Iliad, Three Sisters, She Stoops to Conquer, and Sense & Sensibility. Other regional: Writers Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Palm Beach Dramaworks, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, and two seasons at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Television and film: “Chicago Med” (NBC), “Search Party” (HBO Max), and “Hot Mess Holiday” (Comedy Central). Fanning holds a BFA from Oklahoma City University.
Ezra Knight (Montano). Seen most recently as Mr. Farr in This Land Was Made (Vineyard Theatre), and “FBI: Most Wanted” (CBS). Broadway: Pretty Woman (Original Broadway Cast); Mean Girls, Cymbeline. Off-Broadway: Coal Country (Original Cast), Public Theater; Toni Stone (Original Cast at Roundabout Theatre); Cymbeline, Coriolanus, Merchant of Venice, Jew of Malta (TFANA). Regional and tours: A View from The Bridge, Goodman Theatre; The Darker Face of the Earth, OSF/Crossroads/Kennedy Center; Othello, The Acting Company. Television: “East New York,” “Found,” “The Equalizer,” “Ordinary Joe,” “Billions,” “Daredevil,” “The Blacklist,” “Law & Order.” Film: The Tender Bar; Boogie; ADDicted; Blood, Sand, and Gold; The Abandoned. AEA Union member since 1986. SAG/AFTRA New York President since 2021. Knight resides in Harlem. activepitch.com/ezraknight ig fb tiktok
Gene Gillette (Gratiano). Broadway: To Kill a Mockingbird (Ensemble). National Tours: Ed Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Ted Narracott in War Horse both for The National Theatre. Regional and Off-Broadway: Macbeth with Frances McDormand at Berkeley Rep, Orpheus Descending with Maggie Siff at Theatre for a New Audience, Partnership at The Mint, the title role in Hamlet at The Denver Civic, Claudius in both Hamlet and the world premiere of Gertrude and Claudius at Orlando Shakes, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet and Oliver in As You Like It both at the Folger, and others. Television: “Blue Bloods,” “FBI: Most Wanted,” “The Punisher,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Madam Secretary” (recurring), “The Blacklist,” and others.
Ben Graney (Male-Identifying Ensemble). Broadway: The Heidi Chronicles, War Horse. Off-Broadway: When the Rain Stops Falling (Lincoln Center Theater), Game Play (Ars Nova), The Netflix Plays (Ars Nova). Other New York City theater: Enemy of the People (Wheelhouse Theater), From The Miraculous (writer, director, & performer – Studio Tisch & in residence at SPACE on Ryder Farm), Paper Dolls (Sundance Theater Lab). Regional: Oslo (St. Louis Rep), I Now Pronounce (Actors Theatre of Louisville – Humana Festival: world premiere), Disgraced (Philadelphia Theatre Company), The Heidi Chronicles (Guthrie), Postcards From Earth (Guthrie), Be A Good Little Widow (Old Globe), Twelfth Night (McCarter), Youth Ink! (McCarter), The Cherry Orchard (Chautauqua), Twelfth Night(Chautauqua). Film: Things Heard & Seen, Impossible Monsters, Canto. Television: “The Calling” (Peacock – recurring), “The Good Fight” (Paramount+), “Harlan Coben’s Shelter (Amazon Prime),” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon Prime), “Billions” (Showtime), “The Blacklist” (NBC), “Elementary” (CBS). Training: MFA. NYU Grad Acting, BA CSU Long Beach. www.bengraney.com.
Rob Heaps (Ludovico) can recently be seen in a heavily recurring role on ’s “Station19.” Heaps also starred as fan favorite Nick Laren in the Netflix series “Partner Track.”. Upcoming projects still to be released include Netflix’s “The Night Agent” Season 2 and “The Pitt.”. Best known for his starring role in Bravo series ”Imposters,” Heaps recently played a leading role in USA’s “Dare Me” and recurred on NBC’s “Good Girls” opposite Mae Whitman. Appearing in a critical supporting role in Lydia Dean Pilcher’s Miss Atkins’ Army, Heaps’ other credits include And Then There Were None,Home Fires, Death in Paradise, Frankenstein and the Vampyre: A Dark and Stormy Night, and Life in Squares. Rob has also appeared in “Law & Order: UK,” “What Remains,” “Gothic,” and ”Doctors.” On the big screen, Heaps starred in Jane Campion’s Bright Star alongside Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish. Additionally, Heaps has worked extensively in British theatre, most recently starring inWhile The Sun Shines at the Theatre Royal Bath.
Abiola Obatolu (Female-Identifying Swing) is thrilled to make her Broadway debut in Othello with this extraordinary team. Most recently, Obatolu appeared in Diane Paulus’s Romeo and Juliet at the American Reparatory Theatre. Professional credits include Odyssey (The Acting Company), The Color Purple (Broadway at Music Circus Sacramento), and This Is How You Capture The Light (The Kennedy Center). Obatolu is a recent graduate of the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, where she received her BFA in Acting.
Daniel Reece (Male-Identifying Ensemble) Broadway: Grey House. Off-Broadway: Socrates (The Public), The Infinite Hotel (Prototype Festival). Regional: Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Old Globe, Yale Repertory Theatre, among others. Television and film: “Modern Love,” “Lioness,” “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” Your Friends and Neighbors, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, “Bluff City Law,” “Elementary,” “Blue Bloods,” and more. MFA: Yale School of Drama.
Christina Sajous (Female-Identifying Ensemble). Currently, the co-director of Broadway’s A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical at Studio 54. Broadway: The Who’s TOMMY revival (Acid Queen), SpongeBob SquarePants (Sandy Cheeks), Spider Man: Turn off the Dark (Arachne), American Idiot (Extraordinary Girl), Baby It’s You! (Shirley), Tupac Shakur: Holler If Ya Hear Me. Television and film: “Run the World” (Starz), “Kevin Can F*** Himself” (AMC) “Chicago Med” (NBC), “Blue Bloods” (CBS), “SpongeBob SquarePants The Musical Live on Stage” as Sandy Cheeks (Nickelodeon), “Jesus Christ Superstar Live” (NBC), “Alpha House” (Amazon), “One Life to Live” (), “Broadway Idiot” (Netflix). Sajous attended NYU: Tisch School of the Arts: Playwrights Horizons Dept (acting, directing, design), Classical Studio, and the International Theatre Wing in Amsterdam. @csajous
Greg Wood (Male-Identifying Ensemble). Broadway: Our Town directed by Kenny Leon, the National Broadway Tour of To Kill a Mockingbird as Link Deas and covering Atticus Finch. Regionally: George in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Erik in The Humans, Elyot in Private Lives and Lloyd in Noises Off for the Walnut St Theatre in Philadelphia. Other Philly credits include, Brick in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Editor Webb in Our Town, Biff in Death of a Salesman and Da in Once with the Arden Theatre Co. Iago in Othello for the Orlando Shakespeare Festival and Benedict in Much Ado AboutNothing directed by Russell Treyz with the West Side Shakespeare Theatre. Greg is a company member of the People’s Light and Theatre Co. He has spent 25 seasons with the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival where he played the title roles of Hamlet, Richard III and King John, as well as Prospero in The Tempest, Antony in Antony and Cleopatra, Cyrano in Cyrano de Bergerac, The Poet in An Iliad, and Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew, among many others. Film and Television credits include Mr. Collins (Kyra’s Dad) in The Sixth Sense, Signs, The Happening, A Gentlemen’s Game, “Blacklist,” “Evil,” “Dr. Death,” “Law & Order,” “Ed,” “Hack,” and “Homicide: Life on the Street.”
