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Chicago Shakespeare Theater's

Othello: The Remix

Extended by Popular Demand Through June 15, 2013

Production Draws New Audiences Returns to London this Fall

Chicago―April 10, 2013―Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s (CST) Othello: The Remix, the 90-minute hip-hop adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, spun out and lyrically rewritten over original beats, has been extended through June 15, 2013 by popular demand. Created by the Q Brothers, Othello: The Remix is receiving rave reviews from audiences across Chicago, playing to sold-out houses and nightly standing ovations. The high energy, cross-genre production is stimulating theater attendance from under-represented audiences in Chicago, with more than half of patrons purchasing tickets to the initial run for Othello: The Remix being new to Chicago Shakespeare Theater. With noticeable increases in multi-generational and culturally diverse attendees, the production is also breaking records for Chicago Shakespeare’s longstanding CST for $20 program, which offers $20 tickets for CST productions to students and young professionals under the age of 35. Othello: The Remix has garnered the largest percentage of CST for $20 tickets sold for a single production in the history of the program. The production continues to gain critical acclaim, with Chicago Tribune giving Othello: The Remix three and a half stars and calling it “wise, smart, funny… a killer show!” The Chicago Sun-Times raves: “Not only does this show's fire-powered hip-hop lingo fall trippingly from the actors' tongues, but just as Shakespeare helped shape English, rap has dramatically refashioned it.”

Othello: The Remix will return to London this fall for a three-week engagement at Unicorn Theatre. The production’s first performance took place in London this past summer as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad’s ‘Globe to Globe’ festival at Shakespeare’s Globe, where it received its world premiere as one of 37 companies from around the world presenting Shakespeare’s entire canon, each performed in a different language. It was the only production in the festival from North America and was greeted with critical acclaim and sold-out houses. The European tour continued to Germany’s Shakespeare Festival im Globe Neuss and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe where the Musical Theatre Matters Awards honored the production with Best Musical and Best Lyrics Awards, and the Stage Awards for Acting Excellence nominated the company for Best Ensemble Award.

The Q Brothers, GQ and JQ, are siblings born and raised in Chicago, who started their professional careers in the off Broadway hit, The Bomb-itty of Errors. Commissioned by CST and written, directed and with music by the Q Brothers, Othello: The Remix is the first Shakespeare tragedy and second collaboration with CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton. Boynton was also involved in the creation of the Q Brothers’ award-winning CST commission, Funk It Up About Nothin’, which received critical acclaim in its world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare and subsequent international tour to New York, Australia and the UK. In addition to the Q Brothers, the cast of Othello: The Remix includes Jackson Doran and Postell Pringle and DJ Clayton Stamper. Othello: The Remix is produced by Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Richard Jordan Productions Ltd.

Othello: The Remix has been extended through June 15, 2013, in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare. Tickets are on sale now for $25–$35, with CST for $20 tickets offered for patrons under 35. Performances are Wednesday–Friday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 3 p.m. All patrons receive a 40% discount on guaranteed parking in Navy Pier garages. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the CST Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

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Contact Us
 

Hannah Kennedy
Director of Communications
hkennedy@chicagoshakes.com

Emma Perrin
Public Relations & Digital Media Manager
eperrin@chicagoshakes.com
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Media Office
312.667.4957

Cathy Taylor
cathy@cathytaylorpr.com
Cathy Taylor Public Relations
773.564.9564

Chicago Shakespeare Theater
on Navy Pier
800 East Grand Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

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