Actors from the London Stage (AFTLS) fall 2013 residency will take place this year from Friday, November 1^st – Saturday, November 9^th at the University of Texas at Austin. Performances of Othello will be held at the McCullough Theater on UT Austin campus on November 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th at 7:30pm. It will then be performed at the Winedale Historical Center on November 9^th at 7pm. Tickets are $20 and $10 for UT Faculty/UT Staff/Students. For McCullough Theater performances, tickets can be purchased by calling 512.477.6060 or visiting www.utexas.edu/cola/shakespeare. For Winedale performances, tickets are available through the Shakespeare at Winedale website, www.shakespeare-winedale.org or by calling (512) 471-4726.

The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is William Shakespeare’s timeless story about love, jealousy, racism, and betrayal. Othello, newly married to Desdemona who is half his age, is appointed leader of a military operation. Iago, his ensign, passed over for promotion in favor of young Cassio, persuades Othello that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. Called everything from “the noble Moor” to “egregiously an ass,” Othello has little defense but poetry against Iago’s brilliant and vile machinations; and in the end, as he foresees, “chaos is come again.”

Housed at the University of Notre Dame, Actors from the London Stage is an educational program, which brings 5 classically trained actors from major English theaters to college campuses around the United States. As part of their residency with UT, they will teach approximately 30 classes and workshops and perform Othello four times using only 5 actors and minimal props and costumes.  The AFTLS performance style emphasizes language, characterization, and the dramatic force of Shakespeare’s works through compelling and minimalist staging. Thanks to the sponsorship of the Department of English and the support of the Department of Theatre and Dance, the President’s Office, the University Co-Op, the Graduate School’s George P. Macatee III Centennial Lectureship, the Center for European Studies, and the College of Liberal Arts, AFTLS will once again bring their special kind of magic to the stage.

In addition to the performances, there will be two unique pre-residency events. The first will be a guest lecture by one of UT’s great Shakespeare scholars who just made national press with his recent feature article in the New York Times, Professor Douglas Bruster, on “Dating Othello,” as part of the British Studies Lecture Series. This event will take place at 3pm on Friday, November 1^st, in the Tom Lea Room at the Harry Ransom Center. Later in the day, we will be diving into the rich topic of Shakespeare and the Law, an annual panel that explores the intersection of Shakespeare’s plays and their legal issues. At 6:30pm, there will be a catered reception followed by the panel, “The Bloody Book of Law: Shakespeare’s Othello” and the Spirit Of Shakespeare Players performing scenes from Othello.  This year’s panel will include Angela Littwin (UT Law), Alan Friedman (UT English), James Loehlin (UT English) and Franchelle Dorn (Theatre & Dance.) This special event will take place in the Eidman Courtroom, located inside UT Law School, on UT campus.

During the residency week, there will be a poetry reading of “The Poetry of

Wilfred Owen” by AFTLS company member Richard Neale (who plays the role of Iago) as part of the UT series, “Poetry on the Plaza” on November 6^th at 12 noon.

Here is the full schedule of events related to the AFTLS Residency:

PRE-RESIDENCY EVENTS:

Friday, November 1^st, 3pm - Tom Lea Room, Harry Ransom Center:

British Studies talk by Professor Douglas Bruster, “Dating Othello”

Friday, November 1^st, 6:30pm - Eidman Courtroom, UT Law School:

Shakespeare and the Law Panel - “The Bloody Book of Law: Shakespeare’s Othello”

Panel Members: Angela Littwin (UT Law), Alan Friedman (UT English), James Loehlin (UT English), Franchelle Dorn (Theatre & Dance)

With a performance of scenes from Othello by Spirit of Shakespeare 

AFTLS RESIDENCY WEEK:

Wednesday, Nov. 6^th, 12 noon - Harry Ransom Center Plaza:

Poetry on the Plaza: Richard Neale will give a reading of “The Poetry of

Wilfred Owen.” 

Wednesday – Friday, Nov. 6^th – 8^th, 7:30pm – McCullough Theater, UT Austin:

Performances, Othello

Saturday, Nov. 9^th, 7pm – Winedale Historical Center, Winedale Theater Barn:

Performance, Othello 

For more information, contact:

Liz Fisher, Assistant Program Coordinator, AFTLS @ UT

512.471.4726 or lfisher@austin.utexas.edu