Quintessence Presents OTHELLO, Opening 10/13

Quintessence Theatre Group opens its third season with Shakespeare's tragedy OTHELLO, directed by Alexander Burns. OTHELLO will begin previews on Wednesday, October 10 at 7pm and open on Saturday, October 13 at 8pm at the Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, 19119. To purchase tickets, visit www.QuintessenceTheatre.org or call 1.877.238.5596.

Othello the Moor is the celebrated General of Venice's armed forces. Virtuous, steadfast and politic, Othello falls in love and impetuously marries Desdemona, a powerful senator's daughter. Iago, an ambitious subordinate, turns mortal enemy when Othello makes Cassio, an untested scholar of war, his new lieutenant. Reason and passion collide as Iago preys on Othello's greatest vulnerability, his love for Desdemona. In an electrifying return to the Elizabethan tradition of all-male Shakespeare, Quintessence unleashes what promises to be one of the most powerful productions of this tragedy ever seen on the Philadelphia stage.

As Quintessence Theatre Group works to establish a resident repertory ensemble, Quintessence regulars Khris Davis and Josh Carpenter* will lead OTHELLO's ten-actor ensemble. Mr. Davis, who was last seen in Anouilh's Antigone as Haemon, and delighted audiences in The Venetian Twins as Arlecchino, will play the General Othello. Mr. Carpenter who has previously thrilled Quintessence audiences with his chameleon-like transformations from Henry V to The Venetian Twins to the wizened novelist Trigorin in The Seagull will become Shakespeare's greatest villain, Iago. They will be joined by Ross Bennett Hurwitz* who makes his Quintessence and Philadelphia debut as Desdemona.

The ensemble includes Sean Close (Roderigo), Daniel Fredrick (Cassio), Alexander Harvey (Emilia), Matt Lorenz (Brabantio/Gratiano) Tim Rinehart (Duke/Lodovico), Ken Sandberg (Montano) and John Schultz (Bianca).
OTHELLO's artistic team includes costume designer Jane Casanave, lighting designer David Sexton, and fight director SAFD Fight Master Ian Rose.

Quintessence Theatre Group is a professional classical theatre, dedicated to the performance and adaptation of epic works of classic literature and drama for the Contemporary Stage, which ignites the mind, body and soul through the power of the actor, design and spoken word.

Quintessence Theatre Group's third season will present four plays of soaring passion and reckless ambition. Following OTHELLO Quintessence will present Gogol's THE DIARY OF A MADMAN and The Chocolate and Champagne Repertory: Shaw's ARMS AND THE MAN and Molière's THE MISANTHROPE in an adaptation by Martin Crimp. Each play explores the idea of pride in its positive and negative manifestations, exposing and celebrating the potential glory and ultimate fallibility of humankind.

Quintessence continues to work towards the establishment of an acting ensemble and a rotating repertory at the historic Sedgwick Theater in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia. As Quintessence Theatre's home, the Sedgwick Theater, a 1928 art deco movie palace designed by William Lee, will regain its place as a jewel in Philadelphia's cultural landscape.

OTHELLO plays October 10 – November 4. A special PAY WHAT YOU CAN preview will be presented on Wednesday, October 10 at 7:00pm. Post-show discussions with the cast and director will take place on Thursday, October 18 and Sunday, October 28.

Performances take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm.
Tickets are $30, $20 for seniors (65 and over), $15 for youth (25 and under). There are $10 industry and student rush tickets available at the box office one hour before the performance pending availability. To purchase tickets, visit www.QuintessenceTheatre.org or call 1.877.238.5596. For information on any of the performances or above events please email BoxOffice@QuintessenceTheatre.org.

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