Remix’ at Stages in Houston presents a reimagined version of a Shakespearean classic

HOUSTON – Houston theater and rap fans are in for a treat as Stages in Houston presents a reimagined version of OthelloWilliam Shakespeare’s classic tale.

For those unfamiliar with the story, it is a tragic story about romance combined with betrayal and manipulation.

These latter themes are undoubtedly synonymous with hip-hop, which is why they justify an ideal reinterpretation of the Shakespearean classic through a modern rap opera.

Here’s what Eboni Bell Darcy, who directs the production of Othello: Remixand is Associate Artistic Director of Inclusion, Engagement and Training at Stages, said of the production:

“We have our character Othello who is like a ‘Jay-Z’ type character who came from nothing to become a hip-hop mogul,” she explained. “And he did, who he says is the perfect wife in Desdemona, but there are people who are jealous of him and his rap label. And his best friend, Lago, who will remind us Eminem, comes after him with a plot to cheat the label and end Othello’s rap career.”

According to Darcy, having a reimagined version of the play gives audiences the opportunity to see how much of the story Othello really is.

“What Shakespeare was trying to do in his day, which was tell stories that speak truth to power, that allow ordinary people to make a little fun of the leaders of the ruling class, of those people who take decisions, determine things. in a bit of parody, and doing it with rhythm, with poetry, that’s what modern-day rappers and hip hop artists do,” she said. “That’s what they do with their music. They use rhyme and poetry to tell a story and tell the story of a group of people who have been marginalized.

The play opened its curtains for the first time at Stages, located on Rosine Street near W. Dallas Street, on May 3 and will run through June 9, 2024.

However, Othello: Remix first premiered in Chicago, where the Q Brothers writers are from, around 2016, which Darcy said was around the same time Hamilton debuted on Broadway.

“So we kind of see it like that, this moment where people were really turning to rap as a storytelling vehicle,” she said. “There was a group of people who did it, including the writers, the Q Brothers and two other actors who joined in to do the show when it premiered in Chicago.”

However, it won’t look much like it did in Chicago when audiences see it in Space City.

“Here in Houston we are presenting a brand new production; this is the first time it’s been featured,” Darcy said. “And we are working with new actors, two scenes; so new actors in Houston, new actors on Stages to put on the show and play these characters.

And even though it’s a brand new work, the people in the play aren’t new to Houston.

“They’re all local,” Darcy said. “So we have Cameron Nunley, who has actually been in Houston for a while. He will play the lead role of Othello in this series. And then, alongside him, Gabe Mullins and Isaac Lopez, both recent college graduates, return home to Houston and make their professional debuts on our stage. So everyone you’re going to see is local.

Unlike the original piece, Othello: Remix will be told in contemporary English, since this story will take place in the early 2000s. However, context is extremely important, Darcy cautions, as there may be dialogue or language that might not seem appropriate for our current atmosphere.

“I think context is important for people,” she said. “And that’s why setting it in the early 2000s might make the audience feel more comfortable watching a story like this, whereas if they were watching this story and it was was set in 2023, he would be like: ‘oh my God, you know, why?’ Didn’t they just call HR?

The play runs about 80 minutes without an intermission, but Darcy says it will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Ultimately, she hopes audiences will be entertained and informed.

“You’re going to ride a roller coaster and you’re going to have a good time the whole time,” she concluded. “We need to walk out of this room with the kind of renewed sense of beauty that each person brings to a space, and knowing that our relationships cannot be transactional. And when they are transactional, danger ensues.

Othello: Remix is ​​now playing at Stages in Houston through June 9, 2024. For more information or to purchase tickets, Click here.