Meet the Cast of THE TRAGEDY OF OTHELLO

Court’s upcoming production of William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice features an all-star roster of actors bringing the famous tragedy to life. From familiar faces to newcomers to Court’s stage, the passion and artistry of this team is sure to inject Shakespeare’s tragedy with humanity and raw emotion. Learn more about the cast below!

Sheldon Brown (Cassio) is a graduate of Emerson College and happy to return to the Court stage where his previous credits include Oedipus Rex and Man in the Ring. His other credits include This Bitter Earth and Time Is On Our Side at About Face Theatre, A Wonder In My Soul at Victory Gardens Theatre, The Shipment at Red Tape Theatre, and 1980 with Jackalope Theatre and more. He also has numerous credits in Boston including The Grand Inquisitor, directed by Peter Brook through ArtsEmerson. His film credits include Cicada (NewFest Audience Award, OutFest, BFI Film Festival, Frameline Film Festival), and The Canyonlands.

Amanda Drinkall (Desdemona) was most recently seen in Bernhardt/Hamlet at Goodman Theatre, where her credits include: Venus in Fur, A Winter’s Tale, Measure for Measure, Continuity, and Ah, Wilderness! Other Chicago credits include: Mary Page Marlowe (Steppenwolf Theatre-World Premiere); King Charles III (Chicago Shakespeare); Sheltered (Alliance Theatre); White Guy on the Bus, Funnyman, By the Water (Northlight); Southern Gothic (Windy City Playhouse); Significant Other (About Face); Dutchman (American Blues); Pygmalion (Oak Park Festival); Rest (Victory Gardens), Great Expectations (Strawdog); The Last Train to Nibroc (Haven Theatre-Jeff Award-Best Actress); and more than 20 shows with The Back Room Shakespeare Project, where she is a Partner. Television & Film credits include: The View From Tall, Chicago Med, and Bobby & Iza.  Ms. Drinkall holds a BFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is represented by Gray Talent Group.

Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel (Emilia) is an award winning actor based in Chicago. She is thrilled to return to Court Theatre’s stage, where she was last seen in Electra. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Cruz received her degree in acting from the Universidad del Salvador. She is an ensemble member at Teatro Vista where she was seen in Hope: Part II of a Mexican Trilogy, The Abuelas, La Havana Madrid and i put the fear of mexico in ’em. Other selected Chicago credits include: Twelfth Night & Measure for Measure (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (Lookingglass Theatre) the critically acclaimed Lela & Co. (Steep Theatre), which earned her a Jeff Award for Performance in a Principal Role–Play, You on the Moors Now (The Hypocrites) and The Compass (Steppenwolf Theatre Company). TV/Film credits include: Fargo (FX), Chicago Med (NBC), The Chi (Showtime), Empire (Fox), and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. She is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and AEA and is represented by Stewart Talent. Visit www.cruzgonzalezcadel.com

Sean Fortunato (Brabantio/Montano) last appeared at Court as Gallimard in M. Butterfly.  Credits include: Miss Trunchbull in Matilda (Drury Lane Theatre); Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Death of a Streetcar Named Virginia Woolf, The Diary of Anne Frank, Hedda Gabler, The Real Thing, Travels with My Aunt (Writers Theatre); Joseph in Book of Joseph, King Charles III (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); 2666, Measure For Measure (Goodman Theatre); and work at Northlight Theatre, TimeLine Theatre, Theatre at the Center, Remy Bumppo Theatre, Marriott Theatre, About Face Theatre, Peninsula Players, Intiman Theatre, Old Globe Theatre, and The Duke on 42nd, NY.  TV/Film: Antoon Dumini in Fargo (FX); Chicago PD, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire (NBC); and The Merry Gentleman.  Sean has received eight Joseph Jefferson nominations and an After Dark Award.

Erik Hellman (Roderigo) returns to Court where he was previously seen in The Mousetrap; Harvey; One Man, Two Guvnors; The Misanthrope; Proof (Jeff nomination); Comedy of Errors; The Mystery of Irma Vep (Jeff nomination); Titus Andronicus; and Arcadia, among others. Other recent credits include Lindiwe, Familiar, and The Burn at Steppenwolf; Smart People and Marjorie Prime at Writers Theatre; Miss Bennet (Jeff nomination) and Lost In Yonkers at Northlight Theatre; Taming of the Shrew and The Madness of King George III at Chicago Shakespeare; and Luna Gale at Goodman. Film/TV work includes The Dark Knight, Walden, Boss, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, The Good Fight, Mrs. America, Fargo, and the upcoming series 61st St.

Timothy Edward Kane (Iago) is pleased to return to Court for his fourteenth production having most recently appeared in An Iliad. Other Chicago credits include Buried Child, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, and Arms and the Man (Writers); Faceless, Lost in Yonkers, and She Stoops to Conquer (Northlight); Blood and Gifts (TimeLine); The North Plan (Steppenwolf Garage), and 23 productions at Chicago Shakespeare including Tug of War: Civil Strife and Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 (CST & RSC). Regional credits: The Mark Taper Forum, Notre Dame Shakespeare, Peninsula Players, and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. TV: Chicago Fire (NBC), Chicago P.D. (NBC), and Empire (FOX). Mr. Kane is married to actress Kate Fry with whom he has two sons and he is an Assistant Professor at Loyola University Chicago.

Karissa Murrell Myers (Duke) is a Chicago-based multidisciplinary theatre artist originally from Boise, Idaho. Her acting credits include working at Renaissance Theaterworks, Goodman Theatre, Remy Bumppo, and The House Theatre of Chicago. Television work: Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Electric Dreams, and The Exorcist. Karissa holds an MFA in Performance from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, a BA in Theatre Arts from Boise State University, and is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf. Member of SAG-AFTRA. Represented by Gray Talent Group. Visit www.kmurrellmyers.com.

Darren Patin AKA Chicago Drag Queen, Ari Gato (Bianca) is making their Court Theatre debut playing the part of Bianca. Darren recently associate directed Kinky Boots at the Paramount Theatre and appeared in shows with Porchlight Music Theatre, Raven Theatre, and Lifeline Theatre. As Ari, they have graced the stages of North Halstead, Steppenwolf, and Black Girl Magic. They serve as the Co-Head Chair of Artists/Entertainers for the Chicago Black Drag Council, a group formed to help create safe spaces for Black people in the Chicago queer scene. They hope you enjoy the show!

Kelvin Roston, Jr. (Othello) Court credits: Oedipus Rex (Oedipus), King Hedley II (King Hedley), Five Guys Named Moe (Four-Eyed Moe), Seven Guitars (Floyd Barton), Porgy and Bess (Jim/Crown), Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Sylvester). Chicagoland: Congo Square, Paramount, Marriott-Lincolnshire, Goodman, ITC, Eta, Writers, Black Ensemble, Timeline, Northlight, Steppenwolf. Regional: The Black Rep (St. Louis, MO), Fulton (Lancaster, PA), New Theatre (Overland Park, KS), MSMT (Brunswick, ME), Baltimore Center Stage (Baltimore, MD), Mosaic (Washington DC), Apollo (New York, NY). International: Orb (Tokyo, Japan), Festival Hall (Osaka, Japan). Television: Chicago Med, Chicago PD, South Side, KFC, Instant Care, Ace Hardware. Film: Get a Job, Princess Cyd, Breathing Room. Awards: Jeff Award, 3 BTA Awards, 2 Black Excellence Awards, NAMI Award. AEA, Paonessa Talent.

Posted on September 1, 2021 in Productions, Theatre News