The show concludes GSC's 2015 season -- which was devoted entirely to works by the bard, notable in that the company's 2014 program consisted of two non-Shakespearan shows -- Jean Anouilh's Antigone in spring and Lerner and Loewe's Camelot in summer, the latter representing GSC's first-ever musical.
The Othello cast includes newcomer Tyler Gordon (on the right in the photo leading off the past) as Moorish army general Othello and three GSC veterans -- Jay Brubaker (on the left in the leadoff photo), who plays Iago, Othello's trusted but manipulative and vengeful ensign; Andy Sturm, who plays Roderigo, a rich Venitian who pays Iago to help him win the heart of Desdemona, Othello's wife; and William Baker, who portrays Brabantio, a senator and father of Desdemona, played by Kate Ghormley.
The show, directed by GSC veteran and board member Chris Burton, will be presented again Saturday (Aug. 29) then finish its run with performances the following weekend, Sept. 4 and 5. All show times are 8 p.m., and admission is free, a longtime practice of the troupe, now in its eighth full season.
Pictures displayed below are in approximate chronological order, although a few may be out of place. I did try to cluster my key handkerchief photos together in the display; the cloth proves to be a key piece of evidence in Iago's plot to dupe Othello into believing that Desdemona has been unfaithful.
Dress rehearsal began a little after 7 p.m. the night I took these pictures. You'll note that the early photos have decent natural light. When darkness sets in, and the spartan, colored stage lighting becomes dominant, the challenge to nail exposure and correct undue highlighting intensified. I shot two frames in which a distinguished red stage light threw an interesting highlight on cast members. One of those featured Sturm; the other, presented below, Gordon.
I shot the performance with two cameras. About 85 percent of the pictures were taken with a Canon 6D equipped with a Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L lens. The remainder were shot with a Canon 7D equipped with a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L lens. I used a shutter priority setting (1/250 most of the night) and started with ISOs of about 160, adjusting those higher as the night progressed to compensate for darkening conditions. I finished at ISO 6400 on the 6D; once ISOs hit 3200 I ceased using the 7D (the 6D's light sensitivity is superior).
To view a full gallery of my shoot from the Aug. 20 dress rehearsal, visit my site at SmutMug.com
A footnote to this post: If any of you used information in my post to attend last night's (Friday, Aug. 28) show, I need to note that the post was published before I learned that the Friday night show was canceled because one of the key characters needed to take his daughter to the emergency room in the evening to tend to an injury she suffered in a fall. As of Saturday morning, word from the cast member was that the girl appears to be OK, and performances of "Othello" are scheduled to resume tonight, Aug. 29.
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