I have seen many plays from live theater in college to professional performing arts center productions. The last college plays I saw was: “Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens”; I knew a lot of the cast and was able to see behind the scenes as it was coming together. My last professional play was Bram Stoker’s Dracula; I was in a theater class and we got to meet the cast and find out things that they have done as the show traveled. Though for me plays are just plays but Shakespeare is the top, no other playwright has reached that level. Though I do not believe Shakespeare himself saw it that way. Since starting Othello, I have looked up more information about the story and found out it was based on another Italian short story called “Un Capitano Moro” (A Moorish Captain) written by Cinthio; (Giovanni Battista Giraldi 1504-1573) he was considered a disciple of Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375).
They believe Shakespeare wrote “Othello” around 1603, where Cinthio’s “Un Capitano Moro” was first published in 1565, both works revolves around four central characters. Each wove a tale of racism, love, jealousy and deep betrayal!
Though the main character is always:
The Moor~ a dark-skinned, African prince who lives in a European, color-prejudiced society, where he holds the rank of general in the Venetian military.
Due to the themes is explores Othello is still often preformed in professional and community theaters, as well as has been the basis for many operatic, film and literary adaptations.
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