Poster for an 1884 American production of
William Shakespeare's
Othello starring Thomas W. Keene. Because of its varied themes—
racism,
love,
jealousy and
betrayal—
Othello remains relevant to the present day and is often performed in professional and
community theatres alike. The play has also been the basis for numerous
operatic,
film and
literary adaptations. The production history of
Othello has seen some landmark milestones: a 1660 performance was probably the first time a professional actress appeared on a public stage in England, and the 1943 production by
Margaret Webster ran for 296 performances, almost twice as long as any other
Shakespearean play on
Broadway.
Poster credit: W. J. Morgan & Co.