Connect with us

Washington

Breaking Baz: Denzel Washington & Jake Gyllenhaal Task Up-And-Comer Molly Osborne To Make Broadway Debut As Desdemona In ‘Othello’

Published

on

Breaking Baz: Denzel Washington & Jake Gyllenhaal Task Up-And-Comer Molly Osborne To  Make Broadway Debut As Desdemona In ‘Othello’


EXCLUSIVE: Deadline can reveal that Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal will be joined by fast-rising West End actress Molly Osborne, who will play Desdemona opposite them, in the spring 2025 Broadway revival of Shakespeare’s Othello.

Upon seeing Osborne’s audition tape, Washington and others were so impressed that they are said to have expressed a keenness to cast her immediately.

Washington, soon to be seen in Gladiator 2 with Paul Mescal, will play the title character, while Gyllenhaal, currently starring in the Presumed Innocent series on Apple TV+, will take on the part of the manipulative Iago.

Othello producer Brian Anthony Moreland confirmed that both stars had seen Osborne’s reel, and pointedly reasoned that “obviously she wouldn’t be doing it if they hadn’t” seen it and approved her.

Advertisement

Moreland explained that he, director Kenny Leon and casting director Duncan Stewart of ARC Casting searched widely for an artist to perform alongside Washington and Gyllenhaal.

“The role is such a heavy role in the canon of Shakespeare’s work,” Moreland remarked, and he understood that whoever was cast as Othello’s wife would be working with great “beasts,” as he put it, of the stage.

“I call them people who eat the stage, people who you can’t take your eyes off them,” Moreland exclaimed. “They devour every single moment that they’re there. They make multiple notes out of that one note,” he said, adding that on a hunch he decided to look at actors in London.

He started looking at Olivier Award-winning people, and then at who else was in their category and “well, who was their understudy? Who was their standby? Who else, who replaced them?”

Moreland smiled, then said, ”And the name that kept popping up was Molly, Molly, Molly, Molly!”

Advertisement

As Moreland and his colleagues reached out to more of their theatre colleagues in London, he kept hearing the same chants.

Moreland contacted Osborne’s manager, Steven Kavovit at Thruline Entertainment and her longtime London agent Lou Coulson at Lou Coulson Associates.

Osborne, who made her London theatre debut as Tzeitel in an acclaimed revival of Fiddler on the Roof — directed, beautifully, by Trevor Nunn at the Menier Chocolate Factory (it later transferred into the West End’s Playhouse Theatre) — put herself on tape.

Leon watched it, Moreland said. “Kenny immediately called back and said, ‘That’s her!’ And I said, ‘I agree. That’s her.’ Kenny got on a plane, he went over to visit her. And he called as soon as he was done meeting with her and said, ‘That’s our Desdemona.’ That’s how we got her,” said Moreland, who was a producer of the superb 2019 production of Sea Wall/A Life that starred Gyllenhaal and Tom Sturridge at the Hudson Theatre.

More recently, Moreland produced The Piano Lesson with Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Brooks and John David Washington, and the current revival of The Wiz at the Marquis Theatre.

Advertisement

In a statement, Leon said, “I am so excited to welcome Molly Osborne to our Broadway cast of Othello as ‘Desdemona.’ Her unique blend of heart and intellect, coupled with a natural vulnerability, makes her a truly captivating actress. I am thrilled to welcome her to our theatre community and eagerly anticipate collaborating with her on her Broadway debut.”

Osborne let out a huge sigh of relief when we met for breakfast on a recent sunny morning at the Dean Street Townhouse in Soho. “I’ve sort of been keeping it under wraps for so long,” she said, smiling brightly.

Molly Osborne

Pip Bourdillon

Advertisement

She told how Kavovit, her manager, contacted her about making an audition tape.

This one just came through as a tape and as always, these things are so exciting,” but she didn’t expect anything to come of it. “You send the tape, and then forget about it, as lots of people do,” she said, noting that several months prior she had flown to New York to audition in person for something else, which she didn’t get.

For her Othello tape she read from Shakespeare’s As You Like It. “I just focused on the text and the language and on harnessing the poetry,” she said, and she recited a poem and told a funny story, all of which clearly resonated with Moreland and Leon — and Washington and Gyllenhaal.

A few weeks later, Leon was in town and had arranged to meet with Osborne at Coulson’s office.

However, Osborne spotted Leon, per chance, the night before at the West End opening of (Broadway-bound) The Picture of Dorian Gray, which starred the incredible Sarah Snook, where she was helping out the show’s Story House PR press team doing vox pop interviews on the red carpet. 

Advertisement

It’s just one of many jobs the hard-working thespian takes on in between acting work. 

Leon directed Washington previously in the 2010 Fences produced by Scott Rudin (Washington won the best actor Tony], and they teamed again on the 2014 production of Raisin in the Sun for which Leon took the Tony for best director of a play.

The director talked with Osborne at Coulson’s office the following day.

“We had a really nice chat and we said goodbye,” Osborne recalled.

It was several weeks before she heard from her manager who informed her that there might be a chemistry test with Washington and Gyllenhaal. When she didn’t hear back about that, she was resigned to thinking that it wasn’t to be.

Advertisement

Weeks went by until one day, when she was in Coulson’s office, she heard that Leon and Moreland had cast her as Desdemona.

She was in a daze for two days “before I then burst into tears,” Osborne said.

It’s a breathtaking moment for an actor who has never had her name up in lights before. And it’s hard to recall the last time a promising Brit was catapulted across the Atlantic to star in play opposite not one but two enormous Hollywood stars, who, by the way, are as at home on stage as they are on the big screen, often more so.

To be sure though, to paraphrase Presidential hopeful Vice President Kamala Harris, Osborne earned it before she won it.

Osborne, a native of Wivenhoe in north-eastern Essex, near Colchester, had a love for performing at a young age. With her parents’ encouragement, she moved to London at the age of 18 to study musical theater at the celebrated Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

Advertisement

Her first role after graduating was in Nunn’s superb production of Fiddler on the Roof. The famed director, a former artistic chief of the Royal Shakespeare Company, makes his actors rigorously investigate the text as thoroughly as if they would a play by Shakespeare.

She later returned to the Menier Chocolate Factory to play Chana in Paula Vogel’s Indecent directed by Rebecca Taichman. Recently she has appeared in the world premiere musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button directed by Jethro Compton at the Southwark Playhouse.

She has also appeared in PBS’ Call the Midwife and she has a role in the Prime Video series Anansi Boys, based on a Neil Gaiman graphic novel.

Her parents are artistic, she described her father as being “musical,” but they never went into the business. And her 94-year-old grandfather “still enjoys singing along to Frank Sinatra.”

At school Osborne would do plays, and she was lucky enough to have a bunch of singing lessons. “My parents would drive me back from rehearsals and they really encouraged my passion,” she said.

Advertisement

I’m lucky to have seen several of her stage performances and she has always stood out. When I first saw her in Fiddler on the Roof, I remember writing down her name and made a point of keeping up with her career, as I do with scores of other future stars.

Osborne’s prepping, whenever she gets the opportunity, for her Broadway debut next year. She has read and re-read Othello to help her get inside Desdemona’s head and she has explored the psychology of love, jealousy, evil and race, the themes Shakespeare explored in the tragedy. She also visited the Imperial War Museum to help her try and understand men of war who are at war with themselves.

A video call is being planned when all the roles have been cast (some exciting names are being talked about) for the company to “meet” ahead of rehearsals early in the new year.

“I’ve been told to be ready to be in New York from January. I can’t wait to meet them and dive into it,” Osborne enthused.

“We’re delighted to have Molly,” Moreland said.

Advertisement

Othello will open at a yet to be announced Shubert theater in the spring.



Source link

Washington

The Church of Jesus Christ has announced its 384th temple

Published

on

The Church of Jesus Christ has announced its 384th temple


The state of Washington is getting a seventh temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Marysville Washington Temple was announced Sunday night during a devotional in the Marysville Washington Stake by Elder Hugo E. Martinez, a General Authority Seventy in the church’s United States West Area Presidency.

“We are pleased to announce the construction of a temple in Marysville, Washington,” the First Presidency said in a statement. “The specific location and timing of the construction will be announced later. This is a reason for all of us to rejoice and express gratitude for such a significant blessing — one that will allow more frequent access to the ordinances, covenants and power that can only be found in the house of the Lord.”

The other temples in Washington are the Columbia River, Moses Lake, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma and Vancouver temples.

Advertisement

The church has 214 temples in operation. Plans for another 170 temples have been announced; many of those temples are in various stages of planning and construction.

Sunday’s temple announcement follows the new practice of the church’s First Presidency, which determines where temples will be built — and when and how they will be announced.

The First Presidency directed a General Authority Seventy to announce the first temple in Maine at a fireside there in December.

In January, church President Dallin H. Oaks said the Maine announcement set the pattern for future temple announcements.

“The best place to announce a temple is in that temple district,” he told the Deseret News.

Advertisement

The First Presidency will continue to decide where future temples will be built. It then will “assign someone else to make the announcement in the place where the temple will be built,” he said.

This pattern came to him as a strong impression after he assumed leadership of the church in October, following the death of his friend, President Russell M. Nelson.

This came as a strong impression to him shortly after he assumed the leadership of the church, President Oaks said.

The church remains in the midst of an aggressive temple-building era. President Nelson announced 200 new temples from 2018 to 2025. All but one were announced at general conference.

Five dozen temples are now under construction.

Advertisement

President Oaks now has overseen the announcement of two temples, neither at a general conference.

At the October conference he said that “with the large number of temples now in the very earliest phases of planning and construction, it is appropriate that we slow down the announcement of new temples.”

Ten new temples are scheduled to be dedicated in the next six months.

  • May 3: Davao Philippines Temple.
  • May 3: Lindon Utah Temple.
  • May 31: Bacolod Philippines Temple.
  • June 7: Yorba Linda California Temple.
  • June 7: Willamette Valley Oregon Temple.
  • Aug. 16: Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple.
  • Aug. 16: Cleveland Ohio Temple.
  • Aug. 30: Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple.
  • Oct. 11: Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala Temple.
  • Oct. 18: Managua Nicaragua Temple.

Two-thirds of the 170 temples still to be built are outside the United States.

Temples are distinct from the meetinghouses where Latter-day Saints worship Jesus Christ each Sunday. Temples are closed on Sundays, but they open during the week as sanctuaries where church members go to find peace, make covenants with God and perform proxy ordinances for deceased relatives.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Washington

Washington football displays depth, talent at first spring scrimmage

Published

on

Washington football displays depth, talent at first spring scrimmage


On a perfect day in Seattle for football, Washington took the field inside Husky Stadium for its first scrimmage of spring practice, and ahead of his third season at the helm, Jedd Fisch seemed pleased with the results.

“Guys played and competed their ass off,” he said after the Huskies ran 120 plays. “That’s the type of day we want to have…We have a lot to work on, but we’re excited that today gave us this opportunity.”

The 120 plays had a little bit of everything, but the biggest thing the Huskies showed during the day was that, despite the inexperience that Fisch’s coaching staff is looking to lean on at several positions, there’s plenty of talent littering the roster. The best example of that is sophomore safety Paul Mencke Jr., who had his best practice in a Husky uniform after Fisch announced on Saturday that senior CJ Christian is out for the year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during Tuesday’s practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

“Paul’s done a great job of competing and being physical and playing fast, and you could see over these three years, he’s really grown into understanding now the system, and what’s asked of him as a safety,” Fisch said. “I think there’s a lot of in him that he wants to be like (safeties coach Taylor) Mays. He sees himself as a tall, linear, big hitter. So when you have your coach that is known for that type of play, I think Paul has done a great job.”

Advertisement

Mencke was all over the field. Not only did he lay some big hits, just like his safeties coach did during his time at USC, but the former four-star recruit also tallied a pair of pass breakups, an interception in a 7-on-7 period, and multiple strong tackles to hold ball carriers to limited yards.

While the defense did a good job getting pressure throughout the day and making the quarterbacks hold the ball with different looks on the back end, with safety Alex McLaughlin, linebacker Donovan Robinson, and edge rusher Logan George all among the players credited for a sack, quarterback Demond Williams Jr. got an opportunity to show off how he’s improved ahead of his junior year.

Early on, he showed off his well-known speed and athleticism, making the correct decision on a read option, pulling the ball and scampering for a 25-yard gain before displaying his touch. Throughout the day, his favorite target was junior receiver Rashid Williams, whom he found on several layered throws of 15-plus yards in the various scrimmage periods of practice.

On a day when every able-bodied member of the team was able to get several reps of live action, here are some of the other noteworthy plays from the day.

Spring practice notebook

  • Freshman cornerback Jeron Jones was unable to participate in the scrimmage and was spotted working off to the side with the rest of the players rehabbing their injuries.
  • The running backs delivered a pair of big blows on the day. First, cornerback Emmanuel Karnley was on the receiving end of a big hit from redshirt freshman Quaid Carr before the former three-star recruit ripped off a 13-yard touchdown run on the next play. Later on, every player on offense had a lot of fun cheering on freshman Ansu Sanoe after he leveled Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, letting the sophomore linebacker hear all about it when the play was whistled dead.
  • Sophomore wide receiver Justice Williams put together a strong day with several contested catches, showing off his strong hands and 6-foot-4 frame, including a 25-yard catch and run off a drag route from backup quarterback Elijah Brown.
  • Of all the tackles for a loss the Huskies were able to rack up throughout the day, two stood out. First, junior defensive tackle Elinneus Davis burst through the middle of the line to wrap up freshman running back Brian Bonner. Later on, freshman outside linebacker Ramzak Fruean wasn’t even touched as he shot through a gap in the offensive line to track down a play from behind, letting the entire offensive sideline know about the play on his way back to his own bench.
  • The Huskies experimented with several defensive line combinations on Saturday, and for the first time this spring, it felt like freshman Derek Colman-Brusa took the majority of his reps alongside someone other than Davis, who he said has taken on an older brother role to help mentor the top-ranked in-state prospect in the 2026 class.

“Elinneus is a phenomenal guy. Great work ethic. He’s kind of taken on that older brother mentor for me. He’s been a great help just to learn plays and learn the scheme. Can’t say enough good things about the guy.”

  • Ball State transfer Darin Conley took a handful of reps with the first team, while rotating with Colman-Brusa, who got a lot of work in alongside Sacramento State transfer DeSean Watts.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Washington

Sioux Falls art teachers show ‘incredible’ work at Washington Pavilion

Published

on

Sioux Falls art teachers show ‘incredible’ work at Washington Pavilion


Twenty Sioux Falls School District art teachers have their own original pieces on display at the Washington Pavilion’s University Gallery now through May 31.

The “Teachers as Artists” exhibit showcases their work not just as educators, but as artists inside and outside of the classroom, and highlights how art education builds critical thinking, creative problem-solving and self-expression skills.

Edison Middle School art teacher Meagan Turbak-Fogarty said she dreamt of such a showcase since her first year teaching.

Advertisement

She and Kathy Dang, an art teacher at Marcella LeBeau Elementary School who also serves on the city’s Visual Arts Committee, partnered with the city and Washington Pavilion to bring the showcase to life.

Turbak-Fogarty has taught at Edison for five years and said her passion for art is “instantly felt” on her classroom walls, but that students have asked where they could see her art in the classroom, or what kind of art she creates in her own time.

“I always felt the feeling that I stand in front of all these kids every single day and preach about how much I love art, and how art has changed my life,” Turbak-Fogarty said. “That got me thinking, ‘I want to show them.’”

Some of her works on display at the Pavilion include art she created in her first year teaching, including a large Cheetos bag she created as an example for her eighth grade classroom when they were working on a large chip bag project. Turbak-Fogarty said she loves painting, working with acrylics and unconventional materials.

Advertisement

“I wanted to show my students that art can be anything,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be hanging up in a museum to be considered art.”

Continuing to do her own art while teaching the subject helps keep her inspired, Turbak-Fogarty explained, adding that it helps her push her own creativity when it comes to projects she works on with students.

Samantha Levisay, an art teacher at John Harris Elementary School, showed three pieces in the show — “Moments in Time,” “Midnight Butterfly Garden” and “Whimsy” — with the same mixed media, watercolor and printmaking skills that she teaches in different units at every elementary grade.

Advertisement

Levisay educates her students that “art is everywhere.” She said her favorite memories as an art teacher are “moments when I show students a lesson, and they take it even further.”

“Kids are so creative; I marvel at them all the time,” she said. “They inspire me every day with their endless creativity and imagination.”

Roosevelt High School art teacher Ruth Hillman showed two pieces in the show: “The Potato on the Wall,” a mixed media work, and a collection of her handmade clay charms in a shadow box.

She also wore some of her art — miniature potato earrings made of clay.

Advertisement

Hillman is in her third year at RHS. When she’s not teaching art, she’s also making art, and sells her charms at shows like the Art Collective.

Washington High School art teacher Mollie Potter displayed a three-part painting series at the show that she said were inspired by her English language learner students’ stories, and how teachers help students “take flight,” as represented by balloons, parachutes and kites in her work.

Advertisement

Porter said she is often inspired by her students’ art in the classroom; for example, one former student was obsessed with swans, and Porter said she later created a painting inspired by one of the student’s stories about swans.

At an April 17 reception, Mayor Paul TenHaken emphasized the arts as an “important economic driver in the community,” and said the show honored educators “who are artists in and of themselves,” but who might not have had a chance to display their art outside the classroom before.

“This is a way for us to honor them and show their incredible work,” TenHaken said.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending