Chicago Shakespeare Theater to Present OTHELLO: THE REMIX and SHREK THE MUSICAL in 2013

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announced today two upcoming productions: the American premiere of Othello: The Remix, created by the Q Brothers, March 12-April 28, 2013 in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, and the upcoming CST Family production Shrek The Musical, staged by Jeff Award-winning director Rachel Rockwell, July 13-September 1, 2013 in CST's Courtyard Theater. Othello: The Remix, the CST-commissioned hip-hop adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy, spun out and lyrically rewritten over original beats, returns home for a limited engagement following an acclaimed world premiere in London at Shakespeare's Globe and a tour to Germany and Edinburgh. Tickets for Othello: The Remix are on sale now for $20-$35.

As part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad's 'Globe to Globe' festival at Shakespeare's Globe, Othello: The Remix received its world premiere as one of 37 companies from around the world presenting Shakespeare's entire canon, each performed in a different language. It was the only production in the festival from North America and was greeted with critical acclaim and sold-out houses. The European tour continued to Germany's Shakespeare Festival im Globe Neuss and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe where the Musical Theatre Matters Awards honored the production with Best Musical and Best Lyrics Awards, and the Stage Awards for Acting Excellence nominated the company for Best Ensemble Award.

The Q Brothers, GQ and JQ, are siblings born and raised in Chicago, who started their professional careers in the off Broadway hit, The Bomb-itty of Errors. Othello: The Remix, written and directed with music by the Q Brothers, is the first Shakespeare tragedy and second collaboration with CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton. Boynton was also involved in the creation of the Q Brothers' award-winning CST commission, Funk It Up About Nothin', which received critical acclaim in its world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare and subsequent international tour to New York, Australia and the UK. In addition to the Q Brothers, the cast of Othello: The Remix includes Jackson Doran and Postell Pringle and DJ Clayton Stamper. Othello: The Remix is produced by Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Richard Jordan Productions Ltd.

Based on the Academy Award-winning DreamWorks film and the book by William Steig, CST's 75-minute production of Shrek The Musical tells the story of a swamp-dwelling ogre who goes on a life-changing adventure to reclaim his once-secluded home. Accompanied by a wise-cracking donkey, this unlikely hero fights a fearsome dragon and rescues the cursed princess Fiona. On this not-so-traditional fairytale journey, Shrek discovers the value of friendship and realizes that true love is more than skin deep. The Tony Award-nominated production has music by Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Caroline or Change), with book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole, Wonder of the World, Good People). Tickets for Shrek The Musical are $18-25, with special discounts available for groups of 10 or more.

Named the 2012 Chicagoan of the Year in Theater by the Chicago Tribune, Jeff Award-winning director Rachel Rockwell returns to Chicago Shakespeare to direct Shrek The Musical, after staging last summer's critically acclaimed Beauty and the Beast, hailed as "far and away the best family production of the year" by Chicago Tribune. Rockwell's additional credits with CST include the world premiere family musicals The Adventures of Pinocchio and The Emperor's New Clothes. Rockwell's Chicago-area directing and choreography credits include productions at The Marriott Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Apple Tree Theatre and Drury Lane Oakbrook, where she garnered a 2010 Best Director Jeff Award for Ragtime.

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