''Red Velvet'' is a 2012 play by

Lolita Chakrabarti Lolita Chakrabarti (born 1 June 1969) is a British actress and writer. Early life Chakrabarti was born in Kingston upon Hull, England, to Bengali Hindu parents from India on 1 June 1969. She grew up in Birmingham, where her father worked as ...

, dealing with the biography of the 19th century actor

Ira Aldridge Ira Frederick Aldridge (July 24, 1807 – August 7, 1867) was an American-born British actor, playwright, and theatre manager, known for his portrayal of Shakespearean characters. James Hewlett and Aldridge are regarded as the first Black Ameri ...

and his taking the role of ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...

''. It premiered at the Tricycle Theatre, London (directed by its new artistic director Indhu Rubasingham) from 11 October to 24 November 2012, with Aldridge played by Adrian Lester. Lester revived his role when the Tricycle Theatre Production collaborated with Kenneth Branagh Company’s season at the West End's Garrick theatre in 2016. It has since been produced by several theatres in the United States and Canada.

Other productions

St. Ann’s Warehouse St. Ann's Warehouse is a performing arts institution in Brooklyn, New York City. Formerly the Church of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity on Montague Street, in 1980 the site was converted into a venue for classical music. Initially known as ''Arts at ...

Theater, Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York City, April 2014 * Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA from August 6 through September 13, 2015, with Aldridge played by John Douglas Thompson. * The Junction Theatre in Los Angeles, CA from March 26 through April 30, 2016, with Aldridge played by

Paul Outlaw Paul may refer to: * Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) * Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chr ...

* San Francisco Playhouse in San Francisco, CA from May 10 through June 25, 2016, with Aldridge played by Carl Lumbly. * San Jose Youth Shakespeare at The Historic Hoover Theatre in San Jose, CA from August 12 through August 14, 2016, with Aldridge played by Nathan Sandoval. Directed by Bob Rumsby. * Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey in Madison, NJ from September 7 through September 25, 2016, with Aldridge played by Lindsay Smiling. * Raven Theatre in Chicago, Il from September 28 through November 27, 2016, with Aldridge played by Brandon Greenhouse. *

Lantern Theatre The Lantern Theatre (originally called The Chalet Theatre) is a small Sheffield theatre (seating capacity 84) built in 1893 and is Sheffield's oldest theatre. The Lantern Theatre is a former professional theatre venue and arts centre that houses ...

in Philadelphia, Pa from September 7 through October 8, 2017, with Aldridge played by

Forrest McClendon Forrest McClendon is an American stage actor, singer and professor. McClendon received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical nomination in 2011 for his portrayal of Mr. Tambo in the Broadway musical, '' The Scottsboro Boy ...

* Chicago Shakespeare Theater from December 1, 2017, through January 21, 2018, with Aldridge played by Dion Johnstone. * Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio, from March 6 through March 31, 2018, with Aldridge played by Ken Early. * OWI (Office of War) Bureau of Theatre Boston, MA from May 30 to June 16, 2018, with Aldridge played by Seth Hill * Jewel Theatre in Santa Cruz, CA from January 23 through February 17, 2019, with Aldridge played by Aldo Billingslea. Directed by Bob Rumsby. * Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, CT from February 28 through March 7, 2020, with Aldridge played by Gary Robinson Jr. and Malcolm Davis * Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC from June 16th through July 17th, 2022, with Aldridge played by Amari Cheatom. Directed by Jade King Carroll.

References

2012 plays Plays based on actual events West End plays Plays and musicals based on Othello {{2010s-play-stub