John David Washington, Kandi Burruss, and Denzel Washington were key figures in Denzel Washington’s son’s involvement in his latest Broadway performance. At the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards, Kandi Burruss, a co-producer of Othello, shared with PEOPLE how John David Washington played a crucial role in helping Denzel secure a part in the upcoming production. Directed by Kenny Leon, the revival of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, also featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, commenced previews on Feb. 24 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City and is slated to officially open on March 23. The initial discussions with Denzel about Othello began during the production of the 2022 revival of The Piano Lesson, where John David starred. Burruss and her husband, Todd Tucker, who are co-producers for Othello alongside lead producer Brian Anthony Moreland, previously worked on The Piano Lesson as well.
“We would see Denzel around that time, and that’s when Brian and Denzel initiated the conversation,” Burruss recalls. Denzel leads the Othello cast, with Gyllenhaal portraying the cunning Iago and Molly Osborne as Othello’s wife, Desdemona. The ensemble includes Andrew Burnap, Anthony Michael Lopez, Daniel Pearce, Kimber Elayne Sprawl, Neal Bledsoe, Julee Cerda, Ezra Knight, Gene Gillette, and Rob Heaps. Ty Fanning, Ben Graney, Christina Sajous, Greg Wood, and Sarah Thorn round out the ensemble.
Even during previews, Othello has already received immense support, breaking box office records with reported seat prices reaching up to $921 and grossing $2.8 million in a single week — a feat unparalleled by any other play on Broadway in 7 days. “We’re very grateful for the support from the fans, and believe me: Jake, Denzel, and all the cast members are fully committed to delivering an outstanding performance,” Burruss assures PEOPLE.
The Grammy winner remains hopeful that Othello will secure her a Tony Award, stating, “I’m praying. But you know, I pray every time. Every time you have to go into it feeling like, ‘This is the one,’ you know? I’m going to speak it into existence.” Tickets for Othello are currently available for purchase, and the limited run is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, June 8.
