Event

Arts Education Celebration

Celebrate arts education programs in regional schools with an evening of Shakespeare at the Winthrop Barn on Friday, March 27. The evening begins at 7pm with Nickel Shakespeare, vignettes performed by local students for a nickel. Students from the Methow schools study Shakespeare with their classroom teachers, then work with artist in residence Rod Molzahn to develop short scenes from some of Shakespeare's favorite works.

Headlining the evening is a performance of Othello by Seattle Shakespeare Company who pares away the sub-plots to expose the heart of this tragic story. With a cast of six actors, the production explores the deep recesses of Shakespeare's complex characters. The story is an emotionally gripping thriller as well as a harrowing account of madness brought on by racism and bigotry.

Considered by many to be one of Shakespeare's soaring achievements, Othello was written later in his career. Othello, a Moor and a high-ranking general, and Desdemona, a Venetian woman, are wildly in love and elope, subverting the accepted order where marriages were often arranged, a woman was the property of her husband, and racism was prevalent. Othello is called to duty by the duke and chooses Cassio as his lieutenant, bypassing the capable and- we soon learn - extraordinarily cunning Iago. Iago, one of the Shakespeare's darkest characters, enacts his revenge on Othello by relentlessly playing on the Moor's insecurities which leads to a murderous fit of jealousy.

Friday, March 27, 7pm at the Winthrop Barn. $15 suggested donation, free to students. Free tickets to Methow Arts events are available at the Cove Food Bank, Room One and the Methow Valley Senior Center in Twisp, and to volunteers. Methowarts.org, 509-997-4004