Denzel Washington Breaks Silence on High Ticket Prices for Othello on Broadway
Denzel Washington, the 70-year-old star of the Broadway production of Othello, has addressed the high ticket prices for the show, with some orchestra seats selling for upwards of $900. According to an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Washington noted that there were variations in pricing, with tickets as low as $50 available.
The Gladiator II star made the comments at the Entertainment Community Fund Gala on Monday, April 21. He also joked about the show’s popularity, saying he hadn’t quite felt like “Beyoncé and Jay-Z” yet, adding that he “can’t sing or rap.” Washington has been a part of sold-out shows before and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to use his celebrity to help others.
Washington, who is starring alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the production, said he was “humbled” by the response that audiences have given him and his costar. “I’ve been blessed beyond measure for a long time,” he added. “I’m not bragging, but I’ve been a part of sold-out shows before. God has blessed me with a great ability, and I’m humbled by the reaction and the response that we’re getting, and I’m humbled by the opportunity to… use my celebrity to help others. That’s what it’s about.”
The actor also shared his thoughts on being in the “return phase of life,” saying, “I’m in the service business. You know you… learn the first part of your life, you earn the second part of your life and you return in the third part of your life. I’m in the return phase of life. So I’m returning, I’m giving back to others…”
Othello’s director, Kenny Leon, also weighed in on the high ticket prices in an interview with the Daily Mail, comparing seeing the show to watching an L.A. Lakers game or watching a Beyoncé concert. “So to me, with a commercial industry, people are paying what they think it’s worth,” Leon said. “A guy showed up the other night and he said, ‘I paid $921 for this ticket and you know what? I don’t want a cent back. I want to figure out how to come back.'”
Leon also noted that they had audience members from “all economic ranges” and “student tickets for the show.” He also shared that they had “digital lotteries every day” for people who were unable to pay the full prices for seats. According to Leon, the show has a diverse audience, and he expressed pride in the box office and the production on stage.
The limited production with Washington and Gyllenhaal is the first time Othello has been on Broadway in over 40 years. The last revival, in 1982, starred James Earl Jones as Othello, Christopher Plummer as Iago, and Dianne Wiest as Desdemona. The show opened on Sunday, March 23, and will play a limited 15-week engagement through Sunday, June 8.
Yahoo News reported that tickets for Othello are now on sale, with a range of prices available. As noted by the source, the production has generated significant interest, with Washington and Gyllenhaal’s involvement drawing in audiences.
The original comments from Denzel Washington can be found in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, as reported by Yahoo News. Further comments from Othello’s director Kenny Leon were reported by the Daily Mail, and were also covered by Yahoo News.
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