Lion Alum Starring as Titular Character in Shakespeare Dallas’ Production of ‘Othello’

Alum Henry Okigbo is leading the cast of Shakespeare Dallas‘ latest production of “Othello,” which is currently running until July 20. Okigbo is a two-time graduate of Texas A&M University-Commerce (now East Texas A&M University), earning a B.S. in Theatre in 2011 and an M.S. in Theatre in 2014. He began appearing in theatrical productions in Dallas more than a decade ago, appearing in shows such as “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” He had been inactive in stage productions for several years before returning in 2024.

Known originally as “The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice,” the work was penned by legendary playwright William Shakespeare and was first performed in 1604. In the play, Moorish military commander Othello, Okigbo’s character, is manipulated by his ensign, Iago, into suspecting his wife Desdemona of infidelity. High-profile actors who have portrayed Othello in the past include Paul Robeson, Laurence Fishburne and James Earl Jones. Shakespeare Dallas’ production is set in an alternate historical version of the 1990s in which the Venetian empire is the predominant political, military and economic power.

Founded in 1972, Shakespeare Dallas is acclaimed for its annual Shakespeare in the Park series, which is held at Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre in East Dallas.

Okigbo was interviewed by KDFW Channel 5 in Dallas/Fort Worth about his career, his long break from performing and his return to the stage. See the interview at the KDFW website.

Featured photo: Lion alum Henry Okigbo takes the stage as Shakespeare’s “Othello” | Photo courtesy of Shakespeare Dallas