American Moor

The play has just two characters: the Actor and the Director. Why is this an effective strategy to portray the ideas in this play? What does this minimalism heighten?

How does the Actor’s race and history influence his portrayal of the character of Othello?

At one point, the Actor comments on what the Director “stands in” for. What does the Director represent, and how does this influence his ideas about Othello?

The play is largely concerned with assumptions based on appearances. How does the Director perceive the Actor, and how does this deviate from how the Actor sees himself? Further, how does the Director perceive himself, and how does this differ from how the Actor sees him?

The only props onstage are a chair and the Actor’s copy of Othello. Pay close attention to the stage directions as you analyze how these sparse props are used to heighten the emotion and action of the play.

The Actor says that the Director will be doing the same play that’s been done for 400 years “again,” without any innovation. What drives the Director to produce the same play, and what can the Actor offer that would elevate the production of Othello into something new?

How does American Moor challenge traditional ideas about Othello and Othello (the play and the character)?

How does the audience’s presence and reactions impact the Actor’s performance and the ideas he espouses?