A CHEEKY ORIGIN STORY TO OTHELLO
BASQUIAT
Written by Betty Shamieh
Directed by Ian Belknap, S&F Artistic Director
Full of murder, sexual intrigue, and betrayal, UNMOORED is a prequel to OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE. The teenage Othello, born into a royal household in his native country of Morocco, must learn to navigate a court full of ruthless power players, including his mother. This cheeky origin story explores the connection between jealousy, violence towards women, and war though the lens of one of Shakespeare’s most controversial tragic heroes.
Sunday, July 12 at 2pm
Marist University in Poughkeepsie NY
UNMOORED was developed at the Classical Theatre of Harlem with support from the Mellon Foundation Playwright-in-Residence program.
Betty Shamieh | Playwright
Betty Shamieh (she/her) is the author of sixteen plays. Her off-Broadway premieres include ROAR and MALVOLIO, a sequel to TWELFTH NIGHT, which were both New York Times Critics’ Picks. Her debut novel, TOO SOON, was selected as a PEOPLE Magazine's Book of the Week, NPR Book of the Day, and named as one of the Best Books of 2025 by The New Yorker and Oprah Daily. TOO SOON is a winner of a Golden Poppy Award, an Indie Next Pick, and a finalist for the California Book Award. Shamieh is the Mellon Playwright-in-Residence at the Classical Theatre of Harlem and currently working on her next novel, THE MASQUERADERS, and a tv pilot based on ROAR. www.bettyshamieh.com