New York theater is having a moment — and the Washington family is right at the center of it. This season, Denzel Washington and his daughter Olivia Washington are headlining two separate yet equally powerful productions: Shakespeare’s Othello on Broadway and Alice Childress’s Wine in the Wilderness Off-Broadway. And while the two don’t share a stage, they do share a creative thread behind the scenes — acclaimed costume designer Dede Ayite, who’s bringing both productions to visual life.
Denzel Washington Shatters Records in Othello
Denzel Washington’s return to Broadway in Shakespeare’s Othello is nothing short of historic. The revival, directed by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon, has not only generated buzz—it’s broken records.
Before its official opening, Othello grossed $2.8 million in just eight preview performances, officially making it the highest-grossing play in Broadway history, surpassing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. That momentum hasn’t slowed. Last week, the production topped the industry once again, grossing $3.179 million with an average ticket price of $382.92, edging out George Clooney’s Good Night and Good Luck.
Staged at the Barrymore Theatre—the first Broadway production of Othello in over 40 years—the revival stars Washington as the noble but tragic Moor, and Jake Gyllenhaal as the scheming Iago. Their chemistry is electric, and the tension onstage is palpable. Molly Osborne stars as Desdemona, adding emotional nuance to the devastating unraveling of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy.
The production reunites Washington and Leon, who last collaborated on A Raisin in the Sun in 2014, a performance that earned Washington a Tony Award. With an award-winning creative team—Derek McLane on scenic design, Dede Ayite on costumes, Natasha Katz on lighting, Justin Ellington on sound, and Mia Neal on hair and wig—the play is as visually compelling as it is emotionally powerful.
This strictly limited engagement runs through June 8, and with box office numbers soaring, tickets are moving fast. Simply put, Othello is more than a play—it’s an event.
Olivia Washington Commands the Stage in Wine in the Wilderness
While her father reigns on Broadway, Olivia Washington is earning critical acclaim in the Off-Broadway revival of Alice Childress’s Wine in the Wilderness—a rarely-staged yet deeply resonant play set during the 1964 Harlem riots.
Directed by Tony winner LaChanze in her New York directing debut, the production is being staged at the Classic Stage Company and is drawing eyes for all the right reasons.
Washington plays Tomorrow “Tommy” Marie, a fiercely independent woman who challenges artist Bill Jameson (played by Grantham Coleman) and his limited perceptions of Black womanhood. What begins as an artistic collaboration quickly evolves into a riveting exploration of identity, class, and the politics of beauty and representation.
LaChanze’s direction brings personal reverence to the work, having starred in Childress’s Trouble in Mind on Broadway. Her connection to the material is evident in the production’s emotional depth and timely resonance.
Brooks Brantly, Milton Craig Nealy, and Lakisha May, also star in the play.
Behind the scenes, a standout creative team includes: Scenic Design by Arnulfo Maldonado, Costume Design by Dede Ayite, Lighting Design by Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, Sound by Bill Toles, Hair & Wig Design by Nikiya Mathis
This production is intimate, urgent, and unapologetically Black—and Olivia Washington is proving she’s not just a rising talent, but a commanding presence in her own right.
Dede Ayite is Booked, Busy, and Dominating Broadway
Costume designer Dede Ayite is everywhere — and we mean everywhere. Not only is she behind the visual tone of Othello and Wine in the Wilderness, but she’s also designing costumes for six other major productions this Broadway season alone. Her recent credits include:
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The Last Five Years (Opened April 6, 2025)
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Buena Vista Social Club (Opened March 19, 2025)
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Purpose (Opened March 17, 2025)
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Our Town (Opened October 10, 2024)
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Home (Opened June 5, 2024)
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Hell’s Kitchen (Opened April 20, 2024)
That’s seven shows in less than a year — all while maintaining exceptional storytelling through design. Ayite’s work spans genre, time period, and tone, yet every costume she creates feels specific and alive. Whether she’s dressing Shakespearean nobility or Harlem revolutionaries, her work deepens the narrative with every stitch.
And she’s not new to this. A frequent Tony nominee and the first Black woman ever nominated for a Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Play, Ayite has become a cornerstone of Broadway’s design community — a visionary whose impact behind the scenes is just as important as the performances center stage.
A Legacy in Real Time
Denzel and Olivia Washington are each delivering standout performances this season, and their shared presence in the New York theater scene is a moment in itself. But when you layer in the artistry of Dede Ayite, this moment becomes something even bigger: a real-time example of Black excellence in full dimension — in front of the audience and behind the curtain.
So whether you’re taking in the grandeur of Othello or the raw intimacy of Wine in the Wilderness, know that these stories are being shaped by a visionary trifecta: generational talent, cultural storytelling, and the unmatched eye of Dede Ayite.
So, the real question is: Which Washington will you see first?
For more information on Othello
For more information on Wine in the Wilderness