William Shakespeare wrote "Othello" more than 400 years ago, but the issues it raises -- racial conflict, domestic violence and alienation -- are still relevant. That's what continues to draw Emmy Award-winning actor Peter Macon to the play.
This summer, Macon stars in the Colorado Shakespeare Festival's production of "Othello," which opens Friday at the Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre in Boulder.
Macon has also appeared in television series such as Showtime's popular "Dexter" and the ABC drama, "How to Get Away With Murder." And he is an acclaimed voiceover artist.
He spoke with Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner.
Macon on Othello's juxtaposing sides: lover and fighter
"He's been a mercenary for a lot of his life and then he falls in love. ... I think eventually that's what un-does him. He has a code of ethics that he lives by, but he's so unfamiliar with jealousy and the insecurity of love lost."
On the current events he connects to "Othello"
"I feel like there are things in the news cycles that we're dealing with as a country, like Ferguson or McKinney -- like, what is my position on racial interaction? I think that we're, as a nation, having to deal with these issues more and more. And I feel like the play touches on that."
On why he became an actor
"When I was 15, I went to the Guthrie Theater [in Minneapolis] to see a production of 'The Rainmaker.' So this production, it rained onstage, and I was like, 'Oh my god, this is incredible. What's going on?' ... I had never seen anything like that. ... It transformed my reality."
More:
- Macon shares an interesting tidbit he found while researching for "Othello"
