Laurence Fishburne, Gina Torres visit Akron to see Langston Fishburne in ‘Othello’

Ohio Shakespeare Festival and Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens were graced by notable visitors over the past few weeks, including movie, TV, and Broadway star Laurence Fishburne and TV star Gina Torres.

They came to Akron to watch Langston Fishburne, Laurence’s son and Torres’ stepson, as he took on the title role in Ohio Shakespeare Festival’s production of “Othello” near Stan Hywet’s lagoon.

“It was pretty cool to be there, see him being a chill parent and not a famous guy, and then sitting in the rain with his umbrella,” said audience member Kathy Perevosnik after witnessing Laurence Fishburne attend the show. Laurence watched the first half of the performance on Saturday before it was halted due to heavy rain.

Director Ansley Valentine knew that Laurence, an Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor, intended to see his son’s Shakespearean stage debut if his filming schedule for Season 4 of Netflix’s “The Witcher” in the UK allowed.

On Saturday, Laurence, known for iconic roles such as Morpheus in “The Matrix” and Ike Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” surprised Langston by attending his performance as Othello. Laurence played the same role in the 1995 film adaptation.

House manager John Peters met Laurence in the Stan Hywet parking lot, taking the celebrity by golf cart to wait near a refreshment stand until the Green Show preceding “Othello” finished. Peters then escorted him to an aisle seat where Laurence quietly watched the play.

“Almost no one approached him but I got the sense most people who saw him recognized him,” said Associated Artistic Director Tess Burgler.

Laurence remained in his seat under his umbrella as the show’s second act was delayed due to rain, and he unfortunately did not see the conclusion of the performance.

Costume designer Marty LaConte mentioned that Langston was completely surprised to see his father in the audience that evening. They spent time together until about 4 a.m. before Laurence had to return to New York to fly back to London for his filming commitments.

In the first weekend of the show’s run, actress Gina Torres, her teenage daughter Delilah, and Langston’s mother Hajna Moss attended the performance on August 3, sitting in the front row and taking selfies on stage with Langston afterward. Moss and Torres are both ex-wives of Laurence Fishburne.

“When Gina arrived, it was like, oh my God, you could see this gorgeous woman just dressed to the nines,” LaConte said.

Torres is known for her role as Jessica Pearson in the legal drama “Suits” and currently stars in the series “9-1-1: Lone Star.”