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The Merchant of Venice
Performed December 11, 1998 - January 24, 1999 [Cast] [Synopsis] [Links/Articles] in repertory with Phaedra at the Loeb Drama Center by William Shakespeare |
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Set in the teeming, multi-ethnic marketplace of 16th-century Venice, Shakespeare's sprawling comic masterpiece confronts the best and worst of human qualities - tolerance and bigotry, charity and greed - in a story filled with dramatic intrigue, high farce, and sublime poetry. After last season's wild and wonderful The Taming of the Shrew, Andrei Serban returns to give this provocative, charming, and controversial play his own inventive, contemporary touch.
Running time is estimated at 3 hours 15 minutes minutes with one intermission.
Cast
Antonio, a merchant of Venice |
... Jonathan Epstein |
Salerio, friend to Antonio and Bassanio |
... Jeremy Geidt |
Solanio, friend to Antonio and Bassanio |
... Stephen Rowe |
Bassanio, friend to Antonio and suitor to Portia |
... Andrew Garman |
Lorenzo, in love with Jessica |
... Martin Berryman |
Gratiano, friend to Antonio and Bassanio |
... Ken Cheeseman |
Portia, an heiress of Belmont |
... Kristin Flanders |
Nerissa, Portia's waiting woman |
... Nurit Monicelli |
Shylock, a Jewish moneylender |
... Will LeBow |
Prince of Morocco, suitor to Portia |
... Leopold Lowe |
Launcelot Gobbo, a clown, servant to Shylock |
... Thomas Derrah |
Old Gobbo, father to Launcelot |
... Alvin Epstein |
Jessica, daughter to Shylock |
... Aysan Çelik |
Tubal, a Jew |
... Alvin Epstein |
Prince of Aragon, suitor to Portia |
... Remo Airaldi |
Duke of Venice |
... Thomas Derrah |
Servant |
... Emmitt George |
Stephano, servant to Portia |
... Brett Halsey |
Balthasar, servant to Portia |
... Michael Cecchi |
Roderigo, servant to Portia |
... Emmitt George |
Leonardo, servant to Bassanio |
... Jeremy Proctor |
Ensemble: Juan Luis Acevedo, Matthew Brennan, Brett Egan, Celeste Finn, Eddie Mejia, Kate Super. |
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Synopsis
Bassanio, a Venetian nobleman who has squandered his inheritance, plans to marry Portia, a wealthy heiress. His friend Antonio agrees to provide the necessary capital to fund Bassanio's voyage to Belmont, where Portia lives. As a Venetian merchant, Antonio's wealth lies in a fleet of ships that are sailing in foreign waters. He therefore seeks a loan from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, who agrees to lend him the money only if Antonio stakes a pound of his own flesh as guarantee. Bassanio arrives in Belmont, where he discovers that if he is to win Portia's hand, he must first solve the riddle of the three caskets left to her by her father. He does so successfully, but no sooner has he married Portia than news arrives that Antonio's ships have all been lost, and his life is in Shylock's hands. Bassanio sets out for Venice, leaving Portia to hatch a plan that will save Antonio's life and test Bassanio's love for her. |
Links and Articles
The Merchant of Venice is part of CrossCurrents, a major multi-year initiative of the A.R.T. and the American Music Theater Festival in Philadelphia designed to create and sustain a body of new music theatre works. CrossCurrents is sponsored by Philip Morris Companies Inc. |
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This page updated March 8, 2000
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