by William Shakespeare
Justice. Or Mercy. Which would you choose?
March 7-10 at 7:30
March 8 at 2:00
Albert Taylor Theatre, Shilling Hall
Millikin University, Decatur, IL
Director
Laura Ledford
Set Designer
Vicki Podlin
Costume Designer
Kendra Bell
Lighting Designer
Megan Stadick
Sound Designer
Kyle Van Sandt
Dramaturg
Sarah Holt
Cast
Duke of Venice 
Stephen Moore
Prince of Morocco
Dion Rice  
Prince of Arragon
Joseph Bianco  
Antonio
Brandon Haagenson  
Bassanio
 Kevin Buscemi
Solanio
Michael Terrell Brown 
Salerio
Joel Booster  
Gratiano
Bryan LaTurno  
Lorenzo
 CJ Rush
Shylock
 Adam Qualls
Tubal
Stephen Moore
Launcelot Gobbo
 Zachary Uttich
Old Gobbo
Stephen Moore
Portia
Jamie Devitt
Nerissa
Sarah Dowling
Jessica
Goli Rahimi
Crew
 Stage Manager
 Courtney Primm
Assistant Stage Managers
Jen Geary, Kelsee Hankins 
Assistant Costume Designer
Tiffany Lent  
Technical Director
 Rob Kovarick
 Production Manager
Sarah May
 Properties Mistress
 Caitlin Hennessy
Paint Charge
 Megan Hoffman
Costume Director
Jana Henry
Assistant Costumer
Glenda Richardson
Costume Crafts
Jenn Flentge
Hair/Makeup Designer
Jenn Flentge
Wardrobe Supervisor
Skylar Adamson
Master Electrician
Katy Atwell
Asst. Master Electrician
Alan Akers
Shop Foreman
Nick Adelsberger
Synopsis
A young Venetian asks his best friend for a loan so that he might pursue a beautiful heiress. In order to supply the money, the friend enters into a dangerous agreement with a Jewish moneylender. The story that unfolds is Shakespeare's most controversial play, The Merchant of Venice. In Merchant, Shakespeare explores the clash of differences in ethnicity, religion, class, sexuality, and gender, exploding in one of the most famous courtroom scenes in dramatic literature. A mixture of romantic comedy and serious drama, The Merchant of Venice remains one of Shakespeare's most provocative plays.
from the Director
Notes
Even the most simplistic analysis of Shakespeare’s plays reveals the fact that no “hero” is without flaw, and no “villain” (with the possible exception of Iago) is without humanity. The plays are never didactic, and Shakespeare’s own attitudes toward his characters are conspicuously obscure. As soon as one character wins our approval, she expresses a sentiment that makes us squirm; as soon as another character gives us every reason to condemn him, he reveals his humanity and compels our compassion. We have no way of knowing whether or not Shakespeare was a bigot, and we would be mistaken to dismiss the intolerance dramatized in The Merchant of Venice because it is a product of a distant, naïve, Elizabethan worldview. Shakespeare’s great gift to us is that he dramatizes the complexities of human nature, but (though it might make it more comfortable for us) he doesn’t judge them. He leaves the judgment to us. -- Laura Ledford
from the Dramaturg
Venice is a world all its own – a place of intense dichotomy. It is known even today for its larger than life celebration of Carnivale, in which every citizen goes masked, leading to a debauchery-filled crossing of every social boundary. But amid this frivolous atmosphere, Venice maintained one of the most respected government and legal systems in Europe. One of the first functioning democracies, its system of checks and balances meant it was viewed as fair to every citizen, even though the common theme in legal decisions was advancement of the city’s merchant trade. This “fairness” did not translate to all living within the city, however. The Jewish population was kept in the Republic by ample trade opportunities and the fact that, unlike other European nations, they were allowed to worship as they chose. But this seeming charity was tempered by extreme prejudice. The Jews were never allowed more than five city blocks of space to live, work, and worship, even after their population climbed into the thousands. They were locked in this gated community at night, and during the day could only travel outside when clearly identified as Jewish. They were limited to a few professions, among them usury – the practice of lending at interest which was forbidden to Christians. They played a necessary part in Venice’s economy, but never in their nearly 300 year history in the Republic, were they granted anything more than a ten-year charter to live in the city. Most prominent in The Merchant of Venice, however, is the everyday prejudice of the populace. This theme of unwarranted surface judgments extends far beyond the Jews in the play, which has made Merchant an enduring social commentary which has fascinated generations.
– Sarah Holt