After a hit summer run via its ‘Shakespeare in the Park’ engagement, the Public Theatre production of ‘The Merchant of Venice’ will be demanding its “pound of flesh” from Broadway patrons starting this fall, as it prepares for its Great White Way transfer with Hollywood heavyweight Al Pacino attached, reprising his role as Shylock.
The limited engagement of the Shakespearean classic will be housed at the Broadhurst Theatre starting on October 19, when preview performances commence. It is already set for a November 7 premiere with a closing date penciled in for January 9, 2011. The Academy Award winning actor will only be appearing in 78 performances, while other casting details are still being drawn up.
‘Venice’ is considered as one of Shakespeare’s most riveting plays. Having been built up on the age-old irreconcilable differences between Christians and Jews, this literary masterpiece remains both timeless and timely, not only for being religiously, politically and socially controversial, but also because of its storyline revolving around revenge and deceit and the universal messages of love and forgiveness.
For its Broadway transfer, the show will bring in the following creative heads to re-capture the emotions and essence of this Shakespearean classic: Daniel Sullivan for direction, Dan Moses Schreier for original score, Mark Wendland for set design, Jess Goldstein for costume design, Kenneth Posner for lighting design, and Acme Sound Partners for sound design.
