For Immediate Release: July 21, 2005
Media Contact: Lisa Higgins Pechter, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, 610-282-9455 x4

Humor, love, and greed clash in Shakespeare's tale, The Merchant of Venice, running at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival at DeSales University July 20 through August 7. With previews Wednesday and Thursday July 20 and 21, Merchant opens Friday, July 22 at 8pm and serves as the focal point for PSF's annual Gala performance on Saturday, July 23 at 7pm. Performed in the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, matinee performances are 2pm on Sunday, July 24 and 31, and August 7, and Saturday July 30 and August 6. Ticket prices range from $24-$37, with discounts for students, seniors, and groups.

Shakespeare's most suspenseful comedy, The Merchant of Venice has defied easy classification for centuries. Antonio, a wealthy merchant whose business thrives on foreign commerce, agrees to loan his friend Bassanio a small fortune to free him from debt. Antonio's money is tied up in ships at sea however, so he in turn borrows from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender. Confident of Antonio's business acumen, Shylock jokingly suggests that Antonio yield up a pound of flesh should he default, creating the unique terms of their financial bond.

With his new fortune, Bassanio seeks to woo the lovely and wise Portia, a wealthy heiress. Morally bound to respect her late father's wishes, Portia awaits the proper man to solve her father's riddle and win her hand. Despite many suitors, Bassanio triumphs to gain his bride.

Against this backdrop and contrary to stringent social mores, Shylock's daughter Jessica elopes with her Christian fiancé Lorenzo with Shylock's money in tow. Antonio's ships are reported lost at sea. Now penniless, he defaults on his payment to Shylock. Jessica's conversion and betrayal, compounded by the complicity of the Christians in her elopement, lead an enraged Shylock to demand that Antonio keep his bond and forfeit a pound of flesh. It falls to Portia to discover the quality of mercy and to defend her new husband's friend in one of the greatest trial scenes in dramatic history.

Directing The Merchant of Venice is the founder of the Playwrights Horizons and Artistic Director of Syracuse Stage Robert Moss. His creative team includes veteran PSF Lighting Designer Robert A. Mond, Costume Designer Kirche Leigh Zeile, Scenic Designer Steve TenEyck and Sound Designer Matthew Given.

Playing the role of Antonio is film and stage actor Allen Fitzpatrick, with Bassanio played by Anthony Marble. Lauren Lovett plays the cunning Portia, with Miriam Hyman at her side as Nerissa. Friends Gratiano and Lorenzo are played by Tyrone Mitchell Henderson and Jacob Blumer, respectively. Mr. Henderson also plays one of Portia's many suitors, the Prince of Morocco. Veteran PSF actor and director Matt Pfeiffer plays Solanio. In his PSF debut is Ken Jennings playing Shylock, whose Broadway credits include Urinetown and Sideshow. Mr. Jennings' Broadway debut in Sweeney Todd earned him a Drama Desk Award for his portrayal of Tobias.

The 2005 Festival also includes a stage adaptation of Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days (thru August 7). The children's show, an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid (thru August 6) is performed most mornings at 10am. The free outdoor Green Show completes the season's offerings and is performed one hour prior to each evening's performance.

Performances of The Merchant of Venice run Tuesday through Saturday at 8pm; Sundays at 2pm. Saturday 2pm matinees are July 30 and August 6. The 'Family Night' performance is on Sunday, July 24 at 7:30 pm. Tickets can be ordered by calling 610-282-WILL or online at www.pashakespeare.org.

The 2005 Associate Season Sponsors are: The Morning Call, The Harry C. Trexler Trust, and Service Electric Cable and Communications.

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival at DeSales University is the Official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth and a professional, not-for-profit Theatre Company. An independent 501 c 3 organization, PSF receives support from DeSales University and relies on contributions from individuals, government agencies, corporations and foundations. PSF is a constituent of the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, and is a member of both the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia and the Shakespeare Theatre Association of America.

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