The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, directed by William Church, at Interlochen, by Daniel B. Gallagher


David Montee as Shylock in the Merchant-of-Venice at The Interlochen Shakespeare Festival

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare,
Harvey Theatre, Interlochen Center for the Arts
June 30 and July 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10,

Director – William Church (Artistic Director)
Artistic Associate – Laura Ames Mittelstaedt
Scenic Designer – Christopher S. Dills
Costume Designer – Candace Hughes
Lighting Designer – Rachel Konieczny
Sound Designer – Rory Baker

Cast:
Antonio – Justin Flagg
Salerio – Noah Durham
Solanio – Logan Woodruff
Bassanio – Matthew Folsom
Gratiano – Evan Adams
Lorenzo – Andrew McCallum Smith
Portia – Laura Ames Mittelstaedt
Nerissa – Kathleen Kleiger
Portia’s Servant – Jody Burns
Shylock – David Montee
Tubal – Scott A. Harman
Morocco – Siddhartha Rajan
Lancelot Gobbo – Jeffrey Nauman
Old Gobbo/Duke – J. W. Morrissette
Jessica – Rachel Eskenazi-Gold
Arragon – Justin Perez

It is easy to understand why Shylock, the reviled Venetian Jew, became the focal point of The Merchant of Venice in the latter half of the twentieth century. Though we all felt profound sympathy for those he came to represent, we are all familiar with the abuses that exclusive attention to an otherwise fascinating character led to in the theatre. This play is about much more than Shylock.

Yet Interlochen had every right to place Shylock at the center of Merchant once more given that the part was played by David Montee, Director of Theatre Arts at the Academy for twenty-one years. The cast included no less than ten of Mr. Montee’s former students.

Read the full review on the Berkshire Review, an International journal for the Arts!







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