Students and faculty in SFU’s Fine Arts Program are collaborating with members of the Community Arts Center of Cambria County for a performance of “The Merchant of Venice” this fall.
Written by William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice” follows a Jewish moneylender, Shylock, who works with a Christian merchant named Antonio, who takes out a loan to help a friend named Bassanio.
In the version of the play being produced by SFU and the Cambia County Community Arts Center, Antonio is Antonia. This character will be played by Karen Sweeney.
“Our entire play takes place in a Venetian courtroom, where Shylock is attempting to win justice,” said Assistant Professor of Theatre Lance Mekeel, the show’s director.
“Staging the entire plot in the courtroom highlights the systemic injustices against Shylock and how impossible they are to overcome for anyone different from those in hegemony (power).”
Senior Miranda Weiland will play the role of Portia in the show.
“This show takes Shakespeare’s original anti-Semitic text and flips it on its head,” she said.
“It’s a very powerful reclamation of words that were once used in a very prejudiced and harmful way.
“We’ve taken the protagonists of Shakespeare’s story and made them antagonists at the same time.”
The retelling of this Shakespeare classic will feature modern props, including cellphones, PowerPoints and contemporary costuming.
The cast includes both SFU students and members of the Arts Center.
“Working with members of the community has been a very eye-opening opportunity,” said Weiland. “They contribute different approaches to acting, building characters, diving into text, and theatrical processes.”
The show will be performed at both the Community Arts Center’s location in Johnstown (three shows – Oct. 18-20) and at the Resinski Black Box Theatre on campus (five shows – Nov. 7-10).
The full cast includes: Paul Briones (Prince of Morocco), John Paul Caroff (Lorenzo), Erin Golding (Balthazar), Brenna Kern (Jessica), Sydney Korbanic (Saleria), Ava Kozar (Leonarda), Ethan Leydig (Prince of Arragon), Ian Miller (Gratiano), Reace Myers (Jailer), José Otero (Shylock), Tessa Paluzzi (Nerissa), Anna Phelan (Lancelet), Mae Schmidt (Salania), Camilla Short (Salarina), Drew Sill (Bassanio), Karen Sweeney (Antonia) and Miranda Weiland (Portia).
