The acclaimed Public Theater production of William Shakespeare’s THE MERCHANT OF VENICE came to Broadway direct from its sold-out run in Central Park in 2010. Academy Award®, Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Al Pacino reprised his stunning performance as Shylock in the must-see event The Wall Street Journal declared “cries out to be seen by everyone with a passion for truly great theater. The best MERCHANT I’ve ever seen!”

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE is one of Shakespeare’s most thrilling and controversial plays, rich with love and betrayal, forgiveness and revenge. The Jewish moneylender Shylock makes a loan to Antonio, a Christian merchant. Their loan contract, steeped in prejudice and centered on the play's infamous “pound of flesh,” sweeps the two men and everyone in their worlds into chaos. Only the insightful Portia can imagine a way forward, but for her and those she loves, even “the quality of mercy” has its limits.

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Category: Play, Comedy, Revival, Broadway
Setting: Venice and on the Belmont.
1^st Preview Performance: October 19, 2010
Opening Night Performance: November 13, 2010
Final Performance: February 20, 2011
Total # of Performances: 73 

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Understudies: Glenn Fleshler (Gratiano, Launcelot Gobbo), Luke Forbes (Prince of Morocco), Herb Foster (Duke of Venice, Prince of Arragon), Bryce Gill (Antonio's Man), Curt Hostetter (Antonio, Tubal), Liza J. Bennett (Jessica), Tia James (Nerissa), Thomas M. Hammond (Bassanio, Lorenzo), Dorien Makhloghi (Solanio), Kim Martin-Cotten (Portia), Baylen Thomas (Salerio), Richard Topol (Shylock).

Theatre Owned / Operated by The Shubert Organization (Phillip J. Smith: Chairman; Robert E. Wankel: President)

Produced by The Joseph Papp Public Theater / New York Shakespeare Festival (Oskar Eustis: Artistic Director; Andrew D. Hamingson: Executive Director), Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Debbie Bisno & Eva Price, Amy Nederlander, Jonathan First, Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley, Universal Pictures, Merritt Forrest Baer, The Araca Group, Broadway Across America (John Gore, CEO; Thomas B. McGrath, Chairman; Beth Williams, COO & Head of Production), Joseph & Matthew Deitch, JK Productions, Terry Allen Kramer, Jay & Cindy Gutterman/Cathy Chernoff, Mallory Factor/Cheryl Lachowicz and The Shubert Organization (Phillip J. Smith: Chairman; Robert E. Wankel: President); Associate Producer: Joy Newman, David Schumeister, Barry Edelstein, Jeremy Scott Blaustein, Elon Rutberg, S.D. Wagner and John Johnson

Written by William Shakespeare; Original Music by Dan Moses Schreier

Directed by Daniel Sullivan; Choreographed by Mimi Lieber; Assistant Director: Laura Savia

Scenic Design by Mark Wendland; Costume Design by Jess Goldstein; Lighting Design by Kenneth Posner; Sound Design by Acme Sound Partners; Hair and Wig Design by Charles LaPointe; Associate Lighting Design: John Viesta; Associate Sound Design: Nick Borisjuk; Assistant Scenic Design: Rachel Nemec and Jon Collins; Assistant Costume Design: Tristan Scott Barton Raines and China Lee

Executive Producer: Joey Parnes; Company Manager: Kim Sellon; Assistant Co. Mgr: Christina Huschle

Production Stage Manager: Stephen M. Kaus; Stage Manager: David Sugarman

Fight direction by Thomas Schall; Press Representative: Candi Adams; Casting: Jordan Thaler and Heidi Griffiths; Advertising: Serino Coyne, Inc.; Website Design/New Media Marketing: Art Meets Commerce; Photographer: Joan Marcus

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"THE PERFORMANCES OF THE SEASON! When Portia, played by Lily Rabe, finally meets Shylock, played by Al Pacino in Daniel Sullivan's absolutely splendid production, the collision lights up the sky. They Invest their scene with such passion and anger that you may find yourself trembling. A REVELATORY PRODUCTION SATURATED WITH PASSION, EXPERTISE AND INTELLIGENCE. THE AFTERTASTE IS THRILLINGLY SWEET." — Ben Brantley, New York Times

"YOU WILL NEVER SEE A MORE EXCITING 'MERCHANT!' Al Pacino is galvanic; this veteran stage actor knows how to nail every line to the auditorium's back wall. Lily Rabe is luminous. Daniel Sullivan's interpretation sweeps you along with such hell-bent momentum that you'll forget there was an intermission." - Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal
 
"5 STARS! A SPECTACULAR RECKONING WITH A DISTURBING CLASSIC! I am even more awed and engaged by Daniel Sullivan's supremely intelligent 'Merchant of Venice' now that it's moved indoors to the Broadhurst Theatre." — Davie Cote, New York One

"4 STARS! REACHES INTO OUR HEARTS AND HAUNTS OUR SOULS! Where to begin listing the pleasures and insights of this staging? An obvious place would be its star attraction, Al Pacino, who brings harrowing humanity to one of the Bard's most controversial characters. Or there's the radiant Portia of Lily Rabe. But let's start with Daniel Sullivan, the director who steers these leading actors, and the entire company, with such robust intelligence and grace." — Elysa Gardner, USA Today

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AL PACINO (Shylock). Broadway: Salome, Hughie (appeared in and directed), Chinese Coffee, American Buffalo, Richard III, The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel (Tony® Award), Camino Real, Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? (Tony® Award). Off-Broadway: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui; The Indian Wants the Bronx (Obie, Theatre World Awards); The Connection; Tiger at the Gates; The Local Stigmatic; Hello, Out There; Orphans. Mr. Pacino is an Academy Award and two-time Emmy winner who has appeared in more than 35 films.

LILY RABE (Portia). Broadway: The American Plan, Heartbreak House (OCC Nom, Callaway Award), Steel Magnolias (Drama Desk Nom.). Off-Broadway/regional: Crimes of the Heart, Colder Than Here, Proof, The Crazy Girl. Film: All Good Things, Letters from the Big Man, Weakness, Aftermath, What Just Happened, The Toe Tactic, No Reservations, A Crime, Mona Lisa Smile, Never Again. TV: Last of the Ninth, Saving Grace, Nip/Tuck, Medium, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: CI.

DAVID HARBOUR (Bassanio). The Public: Hamlet, Two Noble Kinsman, Twelfth Night. Broadway: The Coast of Utopia, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Tony® Nom., Outer Critics Nom.), The Invention of Love. Off-Broadway: Between Us, A Bad Friend, Fifth of July. Film: (Upcoming) The Green Hornet, The Convincer, Isolation, W.E.; (released) Revolutionary Road, Quantum of Solace, State of Play, Brokeback Mountain, The Wedding Weekend, Every Day, Kinsey, Awake. TV: HBO pilot Tilda with Diane Keaton and Ellen Page.

BYRON JENNINGS (Antonio). The Public: Stuff Happens, On The Open Road, Pericles. Broadway: Inherit the Wind; Noises Off; Is He Dead?; Macbeth; Accent on Youth; Heartbreak House; A Touch of the Poet; Twelve Angry Men; The Man Who Came To Dinner; A Month in the Country; Henry IV; Dinner At Eight; The Invention of Love; Carousel; Sight Unseen.

JESSE L. MARTIN (Gratiano). His Broadway credits include Rent, Timon of Athens, and The Inspector General. His other theater credits include I Ain’t Yo Uncle, The Arabian Nights, The Butcher’s Daughter, Romeo & Juliet, and Two Gentlemen of Verona. His film credits include Rent, Peter and Vandy, Cake Eaters, Season of Youth, and The Restaurant. His TV credits include nine years on “Law & Order;” “The Philanthropist;” “The X-Files;” “Ally McBeal;” “413 Hope Street;” “New York Undercover;” and Deep In My Heart.

DAVID AARON BAKER (Gratiano). Broadway: A Raisin In The Sun, Once Upon A Mattress, The Rainmaker, Abe Lincoln In Illinois, The Molière Comedies, White Liars/Black Comedy, The Flowering Peach; 110 In The Shade (New York City Opera), Wonderful Town (Encores!). David has also performed in more than twenty productions of Shakespeare’s plays. Education/Training: The Juilliard School (Diploma), University of Texas-Austin (BFA), Illinois State University.

GERRY BAMMAN (Duke of Venice). Nixon's Nixon (Obie, Drama League Award); The Glass Cage; Bartleby the Scrivener; Controversy of Valladolid; Lowell Limpet; Shakespeare, Moses and Joe Papp; Mrs. Farnsworth. Films: Runaway Jury, Two Family House, Passion of Mind, Home Alone 1 and 2, Lorenzo's Oil, Secret of My Success, Bodyguard, True Believer, Pink Cadillac. Founding member: Manhattan Project.

MARSHA STEPHANIE BLAKE (Nerissa). Broadway: Joe Turner's Come and Gone and The Crucible. Off-Broadway: This Beautiful City, Queens Boulevard, Speak Truth to Power, Living Room in Africa, Aunt Dan and Lemon, Twelfth Night, The Gentleman Dancing Master and The Master Builder. Film/TV: The Architect, A-Alike, Lifted, Third Watch, 6 Degrees, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU.

CHRISTOPHER FITZGERALD (Launcelot Gobbo). The Public: The Cripple of Inishmaan. Broadway: Finian’s Rainbow (Drama Desk Award, Tony® and OCC nom.); Young Frankenstein (Tony®, Drama Desk, OCC nom.); Wicked; Amour (Drama Desk nom.). Off-Broadway: City Center’s Encores!; Lincoln Center; Second Stage (Drama Desk nom.); NYTW and MTC. TV: Twins, The Electric Company. Film: Personal Velocity, Dedication, and How Do You Know.

CHARLES KIMBROUGH (Prince of Arragon). was most recently seen on Broadway in Daniel Sullivan’s production of Accent on Youth. He earned a Tony nomination for his performance in Stephen Sondheim’s Company and a Drama Desk nomination for Sunday in the Park With George. His other Broadway appearances have included Hay Fever, One Night Stand, The Water Engine/Mr. Happiness, Boy Meets Girl, Secret Service, The Rules of the Game, Love for Love, Candide, and Cop-Out. He received Emmy and Screen Actors Guild nominations for his performance as Jim Dial on TV’s “Murphy Brown.”

HERB FOSTER (Prince of Arragon). Broadway: Broadway: 20 plays and musicals. N.Y. Shakespeare Festival: 13 plays. Off-Broadway and Regional: countless plays. The Shaw Festival in Ontario, Canada: A leading player for 10 seasons. Daytime and Primetime television appearances.

SETH NUMRICH (Lorenzo). was most recently seen in the LCT3 production of On the Levee. His additional theater credits include Iphigenia 2.0 at Signature, History Boys at the Ahmanson, Measure for Measure for Chautauqua Theater Co., Summer and Smoke at the Guthrie, To Kill a Mockingbird at The History Theater, and The Diary of Anne Frank at the Park Square Theater.

THOMAS MICHAEL HAMMOND (Lorenzo). Off-Broadway: Mint Theatre, TFANA, MTC, Primary Stages. Regional credits include: The Shakespeare Theatre D.C., Engeman, Old Globe San Diego, NJ Shakespeare and Premiere Stages. TV: American Masters, Law and Order, All My Children, As the World Turns.

PETER FRANCIS JAMES (Salerio). Broadway: On Golden Pond, Drowning Crow. The Public: Stuff Happens (Obie, Lortel Awards), Much Ado About Nothing. London: The Lady From Dubuque with Maggie Smith (Theatre Royal). NY: The Maids (Obie). Film/TV: The Losers, The Rebound, The Messenger, Oz, The Rosa Parks Story. Training: RADA.

ISAIAH JOHNSON (Prince of Morocco).  NY credits include Lanford Wilson's Burn This; Lynn Nottages's Mud, River; Stone; Once on This Island and John Ford's ’Tis Pity She's A Whore. Regional: Kennedy Center, Studio Theatre, Roundhouse, and Woolly Mammoth. He's earned a B.F.A. from Howard University and an M.F.A. from NYU Tisch Grad Acting. This is his Broadway debut!

HEATHER LIND (Jessica). Off-Broadway: The Merchant of Venice,, The Winter’s Tale (The Public, Delacorte). Regional: Williamstown Theatre Festival, Capital Repertory Theatre, Queens Theatre in the Park. TV: Guiding Light, Law and Order: Criminal Intent. Film: The Greatest Poet in New York City, Here and Then. Training: B.A., Fordham College at Lincoln Center, M.F.A., NYU Grad Acting.

MATTHEW RAUCH (Solanio).  Broadway: Prelude to a Kiss. Off-Broadway: Shakespeare in the Park, MCC, New Group, Signature, Red Bull, more. Regional: Williamstown, Long Wharf, Arena, Shakespeare Theatre, many others. Film: Premium Rush, Stags, The Absence, Breaking Point, No Reservations, more. TV: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC. Screenwriter (with Brad Shelton): Between Two Waves, Fever and In Between Days for Working Title Television and NBC.

RICHARD TOPOL (Tubal).  Broadway: Awake and Sing! (Drama Desk Award), Cymbeline, The Country Girl, Julius Caesar, School for Scandal. Off-Broadway: When The Rain Stops Falling (LCT); Hamlet (TFANA); Mouth to Mouth (New Group); Opus (Primary Stages); The Public, Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep. Film/TV: Mickey Blue Eyes, Party Girl, all Law & Orders, Damages, Nurse Jackie, Rescue Me.

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