"The Merchant of Venice," written by William Shakespeare at the end of the 16th century, may be classified as a romantic comedy, but it is perhaps best known for its dramatic scenes, all of which can be viewed during Northern Essex Community College's production.
" 'The Merchant of Venice' is listed as a comedy," said Jim Murphy, NECC theater professor and director of the production. "We, however, do not commonly view it that way. If we were to randomly ask folks if the play, about Shylock, was a comedy or a tragedy, my guess is folks would say tragedy. They would also say the merchant of the play is Shylock! — when, in fact, he is not. As always, we choose to do a play because it is intriguing and we are hopeful it will prove to be a good learning experience for actor and audience alike."
Play dates are March 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m. and April 1, 2, and 3 at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 general admission and $8 for students and seniors.
Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at www.mvarts.info.
For more information, contact Susan Sanders at 978 556-3374 or ssanders@necc.mass.edu. Haverhill resdients in the cast are Babak Alian (Shylock), Geehae Moon (Solanio), Orlik Guzman (Portia), Mike Nutter (Old Gobbo), Alana Comeau and Laura-Jean Gendreau (Entourage) and faculty member Dustin Rollins (Prince of Aragon).
