Ohio Wesleyan Department of Theatre & Dance to Present Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’
Ohio Wesleyan University will present ‘The Merchant of Venice’ from Oct. 9-12. The cast features students Luke Steffen (left) as Antonio, Maeve Nash as Portia, Gabe Caldwell as Shylock, and Luke Scaros as Bassanio. (Photo by Chris MacDonald ’16)
DELAWARE, Ohio – Loyalty and love. Greed and disguise. Justice. All are central themes in the money-mad world of William Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.”
The Ohio Wesleyan University Department of Theatre & Dance will perform the Bard’s classic play from Oct. 9-12. The production is directed by OWU professor Elane Denny-Todd and features a cast and crew of more than 50 students.
“Believed to be written between 1596 and 1598, the play’s treatment of the exotic world of Venice and the characters inhabiting it is exciting, dynamic, and full of intrigue,” Denny-Todd said. “Shakespeare’s deft mastery of human nature is on full display in this text, as he creates an engrossing, diverse world with vibrant characters that OWU’s students will bring to life with passion and skill.”
OWU theatre professor D. Glen Vanderbilt Jr. is creating the set and lighting for the production, and part-time instructor Jacqueline Shelley is designing the period costumes. Student Margot Reed, a junior from Brooklyn, New York, is serving as stage manager.
Performances will begin at 8 p.m. Oct. 9-11 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 12 on the Main Stage of Ohio Wesleyan’s Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware, on the southwest side of campus.
Tickets for “The Merchant of Venice” are $10 for general admission and $5 for senior citizens, Ohio Wesleyan employees, and non-Ohio Wesleyan students. Admission is free for Ohio Wesleyan students with a valid OWU ID. To reserve tickets, call the Theatre Box Office at (740) 368-3855. For more information, visit https://www.owu.edu/academics/departments-programs/department-of-theatre-dance/.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers 86 undergraduate majors and competes in 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Ohio Wesleyan combines a challenging, internationally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities to connect classroom theory with real-world experience. OWU’s 1,750 students represent 46 U.S. states and territories and 43 countries. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” listed on the latest President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.