Oak Park Festival Theatre, in partnership with Kane Repertory Theatre, is presenting a virtual production of The Venetians, a new play by Matt Barbot that brings together various characters from several of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays to address contemporary issues.
Winner of Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2019 Columbia@Roundabout New Play series, the play directed by Edward Torres, will premiere Saturday, May 8, at 7 p.m. and can be viewed on demand through May 10-16.
Described as a crossover between Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and The Tragedy of Othello, The Venetians uses two classical outsiders to ask questions about immigration, assimilation, national identity and the meaning of “acceptance.”
The cast includes Jordan Arrendondo (Lorenzo), Ellen Campbell (Desdemona), Mike Dailey (Friar Lawrence), Andres Enriquez (Iago), Lawrence Grimm (Shylock), Bryant Hayes (Morocco/Caliban), Shana Laski (Jessica), James Vincent Meredith (Othello), Savanna Rae (Emila/ Elizabeth I), Matty Robinson (Gobbo/Roderigo) and Christopher Wayland (Aaron).
For tickets or more information, visit oakparkfestival.com/tickets/.