RIALTO CHATTER: Richards & Frankel to Tranfer Pacino's MERCHANT to Broadway this Fall?

By: May. 07, 2010
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Michael Riedel reports in the New York Post this morning that Broadway Producer Jeffrey Richards will be producing a Broadway transfer of The Public's MERCHANT OF VENICE, which will play Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte this summer starring Al Pacino. Richards has suffered a mostly disappointing 2010 so far, being the leading force behind this season's All About Me and Enron, both of which only lasted a mere few weeks on Broadway. Richards and his producing partner, Jerry Frankel are, however, also behind the successful Race, which has already recouped on Broadway.

According to Riedel's report, Richards and Frankel invested $350,000 into The Public's MERCHANT OF VENICE.  Part of the terms of this investment are having the right to transfer the show to Broadway this fall.

To read the full report in the Post, click here.

The Public Theater will present both THE WINTER'S TALE, directed by Michael Greif, and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, directed by Daniel Sullivan, in repertory June 9-August 1.

The repertory company for THE WINTER'S TALE and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, consecutively, features Gerry Bamman (Antigonus/Duke of Venice), Francois Battiste (Florizel/Lord/Salerio), Linda Emond (Hermione - The Winter's Tale), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Young Shepherd/Lord/Launcelot Gobbo), Bill Heck (Lord/Lorenzo), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Paulina/Nerissa), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Leontes - The Winter's Tale), Byron Jennings (Camillo/Antonio), Heather Lind (Perdita/Jessica), Hamish Linklater (Autolycus/Lord/Bassanio), Jesse L. Martin (Polixenes/Gratiano), Nyambi Nyambi (Lord/Prince of Morocco), Al Pacino (Shylock - The Merchant of Venice), Lily Rabe (Portia - The Merchant of Venice), Matthew Rauch (Dion/Jailer/Solanio), Richard Topol (Lord/Tubal) and Max Wright (Old Shepherd/Prince of Arragon).

Shakespeare in the Park 2010 is not The Public Theater's first foray into rotating repertory. Henry IV, Parts One and Two were performed in rep in the Newman Theater in 1991, and 20 years earlier, the Henry VI plays and Richard III were condensed into The War of the Roses which was presented in rep and then performed in one all-night marathon in Central Park.

For more information, visit www.publictheater.org.

 

 


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