Bear Creek School Stages Shakespeare's 'Merchant of Venice'

Drama students at in Redmond are staging a production of The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare this Thursday and Saturday. 

The Merchant of Venice is considered one of Shakespeare’s comedies, although it explores some heavier themes such as mercy, the execution of the law, and Elizabethan attitudes of Christians and Jews towards one another.

The plot involves a Venetian merchant, Bassanio, his friend Antonio, a Jewish money lender named Shylock, and Portia, a wealthy maiden from Belmont. Shylock’s devious maneuvering for a “pound of flesh” as a bond of payment for a borrowed sum of money has elevated him to the pinnacle of unforgettable villains in literature, although some view him as a compelling figure who shoulders the burden of an uncharitable Christian.

Bear Creek’s production is double-cast to allow more students to act in major roles and involves 20 scene changes. The Venetian setting is depicted by a beautiful mural painted on five 4-by-8-foot panels. Each panel rotates on its center axis to reveal Portia’s Belmont estate on the reverse side.

Performances are set for 4 and 7 p.m. on Thursday and 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday. All shows are open to the public. Tickets ($5 individual or $10 for the whole family) may be purchased at the door. The Bear Creek School's Cornerstone Theater is located at 8905 208th Ave NE in Redmond. Call 452-898-1720 or visit www.tbcs.org for more information.

—From The Bear Creek School