Merchant of Venice: F. Murray Abraham stars

Academy Award-winner (Amadeus) F. Murray Abraham stars as 'Shylock' in Theatre for a New Audience's widely acclaimed 2007 production of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, directed by Darko Tresnjak.

The production sold out Off-Broadway and at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Complete Works Festival, Stratford-upon-Avon. It returns to the stage this year for Theatre for a New Audience's first national tour, a four-city engagement beginning in New York City at Pace University's Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts.

The Merchant of Venice opens at the Pace University's Schimmel Center for the Arts on 4 Mar 2011, following previews from 27 Feb 2011, and running through to 13 Mar 2011.

Sharing the stage with Abraham in principal roles are Kate MacCluggage as 'Portia,' Lucas Hall as 'Bassanio,' Melissa Miller as 'Jessica,' Vince Nappo as 'Lorenzo,' (2007 Merchant of Venice), Tom Nelis as 'Antonio' (2007 Merchant of Venice) and Christen Simon as Nerissa (2007 Merchant of Venice).

Completing the company in major supporting roles are Andrew Dahl as 'Balthazar,' Grant Goodman as 'Solanio,' Christopher Randolph as 'Aaragon,' 'the Duke' and 'Tuba,' Matthew Schneck as 'Solerio,' Ted Schneider as 'Gratiano,' Raphael Nash Thompson as 'Morocco' and Jacob Ming-Trent as 'Launcelot Gobbo.'

The creative features sets by John Lee Beatty, costumes by Linda Cho, lights by David Weiner sound by Jane Shaw.

The Merchant of Venice continues Theatre for a New Audience's national tour when Abraham leads the company to the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago for performances 16 - 27 Mar 2011, the Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston 29 Mar - 10 Apr 2011, and the Eli & Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica 14 - 24 Apr 2011.