The Venetians

by Matt Barbot

[FULL LENGTH] Othello, the Moorish general, wants to give his beloved Desdemona the beautiful secret wedding she deserves... but that means borrowing ducats. Unfortunately for him, the Jewish moneylender Shylock has spent too long among the terrible people of Venice to see this marriage as anything but a death sentence for Othello. Unbeknownst to Shylock, however, his own daughter has begun an illicit romance...

[FULL LENGTH] Othello, the Moorish general, wants to give his beloved Desdemona the beautiful secret wedding she deserves... but that means borrowing ducats. Unfortunately for him, the Jewish moneylender Shylock has spent too long among the terrible people of Venice to see this marriage as anything but a death sentence for Othello. Unbeknownst to Shylock, however, his own daughter has begun an illicit romance that may bring the whole world crashing down on all their heads. 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 what acceptance truly means.

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The Venetians

Recommended by

  • Cesario Tirado-Ortiz: The Venetians by Matt Barbot
    “

    God, there's so much I can say about this play. "The Venetians" is one of my favorite dissections of Shakespeare's works, analyzing what it means to be a person of color in his plays while expertly balancing religion and assimilation. This show is so necessary and I'm so happy it's going to be staged soon; It should be staged all over the country. Thank God for Matt Barbot!

    God, there's so much I can say about this play. "The Venetians" is one of my favorite dissections of Shakespeare's works, analyzing what it means to be a person of color in his plays while expertly balancing religion and assimilation. This show is so necessary and I'm so happy it's going to be staged soon; It should be staged all over the country. Thank God for Matt Barbot!

    ”
  • Jacob York: The Venetians by Matt Barbot
    “

    I'm on this website as a playwright, but playing Iago in the staged reading of this at The Atlanta Shakespere Company was a vicious little delight.

    It's a sumptuous play, full of language actors love to say, dealing with powerful and ever-present issues. Fantastic roles for a multitude of people. Recommended to anyone, but particularly to theatres that primarily stage classics. You owe it to yourself to read this play.

    I'm on this website as a playwright, but playing Iago in the staged reading of this at The Atlanta Shakespere Company was a vicious little delight.

    It's a sumptuous play, full of language actors love to say, dealing with powerful and ever-present issues. Fantastic roles for a multitude of people. Recommended to anyone, but particularly to theatres that primarily stage classics. You owe it to yourself to read this play.

    ”
  • Kristen Palmer: The Venetians by Matt Barbot
    “

    This play gives me goosebumps with its brilliance and spiraling plot that brings so much around in its whirl. On the lookout for its full stunning production...

    This play gives me goosebumps with its brilliance and spiraling plot that brings so much around in its whirl. On the lookout for its full stunning production...

    ”
View all 14 recommendations

Character Information

Given the centuries long history of Shylock and Jessica’s appalling treatment, it’s important that, as much as possible, an attempt be made to have the roles of Shylock and Jessica be interpreted by Jewish actors. It should also go without saying that Othello, Morocco, and Aaron be played by actors with roots in the African diaspora.
  • Othello
    A Moorish General serving Venice.
    40’s
    African American/Black
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Shylock
    A Jewish moneylender living in the Venetian ghetto.
    40’s/50’s
    White,
    Jewish
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Desdemona
    A Venetian noblewoman.
    Late 20’s
    White
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Jessica
    Shylock’s daughter.
    20’s.
    White,
    Jewish
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Lorenzo
    A Venetian gentleman.
    20’s
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Iago
    A Venetian soldier.
    30's
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Gobbo
    Shylock’s servant.
    30’s
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Emilia
    Desdemona’s servant.
    20’s/30's
    White
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Morocco
    The very wealthy Prince of Morocco.
    30’s
    African American/Black
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Aaron
    The ghost of an African warrior from Roman times.
    30’s
    African American/Black
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Caliban
    A fishy demon man. **Double cast with Morocco.**
    African American/Black
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Queen Elizabeth I
    The Queen of England. **Double cast with Emilia.**
    White
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Friar Laurence
    A naïve clergyman from Verona. **Double cast with Tubal.**
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Roderigo
    Iago’s dopey friend. **Double cast with Gobbo.**
    30’s
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Portia
    Disguised as a lawyer. **Double cast with Jessica.**
    White
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Tubal
    Shylock’s friend. A Jewish doctor. **Double cast with Friar Laurence**
    50’s.
    White,
    Jewish
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man

Development History

  • Reading, Atlanta Shakespeare Company, 2023
  • Workshop, Oak Park Festival Theatre , 2021
  • Reading, Kane Repertory Theatre, 2020
  • Reading, Roundabout Theatre Company, 2019
  • Workshop, Project Y Theatre, 2019

Production History

  • Professional, Atlanta Shakespeare Company, 2025

Awards

  • Muse of Fire BIPOC Playwriting Festival
    Atlanta Shakespeare Company
    Finalist
    2023
  • Shakespeare's New Contemporaries
    American Shakespeare Center
    Finalist
    2019
  • Columbia@Roundabout New Play Series
    Roundabout Theatre Company
    Winner
    2019