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

  • Jacob York: The Venetians

    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

    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...

  • Cheryl Bear: The Venetians

    A marvelous take on Shakespeare bringing the classic to the present day and the issues we consistently face. Well done.

    A marvelous take on Shakespeare bringing the classic to the present day and the issues we consistently face. Well done.

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.
  • Emilia
    Desdemona’s servant.
    Character Age
    20’s/30's
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    woman
  • Morocco
    The very wealthy Prince of Morocco.
    Character Age
    30’s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Black
    Character Gender Identity
    Man
  • Aaron
    The ghost of an African warrior from Roman times.
    Character Age
    30’s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Black
    Character Gender Identity
    Man
  • Caliban
    A fishy demon man. **Double cast with Morocco.**
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    African / African American / Black; Middle Eastern;
    Character Gender Identity
    Man
  • Othello
    A Moorish General serving Venice.
    Character Age
    40’s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Black
    Character Gender Identity
    Man
  • Queen Elizabeth I
    The Queen of England. **Double cast with Emilia.**
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    woman
  • Shylock
    A Jewish moneylender living in the Venetian ghetto.
    Character Age
    40’s/50’s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White,
    Jewish
    Character Gender Identity
    Man
  • Friar Laurence
    A naïve clergyman from Verona. **Double cast with Tubal.**
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    Man
  • Desdemona
    A Venetian noblewoman.
    Character Age
    Late 20’s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    woman
  • Roderigo
    Iago’s dopey friend. **Double cast with Gobbo.**
    Character Age
    30’s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    Man
  • Jessica
    Shylock’s daughter.
    Character Age
    20’s.
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White,
    Jewish
    Character Gender Identity
    woman
  • Portia
    Disguised as a lawyer. **Double cast with Jessica.**
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    woman
  • Lorenzo
    A Venetian gentleman.
    Character Age
    20’s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    Man
  • Tubal
    Shylock’s friend. A Jewish doctor. **Double cast with Friar Laurence**
    Character Age
    50’s.
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White,
    Jewish
    Character Gender Identity
    Man
  • Iago
    A Venetian soldier.
    Character Age
    30's
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    Man
  • Gobbo
    Shylock’s servant.
    Character Age
    30’s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    Man

Development History

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

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