Lily Rabe to Miss A Week of MERCHANT OF VENICE; Official Opening Shifts

BroadwayWorld has learned that THE MERCHANT OF VENICE has had to push back it's official press opening to accommodate its star, Lily Rabe, who must miss the next several performances for family reasons.  Opening night had been set for this Sunday, November 7.  A rep for the production states that they are now aiming for a November 15 opening night instead and will be confirming sometime next week.

For the next week, Rabe's understudy, Kim Martin-Cotten, will perform the role of Portia. The Sunday, November 7 performance will go on as scheduled with Martin-Cotten, as will the planned after party.

The Public Theater, with Jeffrey Richards and Jerry Frankel present THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, starring Al Pacino as Shylock and Lily Rabe as Portia at the Broadhurst Theatre this fall. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE will play 78 performances only through Sunday, January 9.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE is one of Shakespeare's most thrilling and controversial plays, rich with love and betrayal, forgiveness and revenge. The Jewish moneylender Shylock makes a loan to Antonio, a Christian merchant. Their loan contract, steeped in prejudice and centered on the play's infamous "pound of flesh," sweeps the two men and everyone in their worlds into chaos. Only the insightful Portia can imagine a way forward, but for her and those she loves, even "the quality of mercy" has its limits.

Following an acclaimed production at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park this past summer, Al Pacino (Shylock), Lily Rabe (Portia), Byron Jennings (Antonio), Jesse L. Martin (Gratiano), Gerry Bamman (Duke of Venice), Heather Lind (Jessica), Matthew Rauch (Solanio), and Richard Topol (Tubal) return to reprise their roles on Broadway.

New cast members joining the company include Marsha Stephanie Blake (Nerissa), Christopher Fitzgerald (Launcelot Gobbo), David Harbour (Bassanio), Peter Francis James (Salerio), Isaiah Johnson (Prince of Morocco), Charles Kimbrough (Prince of Arragon), and Seth Numrich (Lorenzo).

The company will also feature Happy Anderson, Liza J. Bennett, Glenn Fleshler, Luke Forbes, Herb Foster, Bryce Gill, Thomas Michael Hammond, Jade Hawk, Bethany Heinrich, Curt Hostetter, Tia James, Kelsey Kurz, BrIan Keith Macdonald, Dorien Makhloghi, Kim Martin-Cotten, and Baylen Thomas.

The design team for THE MERCHANT OF VENICE features scenic design by Mark Wendland; costume design by Jess Goldstein; lighting design by Kenneth Posner; sound design by ACME Sound Partners; and original music by Dan Moses Schreier.

The performance schedule for THE MERCHANT OF VENICE is Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 7 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m; and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Tickets for THE MERCHANT OF VENICE are $126.50 to $141.50. Tickets are on sale now through Tele-Charge at (212) 293-6200 or www.telecharge.com.