A Wilderness of Monkeys at Ophelia's Jump

Carol Fisher Sorgenfrei describes her new play as a revenge-comedy sequel to Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice. At the end of Shakespeares narrative, the merchant Antonio has successfully conspired with his friends Bassanio and Lorenzo to deprive the despised Jewish moneylender Shylock not only of his material goods but his beloved daughter Jessica. To inflict a further indignity upon the hated Jew, the court of Venice rules that he is to be converted to Christianity, which he must do in order to save his own life.In Fisher Sorgenfreis play, Jessica, disillusioned with her mate Lorenzo, returns to her fathers house, sadder, wiser and remorseful. She and Shylock plot a scheme of revenge upon her fathers Gentile tormentors. Antonio the merchant will be in for the biggest surprise of all.Beatrice Casagran directs. The cast includes R.J. Balde, Judd Johnson, Black McCormack, Aaron Pyle, Jessie Pyle, Julia Stier and Amanda Zarr.
Ages: 12 to adult.