ACTION! THEATRE CO. BRINGS SPEED MERCHANT (OF VENICE) TO THE HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL

Speed Merchant (of Venice)

Action! Theatre Company brings to the 2012 Hollywood Fringe Festival
The WORLD PREMIERE ADAPTATION

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S
SPEED MERCHANT (OF VENICE)

Featuring Jack Young as Shylock

Adapted by Tiger Reel and Jack Young
Directed by Tiger Reel

HOLLYWOOD – On the heels of their LA Weekly nominated techno-military adaptation of “Othello”, Action! Theatre Company Artistic Director Tiger Reel brings his acclaimed modern take on the Bard to the Hollywood Fringe Festival. In partnership with Jack Young, Head of the University of Houston Professional Actor Training Program and Houston Shakespeare Festival Associate Artistic Director, A!TC presents a World Premiere Adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice”: SPEED MERCHANT (OF VENICE).

Attacking the Bard’s most controversial story with their customary imagination and visceral staging: Action! Theatre Company presents the tale of corporate killer, Antonio. Antonio enters into a deal with Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, in order to help his former lover take part in “The Lottery”, a reality game show, to vie for the hand of a beautiful heiress. Taking inspiration from the recent tales of corporate malfeasance and the reality show antics of the Kardashians, SPEED MERCHANT (OF VENICE) is a 90-minute sprint through one of Shakespeare’s nastiest comedies.

“’The Merchant of Venice’ is one of Shakespeare’s most modern plays,” Reel said, “its tone and presentation of some truly flawed characters could find a place on the television dial next to ‘Mad Men’ and ‘Breaking Bad’. It’s a world where racism and anti-semitism are common place and push a man to the point of rage and desperation. I’m thrilled to be able to work on this with Jack Young and see what buttons get pushed in this day and age.”

SPEED MERCHANT (OF VENICE) stars Jack Young as Shylock, Abbie Cobb (ABC’s “Suburgatory”) as Jessica and Vanessa Vaughn as Portia. Also featuring Orestes Arcuni, A.J. Diamond, Raymond Donahey, David Hardie, Ted Heyck, Nikki Jenkins, Samantha Klein, Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper, Chris Triana and Jon Weinberg as Antonio.

Previews: Saturday, June 9th @ 8pm and Sunday, June 10th @ 2pm
Performances: Saturday, June 16th @ 2pm
Sunday, June 17th @ 8pm
Friday, June 22nd @ 8pm
Saturday, June 23rd @ 2pm
Sunday, June 23rd @ 2pm

Where: artWorks Theatre
6569 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Tickets: http://hff12.org/915 $12 General Admission

Press/Media Contact: Amy Mucken, 323.841.2756