The Merchant (play) would make a big profit, but this did not happen. He wrote a book about the play in 1999, "The Birth of Shylock and the Death of Zero Mostel". In this play, Shylock is a good man and Antonio's, the title character in Shakespeare's play, good friend. They bond in their love of knowledge and mutual dislike of the antisemitism in their community. Shylock's demand for a pound of flesh is meant as a jest, but he can not retract it. Both Shylock and Antonio are relieved when the demand is denied in court. Reviewing "The Merchant", critic Michael Billington
The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company The Country Wife Directed by Heather Nathans 2009 Cyrano de Bergerac Directed by Ian Gallanar 2009 Twelfth Night Directed by Jenny Leopold 2009 Julius Caesar Directed by Frank Moorman 2010 Lysistrata Directed by Ian Gallanar 2010 Much Ado About Nothing Directed by Ryan Whinnem 2010 Hamlet Directed by Ian Gallanar 2010 Titus Andronicus Directed by Kevin Costa 2011 Cymbeline Directed by Ian Gallanar 2011 A Midsummer Night's Dream Directed by Ian Gallanar 2011 The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) Directed by Scott Alan Small 2011 Our Town Directed by Ian Gallanar 2012 The Merchant of Venice Directed by Teresa