Stereotypes, law and literature will be explored at the University of Colorado at Boulder during a free public symposium April 16-18 focusing on The Denver Center Theatre Company production of "The Merchant of Venice," one of Shakespeare's most controversial plays.
Distinguished CU-Boulder law professor and best-selling detective-fiction writer Marianne Wesson will participate in symposium panels, along with theater company associate director Anthony Powell and other special guest panelists. Discussions will be held April 16 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Center for British and Irish Studies in Norlin Library on the CU-Boulder campus and on April 18 at the Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom at Speer Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue in downtown Denver from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Additionally, the theater company's Higher Education Advisory Council will hold a post-show discussion on Saturday, April 17, following the matinee show of "The Merchant of Venice" at The Stage Theatre in Denver.
The public is invited to attend any or all of these free sessions. Sessions on April 16 and April 18 will be followed by receptions to meet the panelists. Anti-Semitism, law, literature and ethics stemming from Shakespeare's classic story will be discussed.
A featured legal commentator on major news networks, Wesson's teaching interests include criminal law, evidence, trial practice and law and literature. A three-time winner of CU-Boulder's Teaching Excellence Award, she also has been named a President's Teaching Scholar, the university's highest form of recognition for teaching excellence. She holds the Wolf-Nichol Fellowship at the CU-Boulder Law School, a position set aside to honor teaching achievement.
Anthony Powell, associate director at the Tony Award-winning Denver Center Theatre Company and director of "The Merchant of Venice," directed last season's productions of "Copenhagen," "Love's Labor's Lost" and "The Lonesome West." Now in his 17th season at the DCTC, Powell has appeared in regional, stock and off-Broadway theater and has directed a number of productions.
Besides Wesson and Powell, the panel will include CU-Boulder English professor and Shakespeare specialist Valerie Forman, Georgetown University Shakespeare expert Lindsay Kaplan, Jewish studies specialist Leah Garrett and Beth Yohe, associate director for education of the Mountain States Anti-Defamation League.
The symposium is part of The Merchant of Venice Project, run by CU-Boulder's Center for Humanities and the Arts in cooperation with The Denver Center for the Performing Arts and the Denver Center Theatre Company. The project also includes an educational outreach partnership with Denver's Smiley Middle School, Centaurus High School in Lafayette, and Boulder's Manhattan Middle School of Arts and Academics.
The Merchant of Venice Symposium is the fourth in a series of annual events in partnership with CU-Boulder and The Denver Center.
For more information on The Merchant of Venice symposia, call (303) 492-1423 or visit . RSVPs are required for the Denver sessions by calling (303) 572-4588.
To purchase tickets to the DCTC's production of "The Merchant of Venice," call (303) 893-4100 or go to . For groups of 10 or more or blocks of student tickets, call Tina at (303) 446-4849.