Many students only experience Shakespeare through words on page, and they forget the material soon after. However, some are lucky enough to actually see Shakespeare come to life in front of their very eyes.

Seniors in Shawn Layton’s English 4CP class and juniors from Ken Shindle’s 3CP course were given the chance to witness Merchant of Venice live. The production was put on by the New Jersey Shakespeare Company at Drew University and ran for about 2 hours.

“It is one thing to read Shakespeare in class, but it’s definitely something else to actually see it right in front of you,” senior Jordan Kang said. “It’s almost like it becomes real.”

The Merchant of Venice is one of William Shakespeare’s most well known comedies, though it has been criticized for anti-semitic undertones. The story follows Antonio, a Venetian merchant, who ends up in a financial predicament with Jewish Venetian, Shylock. Despite the play being categorized as a comedy, it often features dramatic scenes between all of the characters.

The production was obviously taken directly from the book; however, the cast put their own spins on the characters and added their own personal humor to the play.

“My favorite part of the play was definitely the actors,” Kang said. “They had to have such range because sometimes the play was funny, but then it would suddenly turn dramatic. As an actor, that takes skill.”

Students should feel lucky that they were able to see a Shakespeare play performed live, as it is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.