<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><br><br><blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"><br><div id="yiv1495138131"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; -x-system-font: none;" valign="top">Albany Civic Theater's presentation of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" concludes with its third and final weekend, this Friday and Saturday at 8pm, and Sunday at 3pm.
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</p><p style="margin-left: 0.5in;" class="MsoNormal">Here are some recent audience comments:
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</p><p style="margin-left: 0.5in;" class="MsoNormal">"It was magical; the youthful energy of the musical interludes and the powerful acting performances were most enjoyable." <br></p><p style="margin-left: 0.5in;" class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p style="margin-left: 0.5in;" class="MsoNormal">"I liked what I saw with The Merchant of Venice."<br></p><p style="margin-left: 0.5in;" class="MsoNormal">
</p><p style="margin-left: 0.5in;" class="MsoNormal">"I usually don't crave Shakespeare. But this was marvelous. A terrific interpretation."
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</p><p style="margin-left: 0.5in;" class="MsoNormal">"I should have auditioned for this show. The cast worked magically together and it was obvious they were having a great time."
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</p><p style="margin-left: 0.5in;" class="MsoNormal">" The director really took this one outside the box, and made it exciting and most entertaining."
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="yshortcuts"><b><i><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">The Merchant of Venice</span></font></i></b></span><b><i><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"></font></i></b><b><i><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br></span></i><strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">by </font></b><span style="background-attachment: scroll;" id="lw_1264385697_1"></span></strong><span class="yshortcuts">William Shakespeare</span><strong><b><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></b></strong></b></p></div></div></div></div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><br></span></font></b>Directed by Dan Stott </p></div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Presented by Albany Civic Theater</span></font></p></div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">235 Second Avenue</span></font></p></div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Albany, NY 12209</span></font></p></div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Tickets: $15; group and government employee discounts;</span></font></p></div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">information and reservations: <span class="yshortcuts"><span style="" id="lw_1264385697_2">518-462-1297</span></span>, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://us.mc567.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=info@albanycivictheater.org"><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1264385697_3">info@albanycivictheater.org</span></span></a><br><br>Remaining show dates: 2/26-28/2010 <br><br>A young nobleman named Bassanio seeks to woo the lovely Portia, but lacks the money to travel to her estate. He seeks support from his friend, the merchant Antonio; Antonio's fortune is tied up in sea ventures, so the merchant offers to borrow money from a Jewish moneylender, <span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1264385697_4">Shylock</span></span>. But Shylock holds a grudge against Antonio, who has routinely treated the Jew with contempt, and demands that if the debt is not repaid in three
months, the price will be a pound of Antonio's flesh. This memorable <span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1264385697_5">Shakespeare comedy</span></span> touches on such important themes as love, mercy, gender, anti-Semitism and sexuality. </span></font></p></div>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Albany Civic Theater is an all-volunteer community theater and a 501(c)(3) <span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1264385697_6">tax exempt organization</span></span>.</span></font></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table>
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