Jew of Malta

Christopher “Kit” Marlowe (baptised 26 February 1564 – 30 May 1593) was an English dramatist, poet, and translator of the Elizabethan era. The foremost Elizabethan tragedian before William Shakespeare, he is known for his magnificent blank verse, his overreaching protagonists, and his own untimely death.

The Jew of Malta (1589) is an original story of religious conflict, intrigue, and revenge, set against a backdrop of the struggle for supremacy between Spain and the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean. The Jew of Malta is considered to have been a major influence on William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.

The play contains a prologue in which the character Machiavel, a Senecan ghost based on Niccolò Machiavelli, introduces “the tragedy of a Jew.” (summary by Wikipedia)

Thomas Heywood: The well-known dramatist of the time has included Prologues and Epilogues both for the court and the Cock-Pit theatre “…making choice of you unto whom to devote it;” . (summary by David Lawrence)

Cast: Ferneze, as Governor of Malta and - Lars Rolander

Lodowick, his son - Jay Saunders

Selim Calymath, son to the Grand Seignior - Damien Tavis Toman

Martin del Bosco, vice-admiral of Spain - Michael Sirois

Mathias, a gentleman - Daniel Hutton

Jacomo, a friar - Kevin Vinck

Barnardine, a friar - Aaron Elliott

Barabas, a wealthy Jew - EHehl

Ithamore, a slave - Denny Sayers

Katharine, mother to Mathias - Gesine

Abigail, daughter to Barabas - Andrea Lee

Bellamira, a courtezan - Silence

Pilia-Borza, a bully, attendant to Bellamira - CM Slosson

First Jew and First Knight - Miriam Esther Goldman

Second Jew, Second Officer, Second Knight

and Second Merchant - Ryan DeRamos

Third Jew, Slave and Carpenter - Laurie Anne Walden

Officer/First Officer - Eric J. Katowitz

Merchant/First Merchant - Anna Simon

Messenger - Lucy Perry

Machiavel, as Prologue Speaker - ontheroad

Announcer - Jennifer Stearns

Audio edited by - David Lawrence