burning like matchsticks in the face of the darkness

ASP is currently doing Merchant of Venice at Midway Studios down by Fort Point Channel.

Cate and I got dinner at Channel Cafe.  I got the Deluxe Veggie Burger, which was definitely tasty, though I'm not sure worth $10.95.  I could have gone for dessert (despite the fact that it surely would have been overpriced) but we didn't have time.  We went to Wendy's in Central Square after the show 'cause Jason hadn't had dinner, so I got a chocolate chip cookie dough Frosty -- and some of Jason's french fries 'cause the woman neglected to take down that part of my order.  According to Jason, Wendy's french fries are made with love and rainbows with no animal fat, so I didn't even have to feel guilty.  (McDonald's french fries use animal fat, but they are so much tastier than Burger King's animal-fat-free french fries.  Wendy's fries are def. tasty.)

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Merchant of Venice is one of the few arguably the last major Shakespeare play I still had yet to read or see a production of.  [I would link to that "which Shakespeare plays have you seen/read?" meme, but I'm not sure I ever posted it -- *finds unposted draft from back in March*  *posts*]

I knew it was the anti-Semitic play, of course, and I knew it had the "If you prick us, do we not bleed" speech, and that was about it.  I was not prepared for the fact that I was SO UNCOMFORTABLE.  I think I just assumed that Shylock was a slimy villain and that because it was like, "Hey, villain, and also he's Jewish, 'cause clearly the only Jew in my entire oeuvre should be a villain," it was nowadays considered an anti-Semitic play.  ( more about the play )

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I am skipping econ class to go to:

Merchant Conversations: Being Shylock with moderator Stephen Greenblatt
November 18th, 7pm, Midway Studios
Panelists:
    Melia Bensussen, Director, ASP's Merchant of Venice
    Michelle Ephraim, Associate Professor of English at Worcester Poly Tech
    Jeremiah Kissel, Actor playing Shylock
    Bernie Steinberg, President & Director, Harvard Hillel
Join us for a riveting evening of scenes and discussion exploring the provocative and resonant themes of The Merchant of Venice today.
    Price: $12 - $15
    Buy Tickets Here