The Merchant of Kindergarten

I was really interested to see how the heavy themes of The Merchant of Venice could be shown in a meaningful way to children. I attended a production that did just that. It was fandantastic!
1st - They made the play anachronistic.
They used both period looking props and modern props. They used Shakespearean language, but they incorporated modern words that children could relate to.  It was especially interesting when they asked for names of places and a name for money that they could use in their lines. This participation was very effective.
2nd - There was good humor.
Though we had talked about how a "comedy" isn't always funny, this one did a good job of bringing in some humor. My favorite part was that the picture of Portia that was in the led box was actually her senior picture! Little details like that really made me laugh.  
3nd - I was blown away by the acting.
It was amazing to see how well the actors were able to work with these new words. They didn't miss a beat every time they had to say something about the faraway land of Narnia, or how Antonia owed so many Galleons.
It was also amazing to see the actors working through all the distractions that a kid's show comes with. They called up helpers from the audience throughout the whole show, and even when the children started wondering with props or didn't do what they were asked, the actors were still able to smoothly pull it off.
I was especially touched by the portrayal of Shyloc's character. I was able to meet Andrew Foree before the show (as I was waiting in the stand-by line. Lucky I made it in!) and he was such a happy-go-lucky kind of guy, who really interacted with the kids easily. But when the show started, he took on the role so naturally. I was blown away at the very end when he was forced to convert to the dominant party. The emotion was so profound in his person. Not just his face was sad and hurt, but his whole body moved as if he had lost his own identity. And it was true; that is exactly what happened.
4rd - The messages made me think.
At the beginning and end, the actors introduced the idea of bullying and making fun of another person. At the end, they asked questions about weather that was OK. It made me think. It was such a simple way of portraying the story, but it was profound at the same time. I think everyone, no matter the age, learned something from their show.