What if Portia’s appearance as a male lawyer in court wasn’t the first—or last—time she dressed in drag?

Portia is a noblewoman in 16th century Venice, She wants to be a lawyer, but that profession is reserved for men. Her lawyer cousin Bellario won’t teach her. Her husband Bassanio is in serious legal trouble … and he’s in love with his best friend Antonio. Things are not going well. What’s a girl to do?

1. Create an alter ego (enter Balthazar).
2. Trick Bellario.
3. Represent Antonio (and Bassanio) in court.

This riff on Shakespeare’s THE MERCHANT OF VENICE is a life-and-death journey through the law, love, and gender identity.

BALTHAZAR was developed in Plan-B Theatre's Lab and Script-In-Hand Series, beginning in 2013, and as part of  Utah Shakespeare Festival's Words Cubed in 2022.

Written by Debora Threedy (THE END OF THE HORIZON, "Where I Come From" as part of WALLACE, THE THIRD CROSSING, ONE BIG UNION, "The Wall, Parts 1 & 2" as part of (IN)DIVISIBLE, ALLI AND #3 at Plan-B, and MOUNTAIN MEADOWS at PYGmalion). Read her blog post about creating BALTHAZAR!

Directed by Cheryl Ann Cluff (All episodes of RADIO HOUR, MESA VERDE, THE SCARLET LETTER, SUFFRAGE, 3, CHRISTMAS WITH MISFITS, BASED ON A TRUE STORY, THE EDIBLE COMPLEX, RIVER.SWAMP.CAVE.MOUNTAIN., ZOMBIE THOUGHTS, AN EVENING WITH TWO AWFUL MEN, ODA MIGHT, P.G. ANON, AFTERSHOCK, MY BROTHER WAS A VAMPIRE, and GO HOME COME BACK at Plan-B).

Featuring Jason Bowcutt as Bellario (THE END OF THE HORIZON, BASED ON A TRUE STORY, and AN EVENING WITH TWO AWFUL MEN at Plan-B) and Lily Hye Soo Dixon as Portia/Balthazar (RADIO HOUR EPISODE 13: TROLL, (IN)DIVISIBLE, SINGING TO THE BRINE SHRIMP, P.G. ANON, and MESTIZA, OR MIXED at Plan-B).