The Merchant of Venice was conceived for and minted in the Jewish Ghetto of Venice in 2016 on the 500th anniversary of its founding. Compagnia de' Colombari's production was performed on site and featured five actors of varying ages, genders and cultural backgrounds playing (alternating or together) the role of Shylock.

Originally produced in the Venice Ghetto in partnership with Ca' Foscari University of Venice and the Creative Europe Project "Shakespeare In and Beyond the Ghetto." Mille graze to Shaul Bassi, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Beit Venezia, Maria Ida Biggi, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Carol Rutter, David Kastan; filmmakers Ted Hardin and Elizabeth Coffman; and the entire company of extraordinary actors and crew who together breathed the production into its first life. We honor you all.

After the performance in the Venice Ghetto, the production traveled to Castello degli Ezzelini in Bassano del Grappa, Italy and to the high security Padova Prison for men in Padova, Italy. 

The production toured in the USA at Alexander Kasser Theater at Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ,  from September 19-October 1, 2017. It garnered critical raves including from Ben Brantley of the The New York Times, whose review, A Flock of Shylocks Transforms ‘Merchant of Venice’ proclaimed, "Ms. Coonrod’s attempt to solve the problem of Shylock by multiplication is surprisingly effective...this experimental director has a knack for transforming high concepts into accessible theater."

On December 19, 2023, in Venice, ITALY, January 22, 2024 in New York City at Fordham University Lincoln Center Campus, and April 9, 2025, Loyola University Chicago Rome Center Campus, Colombari hosted exclusive screenings of A Gathering of Strangers: The Making of The Merchant of Venice by filmmaker Ted Hardin and Long Distance Production Films. A Gathering of Strangers: The Making of The Merchant of Venice was also screened at the Miami Jewish Film Festival from January 10-23, 2025.