IOWA CITY — Riverside Theatre will hold an open reading of “The Merchant of Venice” at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Riverside Theatre, 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City.

“The Merchant of Venice” is one of two plays that will be produced for Riverside Theatre’s summer season, Riverside Theatre in the Park.

The event is free.

Riverside also will offer a Theatre Talk at 5:30 p.m. Thursday of “As You Like It” and “The Merchant of Venice” at Riverside Theatre, 213 N. Gilbert St. The event is free.

Shakespearean scholar Miriam Gilbert with the University of Iowa, will discuss the two plays with directors Theodore Swetz and Kristin Horton, which will be performed June 15 through July 8.