Patrick Stewart boards 'Merchant' play

Patrick Stewart has signed to star in a stage production of The Merchant of Venice.

According to Variety, Stewart will portray Shylock in the Royal Shakespeare Company project.

The play is to run from May 13 to September 26 at the soon-to-be-reopened Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, with a May 19 opening.

Director Rupert Goold is helming the production, which was originally planned as a film adaptation that took place in Las Vegas.

Star Trek actor Stewart won rave reviews for his previous starring roles in stage versions of The Tempest and Macbeth.