Event

The Taming of the Shrew

All's Fair In Love And War!

Leave it to Shakespeare to seize upon the comic possibilities of this well-worn phrase and dramatize them to their maximum, emotional effect. Wooing may have become more sophisticated these days, with modern match-making sites sifting through our compatibility criteria, but as we all know, the pursuit of happiness has never been easy!

Perhaps success in marriage has always had more to do with good timing than good looks or good economic prospects. As Shakespeare, quoting one of his own characters might say, "He who runs fastest gets the ring."

But what do you do when the person you're pursuing not only doesn't want the ring but may even "wring your neck" if you attempt to put it on? Would you still want to "woo this wildcat"? Would you still attempt to "tame this shrew?"

Arclight Rep Theatre (ART) invites audiences to ponder these and many other timeless questions in its third annual "Shakespeare on the Square" festival production of "The Taming of the Shrew", running May 20th - June 5th at the Theatre on San Pedro Square.

Director Kristin Clippard (San Francisco Shakespeare Festival) offers a creative re-imagining of Shakespeare's sharp-witted, "battle of the sexes" by returning to the "golden age of television". The production is set in the pre-feminist 1950's of suburban, middle-America and presented in a "mad-cap" TV situation comedy style that features mistaken identity, romantic overtures, gender-bending, family power struggles, and several weddings! The multi-cultural cast is comprised of talented professionals from all over the Bay Area.

Come see all the characters you know and love as they try to find their perfect mate all the while believing all is indeed fair in love and war!

Will the proud and roguish Petruchio tame the shrewish, strong-willed Kate? Tune in and find out!

In an era of redefined gender roles and controversial, same-sex marriages, Shakespeare's play is timelier than ever!