STUART \u2014 Shakespeare\u2019s comedy \u201cThe Taming of the Shrew\u201d opens June 27 and will be on stage at the A.C.T. Studio Theatre through July 12.<\/p>\n
Written in 1590 and dealing with subject matter that in today\u2019s terms could be referred to as sexism, gaslighting and domestic abuse. The play remains a vital, controversial exploration of gender dynamics and power.<\/p>\n
Few of Shakespeare\u2019s plays generate as much conversation and controversy as \u201cThe Taming of the Shrew.\u201d\u00a0Director Stephen Mayer approached this production purposefully, embracing the questions this farce has presented for centuries. Is it about love and transformation, or power and control?<\/p>\n
\u201cShakespeare\u2019s world some 400 years ago was shaped by social expectations and gender roles that are uncomfortable and even troubling today. Yet beneath the play\u2019s provocative surface lies a story about two fiercely intelligent individuals who challenge, provoke, and ultimately transform one another,\u201d Mayer said.<\/p>\n
Local actors\u00a0Ryan Conner and Jill Kober star in the lead roles of Petruchio\u00a0and Katherine.<\/p>\n
\u201cRather than viewing Katherine and Petruchio as simple opposites, I explored them as equals locked in a battle of wits, will, and independence,\u201d said Mayer. \u201cBoth characters resist the expectations placed upon them, and both discover that relationships require compromise, vulnerability, and understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other cast members include James Mitchell, LeAnna Wiseley, Chris Hanson, Pip Thibeaux, Mary Murphy, Kelly Wright, Faith Shaw, Erin Moreno, Nicolas Pollio, Ferne Barishman and Annette Reimers.\u00a0A.C.T. Studio Theatre invites you to laugh, consider, and question how ideas about love, marriage, identity, and partnership continue to evolve. Whether you leave the theater delighted, challenged, or still debating the play\u2019s meaning, the innovative theater hopes this production sparks conversation long after the house lights come up.<\/p>\n