Shakespearean traveling troupe brings ‘Taming of the Shrew’ to the Eccles
The Tony-Award winning Shakespearean Festival touring company is bringing a classic story of wit, comedy and love to the Eccles Theater for two performances Wednesday and Thursday.
“As the final event for this season, we were fortunate to get the Shakespearean Festival’s production of ‘Taming of the Shrew'” said Wally Bloss, executive director for the Cache Valley Center for the Arts. The play wraps up the 2004-5 season which included performances by the Shanghai Circus, Eileen Ivers, and the Bar-J-Wranglers.
Every year the touring company takes one of Shakespeare’s plays all over Utah, performing the somewhat shortened plays in for students around the state. This season, the troupe has already taken “Taming of the Shrew” to more than 40,000 students.
The play tells the story of a rich man of Padua (Baptista) who has two daughters (Katherine and Bianca), the elder of which has an extremely foul temperament. Katherine, though older than Bianca, has no men vying for her affection, while her younger sister has two amorous men after her attention.
In order to get them both married, Baptista declares that no one can have Bianca until Katherine is married.
Enter Petruchio. Proffered a vast dowry should he marry Katherine, Petruchio undertakes to tame the shrew and win the dowry, and in the process falls in love. The story’s plot has inspired many movies including, most recently, “Ten Things I Hate About You” (1999).
This rendition of “Taming of the Shrew” will last 75 minutes, with a 15 minute workshop following the performance where audience members will be allowed to ask the actors questions.
“We’re very excited to be doing this play,” said Festival education director Don Bahr. “Live theater can be a life-changing experience.”
Tickets for “Taming of the Shrew” are $10, $13 and $15 and are available for purchase at the CVCA Ticket Office and the TSC ticket office. USU students receive a 50 percent discount with valid ID. Call (435) 752-0026 or visit www.centerforthearts.us for more information.
-mattgo@cc.usu.edu