Shakespeare's THE TAMING OF THE SHREW is Coming to TN Shakespeare Co.

Tennessee Shakespeare Company is invites audiences into the golden age of 1940s radio on the Tabor Stage January 30 – February 15 with The Taming of the Shrew -- a wild, witty, song-filled production that pairs William Shakespeare’s sparring lovers with the backstage drama of an improvised radio performance broadcast live from midtown Manhattan.

The production is directed by Dan McCleary (most recently The Comedy of Errors, Grace of Grace, Ada and the Engine, The Tempest, A Streetcar Named Desire).

Set against a snowy Valentine’s Day night atop the city’s RCA Building in 1945, a live WINS Radio broadcast is poised to sign off to the young Americans fighting overseas. That is, until President Truman makes an unexpected, heartfelt request: for the sake of morale, and for all the lovers separated by war, the station’s once-famous acting troupe is requested to perform the most famous, battling love story of all time: The Taming of the Shrew.
What follows is a last-minute scramble in the studio to disperse scripts, re-learn roles, and cast actors before a live audience. The troupe’s former leading lady who played Kate, now a rising film star, makes a surprising return from Hollywood at President Truman’s request.  In reprising the role that made her famous, she also opens an old love wound with the troupe’s hard-boiled leading man (the one she left behind). The love story off-stage makes its way on-stage, which makes for an unexpectedly genuine Valentine.
Tabor Stage audiences will get to experience two shows at once: the on-air Shakespeare comedy and songs that the nation hears, and the backstage film noir chaos they hopefully never will. 

With a play they haven’t performed since Pearl Harbor, the actors brush up their Shakespeare with period musical favorites inspired by Bing Crosby, Rodgers and Hart, The Mills Brothers, The Andrews Sisters, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, The Ink Spots, Frank Sinatra, and even Groucho and Harpo Marx all sung live on stage with piano and trumpet.
Shrew is one of the earliest comedies written by Shakespeare, in the 1590s, and it has become one of his most controversial for the mating dance that appears to cast Petruchio as the leader and Kate as his follower.  Director Dan McCleary has removed the written “induction” of the play and replaced it with his crafted period narrative that includes the 1945 radio storyline as both the introduction for the Shrew story and its surprising conclusion.  

“In the First Folio version,” says McCleary, “the Christopher Sly induction is famous for its ability to lead us into the Shrew story, and for its ancient popularity on stage in prior centuries.  But what’s missing is the induction’s conclusion once the Shrew story resolves.  The induction’s drunken pauper (Sly) showing up on a wealthy person’s estate and then being led to believe a bizarre story playing out before him was a well-trod trope. As was the parade of wooers for the pretty, young sister (Bianca).  As was the Punch-and-Judy-like relationship of Kate and Petruchio.  But Shakespeare gives these stage tropes a post-modernist revision. He removes the physical violence popular with the Kate/Petruchio commedia relationship and replaces it with heart and psychology – they fall in love at first sight, and Petruchio finds himself at least as equally ‘tamed’ as Kate.  Likely more.  Kate becomes the financial winner, and she discovers someone who will welcome the challenge of hearts. It’s a progressive romantic comedy when we consider the play historically, and a musical 1940s America inspires me as an ideal and respectful post-modern setting for it. 

“I imagine Kate and Petruchio go on to have one of the most promising marriages in Shakespeare’s plays.  And despite their story not meant to be taken as real in the play – it’s the play within the play, after all – Kate’s needs around a loving relationship are spoken and met by Petruchio.  Our Hollywood actor who plays Kate will point out in our production that the world’s war won’t get won without the women, and it won’t stop at the homefront either.  If you want me, partner, you’ll need to follow me for a time.  We’ll see what our Petruchio chooses.”

The cast welcomes TSC musical newcomers Laura Shatkus as Kate and Nick Ericksen as Lucentio, as well as Tom Johnson on piano. The cast also returns Lauren Hester Gunn (Grumio), Stuart Heyman (Baptista), Jeremy Bukauskas (Gremio), Marian Claire Barber (Bianca), Matthew Alter (Tranio), Marquis Dijon Archuleta (Hortensio), Natalie Tangeman (Biondello), Ethan Shaw (Vincentio/Curtis), and Taylor Slonaker (Widow/Pedant) to the Tabor Stage. 

The design team includes Jeremy Allen Fisher (Lighting), Micki McCormick (Props), Allison White (Costumes) and Tom Johnson (Music). The production stage manager is Cu Cukale, and the assistant stage manager is Milla Meiman.

McCleary will present a free Director’s Talk in TSC’s rehearsal hall on Sunday, February 1 at 5:30 pm following the 3:00 pm matinee.  The public is cordially invited to attend, whether seeing the performance that day or not.

The performance will run approximately 2.5 hours, including one 15-minute intermission, and is ideal for all ages over five years old.