Orlando Shakespeare Theater's TAMING OF THE SHREW with Wild West Twist Begins Tonight

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF presents Central Florida audiences with a fresh take on William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Set in the Wild West and directed by Orlando Shakes Artistic Director Jim Helsinger, The Taming of the Shrew begins tonight, September 11 and runs through October 6, 2013 at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center in Loch Haven Park. Tickets, priced at $17-$40, are on sale now at (407) 447-1700 orhttp://orlandoshakes.org.

The sweet and amiable Bianca can have her pick of suitors-but only once her sister, the much less charming Kate, is married off. Fortune-seeking Petruchio rises to the challenge, but can he tame this fiery-tongued shrew? Set in the tumultuous Wild West, Shakespeare's unruly comedy gallops onto the Margeson Theater stage in a lively, high-energy battle of the sexes with a couple hell-bent on confusing and outsmarting each other right up to the play's unexpected conclusion.

"I'm really looking forward to directing Taming of the Shrew," Helsinger said. "We have never done the play set in the Wild West, and I think it is a perfect setting for a rootin' tootin' trick shot shootin' version of this battle of the sexes! Let's saddle up and ride!"

This isn't Orlando Shakes' first time at this rodeo. The Taming of the Shrew, chosen to open the Theater's 25th season, has been produced during two other historic milestones. "This is the first play that Orlando Shakes ever produced in 1989," said Helsinger. "It is also the play that opened our Shakespeare Center in 2001 and I think it is the perfect play to kick off the celebration of our 25th season."

The Taming of the Shrew features John Ahlin as Baptista, Brad DePlanche as Grumio, Deanna Gibson as Katherine, Anne Hering as Widow, Jimmy Ireland as Tranio, Geoffrey Kent as Petruchio, Melissa Mason as Bianca, BranDon Roberts as Gremio, Chris Ryan as Lucentio, and Ron Schneider as Vincentio, with other principal and supporting roles to be announced at a later date. The creative team includes Scenic Designer Kat Conley, Costume Designer Denise R. Warner, Lighting Designer Mary Heffernan, and Sound Designer Britt Sandusky.