THE TAMING OF THE SHREW at Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg

In Padua, Baptista is a wealthy gentleman with two daughters. The youngest, ‘mild’ Bianca, has many suitors, including Hortensio and Gremio. Her older sister Katherina, or Kate, seems to terrify men, and no one wants to marry her. Baptista insists that Bianca cannot marry until Katherina is married, so Gremio and Hortensio agree to try to find a husband for Katherina.

Lucenctio has just arrived in Padua and overhears this conversation about Baptista’s daughters. He immediately falls in love with Bianca. To spend time with her, he disguises himself as a Latin tutor and goes to work in Baptista’s house while his servant, Tranio, pretends to be Lucentio. Old Gremio believes that the tutor will woo Bianca on his behalf. Horentsio also disguises himself as a music teacher to sneak past Baptista’s rules. Both Gremio and Hortensio are dismayed to discover yet another rival in Lucentio (Tranio).

Petruchio is in town looking for a rich wife to marry. He is not put off by tales of Katherina’s independence. After they have met, Baptista agrees to the marriage with a huge dowry attached if Petruchio can “tame” her.

Tranio, still disguised as Lucentio, asks Baptista if he can marry Bianca now that her sister is married. Baptista agrees as long as “Lucentio’s” father will agree to a large financial arrangement for Bianca. Tranio must now find a fake father for his fake Lucentio.

Meanwhile, Bianca has fallen in love with the real Lucentio, so Hortensio decides to marry a wealthy widow. Petruchio marries Katherina and takes her off to his country house, where he proceeds to “tame” her by depriving her of sleep and food and continually contradicting her. Hortensio goes to Petruchio’s house to learn how to tame a wife.

Tranio finds a merchant from out of town to play the part of Lucentio’s father. When his real father, Vincentio, arrives in Padua to discover that his real son has gotten secretly married to Bianca, everyone reveals their true identities.

Believing he has tamed his “shrew,” Petruchio takes Katherina back to Padua. No one is ready to believe that Katherina has changed. The newly married Lucentio and Hortensio each bet a hundred crowns that Katherina is the least obedient of the new wives. While the other women refuse to do what their husbands say, Katherina does and Petruchio wins the bet.

Source: Royal Shakespeare Company