Phoenix Theatre (San Francisco, CA)
Off Broadway West Theatre Company presents a free adaptation of Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew. Director Joyce Henderson has set the story of the courtship of stubborn Kate amid the surreal decadence of New York's Hamptons in the 1920s.
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The last event was Thursday October 16, 2008 / 8:00pm. (view all dates)
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The cast is a talented mixture of theatre students and seasoned professionals. The venue allows the audience to see and hear every nuance of the play, not a line is lost. And, after all, it's all about love.
This is a "freely adapted" version of The Taming of the Shrew, which is a naughty, silly show and with that reputation, has become one of Shakespeare's most popular and accessible comedies. It is a combination of sexual manipulation, mistaken identity, and, of course, love, which means that there is a little something for everyone, especially under the helm of veteran Shakespeare director Joyce Henderson. Youmight not recognize it as Shrew since the names of the locations and the characters have been changed. Henderson has updated the show to the Hamptons in the 1920's, a surreal period of time that reflects the anarchistic nature of the central relationship of the show between Kate and "John Patrick."
The story is of shrewish Kate whose father has promised not to let his youngest daughter "Chastity" wed until Kate has found a husband. While her precious sister has plenty of men lined up, Kate is waiting for a man who is her equal, but is pawned off by her father onto "John Patrick," who is bribed into wooing Kate by the sizable dowry promised him. Once Kate is unwillingly married off, Chastity has her choice of men to marry and falls for "Nicholas," who disguises himself to get close to her. Meanwhile, Kate and John Patrick find that they are surprisingly well suited to one another, and they have indeed fallen in love.
Off Broadway West Theatre Company was established in 2006 to promote and encourage the continued development of theatre in San Francisco by providing leadership and opportunities for participation, education and sharing the enjoyment of diverse theatre experiences. OBW is committed to producing a minimum of one play per season that has been on Broadway and/or Off Broadway by which connecting the East and West.
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