Production Information
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Here's what I wrote as my initial proposal to the Town and Gown Second
Stage Coordinator, Katie Benfield:
I want to do a Second Stage production
of THE TAMING of the SHREW this summer (either June or August).
The production concept is to reverse gender all the roles and to
use a streamlined setting and costume design. I shall prepare the
script myself.
While I cannot commit myself about who would work as my staff or cast
until I have a definite go-ahead, several people have expressed
interest. My principal recommendation, I suppose, is my past work
directing about a dozen shows for T&G, and my record of never
having lost money.
The proposal got approved, and we are going to be presenting the show
on August 12-14, 2005. When I say "we," I mean I've already
assembled some terrific folks to work on the production. Here's
the cast in prder of appearance:
- Amelia, a lovely student
Erica Hartman
- Tania, servant to Amelia
Jennifer Growden
- Baptista, mother to two sons
Janet Robertson
- Petruchio, a shrewish lout
Derek
Adams
- Bianco, a handsome sweet-natured boy Will
Riley (Petruchio understudy)
- Grannia, old enough to know better
Brooke
Hatfield
- Hortensia, in love with love Dina Canup
- Katharina, a lusty wench
Elissa
Hadley
- Grumia, her trusty servant Carrie
Jedlicka
- Pedant, masquerading as Victoria
Kelly
McGlaun Fields
- Tailor, challenging Petruchio
Brad
Blythe (Bianco understudy)
- Victoria, Amelia’s
mother
Heather Cross
- Widower, the re-marrying
kind John Witkiewicz
Our producer will be the current
T&G President, Andy
Garrison. He looks like a nice guy, doesn't he? Well, looks
can be deceiving, although not in this instance. Andy is a doll. We've
worked together on several shows, including The Royal Family, and I'm
tickled
he'll be helping.
I'm wearing my director's hat
instead of my professor's
cap.
Steven Carroll will be the
associate director. He and I worked together
some time back on
The Comedy of
Errors. Here is a picture of Steven during one of our
rehearsals. He's undoubtedly plotting some joke . . . .
The production's set will be
designed by Ben Teague. Here's an
old
picture that I quite like. And he and I have worked together
occasionally. The first time I met Ben was in a show, a
production of Everyman. I was
17
and he was a much older man of 21. We've been together pretty
much ever since. Having a common interest helps!
