Genesius Guild Presents ‘Taming Of The Shrew’ At Rock Island Theater
The Genesius Guild’s 70th anniversary season continues with two weekends of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Performances are July 11, 12, 18, and 19 and start at 7:00 PM. All shows are staged in Lincoln Park, Rock Island, and admission is free.
The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy revolving around the courtship of Petruchio and Katarina, the titular “shrew.” Katarina begins the play as a highly independent, strong-willed woman – one of Shakespeare’s most interesting characters – but is worn down over the course of the play by Petruchio. The production has been adapted into a number of musicals, movies, and ballets (with Kiss Me, Kate perhaps the best known adaptation).
The plot of the show is also uniquely challenging – its handling of gender expectations and conflicts feels uncomfortable under a modern lens. Modern views of Petruchio and his actions differ, ranging from the straightforward view that he was thoroughly misogynistic to interpretations that he was descending into madness. Some scholars argue that the play was written to be intentionally controversial or to act as a moral play that criticizes Petruchio’s actions.
Director Cait Bodenbender’s production takes a creative approach to handling this challenge. The production will try a very new (and very old!) approach to this play, drawing on Elizabethan performance practice by featuring an all male-identifying cast to show The Taming of the Shrew in a new and revealing light.
The Genesius Guild is a community theatre organization located in the Quad Cities specializing in free classical drama. Founded in 1956, the group performs Greek drama, Greek comedy, the works of Shakespeare, and other classical authors for eight weekends each summer. For more information about the Guild, visit www.genesius.org.
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