Hudson Shakespeare starts out its 19th touring season and 2010 Shakespeare in the schools program with the classic "Battle of the Sexes Comedy" where everything is not what it seems. Disguised suitors on the make, stressed out parents, busy body neighbors, a lady with some anger management issues and a guy with an ego the size of Italy, are updated in this production which takes Shakespeare's famiiar tale and sets it in the 1950s. This split education and general audience production examines gender roles in a time not so far removed from today and with some interesting results.
In Padua (Italy), Lucentio and his servant Tranio (both from Paris) stroll while Lucentio ponders that he has come to Padua to pursue knowledge. Tranio points out that he should pursue pleasures, as well. Then, Baptista and his daughters Katherine (older, the shrew) and Bianca (younger) appear with Bianca's suitors Gremio and Hortensio. Baptista tells them they cannot pursue Bianca until Katherine is married. Privately, Gremio and Hortensio agree to find her a husband so they can both resume wooing Bianca. While looking on, Lucentio falls in love with Bianca. He decides to let his servant Tranio pretend to be Lucentio, so that Lucentio can be a school teacher to Bianca. Biondello (another servant of Lucentio) is told to act as a servant to Tranio. Petruchio of Verona arrives in Padua with his servant Grumio to see his friend Hortensio. Upon meeting, Hortensio mentions Katherine in passing and Petruchio vows to woo and marry her (for her large dowry). Hortensio then decides to pretend to be a school master and instruct Bianca in music. Gremio arrives with Lucentio (disguised as a school master, Cambio) and tells Hortensio of his plants to let Lucentio school Bianca and speak highly of Gremio. Tranio then arrives and announces that he (as Lucentio) will be a suitor to Bianca.
At Baptista's house, Petruchio arrives with Hortensio (as Litio) and Gremio arrives with Lucentio (as Cambio). Tranio (as Lucentio) is also there, proclaiming his suit for Bianca. Petruchio meets Kate and the two spar wits, making Petruchio more determined than ever to marry Kate, which he announces to all; they are to be married on Sunday, though Kate obviously protests. Baptista, upon hearing this, tells Tranio (as Lucentio) and Gremio that the one with the highest dowry will get Bianca.. Tranio bluffs to have more wealth and possessions than Gremio, but Baptista declares Lucentio's father Vincentio must personally assure he has the wealth and will give it to Lucentio.
Synopsis Continued
At Bianca's room, Lucentio (as Cambio) and Hortensio (as Litio) school Bianca. Both reveal their intentions for her love, but they also begin to suspect the other of amorous intentions. On the wedding day, Petruchio arrives late, and is dressed in a fool's clothes. He acts irrationally at the wedding, then immediately leaves town with Kate. Baptista, although flabbergasted, is happy to be rid of her.
At Petruchio's country home, he and Kate arrive, exhausted from the journey, since, throughout, Petruchio has been giving Kate a taste of her own medicine. He continues to berate her and his servants continually. Back in Padua, Tranio and Hortensio spy on Lucentio (as Cambio) courting Bianca. Hortensio, in defeat/despair, swears with Tranio (as Lucentio) not to pursue Bianca anymore. In fact, Hortensio plans to marry a widow who has long loved him. Biondello then appears and tells Tranio and Lucentio he's found a man from Mantua (a Pedant) to impersonate Lucentio's father Vincentio. They trick him to do this by saying people from Mantua are despised in Padua. At Petruchio's house, he further tries to tame Kate by starving her, refusing her to have new clothes, and refusing to visit her father's house since she continues to disagree with him, even though both know he is wrong. Back at Padua, Tranio (as Lucentio) introduces the Pedant (as Vincentio) to Baptista, and all agree to sup together. Meanwhile, Biondello instructs Lucentio to bring Bianca to the church to be married. Elsewhere, Petruchio and Kate travel on the road to Padua where they meet the real Vincentio (Lucentio's Father). Petruchio has Kate so much under his control that he gets her to declare Vincentio is a female to his face, then to apologize and admit that he is truly a man. Petruchio informs Vincentio of his son's marriage to Bianca, and all travel to Padua.
At Padua, Vincentio arrives and asks to see Baptista, though the Pedant (as Vincentio) and Tranio (as Lucentio) deny Vincentio is who he says he is and call for him to be arrested. Lucentio himself and Bianca arrive and set things straight, then announce that they've been married, causing Baptista and the real Vincentio to fume even more. At length, Baptista, Vincentio, and Lucentio come to agreement and all celebrate the three marriages: Petruchio and Kate, Lucentio and Bianca, and Hortensio and the widow. At supper, Petruchio wins a wager by demonstrating that Katherine is now more obedient than Bianca or the widow. He celebrates by saying, "Kiss me Kate," and they do.
Show Dates:
Sunday, April 18, 7:30PM
Producer's Club Theater, 358 W. 44th Street
3rd Floor, The Crowne Theater
Just of corner of 9th and Avenue and 44th Street
$15 Adults/$12 Students and Seniors
$12 prepurchased tickets.
School showings:
Wednesday, April 21, 9AM
Thursday, April 22, 9AM
St. Mary's High School, 209 3rd Street, Jersey City. NJ
Friday, April 23, 9AM
Fort Lee High School, 3000 Lemoine Avenue, Fort Lee, NJ
Friday, April 30, 7:30PM
Kenilworth Public Library, 548 Boulevard, Kenilworth, NJ
At the opening of the play, the idealistic Lucentio (Alex Simmons) arrives in Padua with his best friend Tranio to study and to take in the local sites. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
As Lucention and Tranio speak, a strange crowd arrives lead by the notable and rich citizen Baptista (Tom Cox). He is being pestered by Hortensio (Alex Mahgoub) and the widow Gremio (Minna Taylor) for who should marry his youngest daughter Bianca. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
Baptista informs them that his oldest daughter Kate (Molly Gilman) must be married first and she won't marry just anybody. Above, Hortensio (Alex Mahgoub) tries to challenge the headstrong Kate but she puts him in his place as her sister Bianca (Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld), Tranio and Lucentio (Alex Simmons) look on. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
Kowing that they have to find a husband for Kate before Hortensio can go after Bianca, Gremio (Minna Taylor) and Hortensio (Alex Mahgoub) decide to join forces. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
A love struck Lucentio (Alex Simmons) decides he will pursue Bianca but he needs a way in to Baptista's house. He divises that he will pretend to be an English tutor and be in the employ Tranio who will pretend to be him. The pair exchange clothes and identities to faciliate the deception.St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
Lucentio's servant Biondello (Carley Colbert) comes to him and Tranio meet the pair and is brought up to speed of Lucentio's plan. Although, Biondello is a little slow on the uptake Biondello is to be a servant of Tranio's St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
Hortensio's (Alex Mahgoub) old friend Petruchio (Michael Hagins) arrives in town to live it up and also look for a possible wife. Hortensio sees an opportunity and tells him about Kate and her shrewish reputation. Petruchio scoffs at this and says he can tame any wild woman and accepts the challenge.
St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
A disguised Tranio arrives with Biondello (Carley Colbert) pretending to be Lucentio. "Lucentio" announces that "he" is pursuing the hand of Bianca as well. Petruchio (Michael Hagins) states that as long "he" doesn't go after Kate, they're good. Gremio (Minna Taylor) and Hortensio (Alex Magoub) are dumbfouned at the new competition. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
Kate (Molly Gilman) "plays a game" with her sister Bianca (Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld) to get her to confess her true intentions to their father regarding Hortensio. Bianca feigns innocence and usually gets away with it, while Kate gets blamed for all. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
A disguised Lucentio (Alex Simmons) is presented as an English tutor for Bianca as a gift from Gremio to Baptista. Kenilworth Public Library, Kenilworth, NJ
Hortensio (Alex Mahgoub) is presented as a music teacher to Baptista (Tom Cox) and tries to teach Kate some guitar fingering. Here he recouts being bashed over the head with the guitar. This both freightens and intrigues Petruchio (Michael Hagins) St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
Kate (Molly Gilman) meets her perspective new husband Petruchio (Michael Hagins) and she is less than impressed St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
Petruchio (Michael Hagins) and Kate (Molly Gilman) spar with words and physicality but Petruchio states that no matter what she will marry him. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
As Kate and Petruchio's wedding date approaches, Bianca (Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld) "gets to know" her new tutors who don't make a secret of the fact that they are interested in her despite the fact that they both have secret identities. Above Lucentio (Alex Simmons) gives Bianca a language lesson while telling her who he really is. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
Hortensio (Alex Mahgoub) tells Bianca who he really is and couch his conversatio under the pretense of a music lesson. Bianca (Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld) feels out this other potential suitor. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
On the day of her wedding Kate (Molly Gilman) and her party wait an incredibly long time for Petruchio to arrive. He arrives looking like he is going to circus aside from getting married. Despite her protests, he insists on marrying her like that and carries her away literally befor the weddin reception. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
The wedding guests fall out with laguther at the crazed goings on with Kate and Petruchio. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
Bianca (Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld0 chooses Lucentio (Alex Simmons) and the two plan to elope together. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
At Petruchio's house, Petruchio (Michael Hagins) tries to "tame" Kate's (Molly Gilma) fiery temper but showing her how she treats others and kill her with kindness. In this move, he yells at all of his servants for the smallest things and physically manhandles them. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
Again as part of his plan Petruchio (Michael Hagins) orders a dress to be made for her and above the Haberdasher (Carley Colbert) is chewed out for making a supposedly bad dress. Grumio (Courtney Fitzgerald) , Lucentio's friend, defends himself in front of Petruchio thinking that dress mess up was his fault.
St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
Biondello (Carley Colbert ) arrives to tell Lucention (Alex Simmons) that the Bianca is ready to meet him at a local chapel. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
Vincentio (Tony White) arrives to visit his son Lucentio unaware that he is pretending to be a tutor and that Tranio is pretending to be him or that Lucentio is getting married. He meets Petruchio and Kate on the street and thinks all the residents of the town are crazy. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
All true identities are revealed and Lucentio (Alex Simmons) and Bianca (Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld) welcome all to their house as a new husband and wife. Bets are taken as to who truly has the most tame with. Petruchio wins showing that Kate (Molly Gilman) is the most responsive to his wishes. He has tamed her not by being the more manly man but by understaning her needs and coming to mutual understanding and respect. St. Mary's High School, Jersey City, NJ
