The Taming of the Shrew
The dinner table as classroom: Home-schooling gone wrong in 'The Taming of the Shrew'
Shakespeare’s comedy The Taming of the Shrew showcases one of the earliest and thorniest examples of teaching in a home environment—thorny both because of the way pedagogy in the play is full of cynicism and brutality, and because, on the…
"The Taming of the Shrew" on the American stage before "Kiss Me, Kate": An excerpt from "Shakespeare in a Divided America" by James Shapiro
The Taming of the Shrew is often referred to as one of Shakespeare’s “problem plays” because of its controversial depiction of gender roles; last year’s Broadway production of Kiss Me, Kate, the 1948 musical based on The Taming of the…
The Gender Politics of Kiss Me, Kate
Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 122 A new production of Kiss Me, Kate is on Broadway now. It features Cole Porter’s memorable music and Kelli O’Hara and Will Chase as Lilli Vanessi and Fred Graham, a bickering divorced couple thrown together when…
The Four Humors: Eating in the Renaissance
John Augustus Atkinson. The Taming of the Shrew. Watercolor drawing, late 18th or early 19th century. Folger Shakespeare Library. In The Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio attempts to squelch Katherine’s hot temper by denying her meat, snatching away a roast…
Inquiring young minds...
This entry is in response to a question, submitted by a student from JP McCaskey High School in Lancaster, PA. This student asks, “What led you to become an actor, and where do you envision your career going?” This seemingly…
My Shrews
Danny Scheie as Grumio. © Jeff Malet The Taming of the Shrew was my first Shakespeare as an actor. I played Gremio during my junior year in high school in Libertyville, Illinois. My brother Tim played the tailor. I’m pretty…
Researching a Role at the Folger
Danny Scheie from The Taming of the Shrew here. Remember back in my first blog, when I talked about the Folger being a mythic realm in Shakespeare’s cosmos, or something like that? Well, somewhere twixt the little nerd and the old…
I'll Tumble For Ya
Thomas Keegan here, Lucentio in Folger Theatre’s current production of The Taming of the Shrew. Lights, sound, costumes, and… an AUDIENCE?!?! Yes, that’s right. We just finished our preview week for The Taming of the Shrew! There were many tasks…
More on Deadwood
Danny Scheie here, Grumio in Folger Theatre’s upcoming production of The Taming of the Shrew. As I write this, I am backstage at the Folger during our first dress rehearsal. It is exquisite to see the costumes on the actors on…
Church Basements
Recently, we are rehearsing in the basement of a Protestant church. Church basements are positively Proustian for me. I have spent a lot of time in them, and have theorized about them, not so much in relation to Shakespeare, but…
Dance for Your Dessert
I know what happiness brings It brings a brand new view I know what happens to me When I meet someone like you —”Someone Like You” by Cliff Eberhardt We are halfway through the rehearsal process for Folger Theatre’s The…
Working with Aaron Posner
I met director Aaron Posner in a Las Vegas casino. I honked out bits of Bottom and pieces of Puck alone on a 3000 seat Vegas showroom stage to Aaron Posner and Aaron Posner alone. We had both been working on…