10 Reasons Why I Sponsor SHREW--A Tale Retold by Carol Cacchione

1. I consider it a privilege and an honor to support the performing arts in my community, especially Hamilton-Gibson Productions.
2. I like everything Shakespeare. I was an English major in college my first go-round.
3. I found out from Ancestry.com that I am William Shakespeare’s second cousin 11 times removed. Seriously. We go way back.
4. I went to three performances of the 1999 Broadway musical revival of Cole Porter’s  “Kiss Me, Kate,” which is based on Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” and which starred the incomparable Brian Stokes Mitchell and the dazzling and unfortunately now deceased Marin Mazzie. I have the original cast album and listen to it on occasion. I always sing along to Wunderbar.
5. I enjoyed watching the 1999 high school rom-com, “10 Things I Hate About You,” which is loosely based on “The Taming of the Shrew” and which stars Heath Ledger (also unfortunately now deceased) and Julia Stiles. It’s streaming on Disney+ if you want to watch it.
6. I have never seen “The Taming of the Shrew” staged before and it’s high time I did. My apologies, Will.
7. I want to see for myself if the play is truly sexist and misogynistic, as many people claim, or if it’s farcical and satiric. Especially with this modern retelling. I’m hoping for the latter. No second cousin of mine 11 times removed had better offend me or my women friends!
8. I want to know if Katherine the Shrew is indeed “tamed” by Petruchio, or if it is she who tames him by the end of the play. I’m betting feminine wiles win out.
9. I want to delve deeper into the psychological relationship between Katherine and her younger sister Bianca. Why does Katherine hate men? What’s up with Bianca and all her beaux? Is there sibling rivalry at play in this play?
10. I hear this production of SHREW -uses modern English language. When you re-tell a tale, you don’t have to stick to fussy iambic pentameter and Elizabethan English. What other surprises await? I can’t wait to find out!

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