Taming of the Shrew

Joanna Liao & J Hernandez

The Lantern Theater Company, located in St. Stephen’s Church, 10^th and Ludlow Sts. is presenting a unique version of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Due to popular demand, the production has been extended two weeks past its initial run and will close on Sunday May 3.  Shakespeare uses a technique that is less common in contemporary playwriting; the play within the play. J Hernandez begins the play as a drunkard  staggering onto the stage, only to be fooled into thinking he is a nobleman who has been dreaming. He then thinks he is seated in the second floor of a castle where he can gaze down onto the courtyard to watch a play, wherein he quickly fades out and becomes Petruchio, a man traveling to Padua, determined to marry a rich bride at all costs. K.O DelMarcelle portrays Bianca, the beautiful, demure younger daughter of Baptista, ( portrayed by Nathan Foley). She has no trouble fighting off her many suitors because she knows she cannot marry until her older sister Kate does. And who would want to marry such a churlish, headstrong, boorish young woman as Kate?”  Petruchio volunteers, sight unseen. Described as “possibly mad”, J Hernandez plays the part to perfection. After his marriage to Kate, he tortures her into submission by depriving her of food, sleep, and new clothes, but interspersed with his harshness, he leads her into little dance steps and the tango becomes symbolic of the growth in their relationship. There are many twists and turns, not only for Kate and Petruchio, but for Bianca and the many men with whom she comes in contact. Thanks to set designer Lance Kniskern, actors enter and exit the stage from balconies, steps and multiple doorways as if they were in a typical street in a small town in Italy. You needn’t  look hard to find a laugh in this dark comedy… just sit back and enjoy the dance. For more information or tickets, call 215-829-0395 or visit online at www.lanterntheater.org.