New Spin On An Old Classic

The Classical Edge's production of Shakespeare's early comedy "The Taming of the Shrew" promises to crackle and pop onstage: Director Steven Marzolf has set the play during the 1850 gold rush, and a three-piece band will entertain the audience with Shakespearean songs adapted to bluegrass music.

And Petruchio, the male romantic lead, is being played by a woman, actress Emily Riggs.

"The big theme [in this play] is how society dictates what a relationship should be, how marriage should be," Marzolf says. "In Shakespeare's time, women were financial bargaining chips, [which would] also would be the case in the 1850 gold rush. Very patriarchal society. So having a woman playing Petruchio causes this world to be turned upside down."

Riggs and actress Maggie Harrington, who plays Kate, agree.

"I think it creates such a sense of feminism," says Harrington. "I think this play is almost about feminism, to me, now. I think it's really cool that you can take this kind of misogynistic play ..."

"Very misogynistic play!" interrupts Riggs.

"Very misogynistic play," Harrington agrees, laughing. "And make it a play about feminism. It's totally about equality."

Marzolf may have hit upon the one change to the play -- often considered controversial with its themes of male domination and female capitulation -- that makes it more palatable to modern day audiences.

Ultimately, though, the cast hopes that the gender change will be so organic that audience members won't even notice. "It's not so much a statement piece on sexuality, it's just a new way to tell this love story between two people," Riggs says.

Fellow cast member Mark Landon Smith, who plays Grumio, says, "At the end of the day it's just a story about relationships. It's not even a consideration. It's just two people. It has changed the dynamic in such an interesting way. You don't even think about it while you're watching."

Mike Thomas, who plays Kate's father, Baptista, feels that much of the credit for that is due to the two female leads. "It takes really good actors to make it work. Those lines have all different meanings now, and somehow it works. They make it work."

Equally as effective is the Old West setting, says actor Johnathan Jarmon. "It does make sense with the script. One of Petruchio's first lines is that her dad has died, and she wants to go out in the world, get married and make money. That was one of the first lines I read in the play and once I read that I was like, 'OK, gold rush! That makes so much sense.'"

Jarmon, along with fellow actor Ashley Nolen and musician Keefer Roach of The Trumann Rail Boys will be playing and singing live music throughout the show. "I gave Keefer some of Shakespeare's original songs, and he's set them to bluegrass music," Marzolf says.

"It'll be used in scene changes, and the pre-show will be the three of us jamming while the rest of the cast interacts with us," says Jarmon. "The music is used in a lot of interesting ways."

During a recent rehearsal, Riggs and Harrington run a quiet scene. When Marzolf stops them and suggests that Riggs take Harrington's hand mid-scene, the simple gesture immediately increases the intimacy and intensity.

"[The show is no longer about] beating Kate into submission; it's welcoming her to be vulnerable and open her heart up to someone else," Riggs says. "Not turning this headstrong woman into this mild-mannered, coy, ideal woman of the time."

NAN What's Up on 07/22/2016