Shakespeare in the Park promises to be a laugh-out-loud good time this summer. Originally staged as a play within a play, the Hilo Community Players are reinterpreting “The Taming of the Shrew” to be a 1950’s television program, with the audience playing the role of our “live studio audience”. Taming of the Shrew will be set in 1953 upper middle class society. This play has a serious message hidden amongst the light hearted humor. Katherine (played by Jessica Dempsey), also known as the Shrew, refuses to conform to the role society has chosen for her. She meets Petruccio (Ray Campainha), falls in love, and capitulates and conforms to society’s standards. Throughout the play her younger sister Bianca (Felix Kao) is pursued by three suitors: Gremio (Tim Oldfather), Hortensio (Jake McPherson), and Lucentio (Nick Brosseau). The suitors endure all sorts of complications because Baptista (Phil Taylor), father to Katherine and Bianca, declares no one may court Bianca until her older sister Katherine is married off. In the end Lucentio wins Bianca’s heart with the help of his two servants Tranio (Mark de Moss) and Biondello (Ian Schroeder) and marries her. Gremio decides that he needs to marry somebody rich and finds the Widow (Laura Andres) to his taste. Adding to the fun and chaos are Lucentio’s father Vincentio (Lewis Moore), the Pedant (Michael Conlon) and the comedy team of Petruccio’s servants Grumio (Leslie Kelly), and our clowns (Angela Nakamura, Kekoa Graham and Catherine McPherson) inspired by the Three Stooges. It’s a recipe for a romping good time.

Shakespeare in the Park has been an East Hawaii tradition for 32 years. As always the show is presented free of charge but audience members will have a chance to donate when we “pass the hat” around at intermission. Donations are highly encouraged as all funding for the show comes from community donations. Also don’t forget about our fabulous concessions. This year we will be offering chocolate bars, sodas, water, baked goods and coffee provided by Kope Kope Espresso Cafe.

Performances are July 2nd and 3rd, 8th through the 11th, and 17th & 18th at 7:30 pm. July 5th and 12th are matinees with performances at 2:30 pm. A special Q&A session with the actors will be held after the July 12th performance. All performances will be held at Kalakaua Park in downtown Hilo. Don’t forget to bring an umbrella and a cushion. Performances are rain or shine!

Don’t forget that auditions for this year’s production of Shakespeare In The Park start this weekend! This year we’re doing The Taming Of The Shrew set in 1953 and our director is Randy Raphael. Auditions are being held at the Puueo Community Center in Clem Akina Park.

Dates and times for auditions are:

Friday, April 10 from 6pm to 8pm
Saturday, April 11 from 2pm to 4pm
Friday, April 17 from 6pm to 8pm
Saturday, April 18 from 2pm to 4pm

Please arrive early, and plan to stay the full two hours. Prepared monologues are welcome, but NOT required or expected. If you would like to familiarize yourself with the play, visit http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/shrew/.

Parts are available for 3 women (possibly more), and MANY men.

Remember, volunteers are always welcome, so if you’d like to come help with the show, come to auditions and talk to our production team!

See you there!

That’s right this summer’s Shakespeare in the Park offering is Taming of the Shrew.

Auditions will be held on April 10 at 6:00pm and April 11 at 2:00 pm. We have a second round of auditions April 17 at 6:00 pm and April 18 at 2:00 pm. All auditions will take place at the Puueo Community Center in Clem Akina Park in Hilo. You are welcome to come with a speech prepared but it is not a requirement. We hope to see you there!

Characters:

BAPTISTA, a rich Gentleman of Padua.
VINCENTIO, an old Gentleman of Pisa.
LUCENTIO, son to Vincentio; in love with Bianca.
PETRUCCIO, a Gentleman of Verona; Suitor to Katharina.
GREMIO, HORTENSIO, Suitors to Bianca.
TRANIO, BIONDELLO, Servants to Lucentio
GRUMIO, CURTIS, Servants to Petruchio.
Pedant, set up to personate Vincentio.
KATHARINA, the Shrew, BIANCA, Daughters to Baptista.
Widow.
Tailor, Haberdasher, and Servants attending on Baptista and Petruchio.

Katherine -  The “shrew” of the play’s title, Katherine, or Kate, is the daughter of Baptista Minola, with whom she lives in Padua.  She is sharp-tongued, quick-tempered, and prone to violence, particularly against anyone who tries to marry her.  Her hostility toward suitors particularly distresses her father.  But her anger and rudeness disguise her deep-seated sense of insecurity and her jealousy toward her sister, Bianca.  She does not resist her suitor Petruccio forever, though, and she eventually subjugates herself to him, despite her previous repudiation of marriage.

Petruccio -  Petruccio is a gentleman from Verona. Loud, boisterous, eccentric, quick-witted, and frequently drunk, he has come to Padua “to wive and thrive.”  He wishes for nothing more than a woman with an enormous dowry, and he finds Kate to be the perfect fit.  Disregarding everyone who warns him of her shrewishness, he eventually succeeds not only in wooing Katherine, but in silencing her tongue and temper with his own.

Bianca – The younger daughter of Baptista.  The lovely Bianca proves herself the opposite of her sister, Kate, at the beginning of the play: she is soft-spoken, sweet, and unassuming.  Thus, she operates as Kate’s principal female foil.  Because of her large dowry and her mild behavior, several men vie for her hand.  Baptista, however, will not let her marry until Kate is wed.

Baptista – Baptista is one of the wealthiest men in Padua, and his daughters become the prey of many suitors due to the substantial dowries he can offer.  He is good-natured, if a bit superficial.  His absentmindedness increases when Kate shows her obstinate nature.  Thus, at the opening of the play, he is already desperate to find her a suitor, having decided that she must marry before Bianca does.

Lucentio – A young student from Pisa, the good-natured and intrepid Lucentio comes to Padua to study at the city’s renowned university, but he is immediately sidetracked when he falls in love with Bianca at first sight.  By disguising himself as a classics instructor named Cambio, he convinces Gremio to offer him to Baptista as a tutor for Bianca.  He wins her love, but his impersonation gets him into trouble when his father, Vincentio, visits Padua.

Tranio – Lucentio’s servant.  Tranio accompanies Lucentio from Pisa.  Wry and comical, he plays an important part in his master’s charade—he assumes Lucentio’s identity and bargains with Baptista for Bianca’s hand.

Gremio and Hortensio -  Two gentlemen of Padua.  Gremio and Hortensio are Bianca’s suitors at the beginning of the play.  Though they are rivals, these older men also become friends during their mutual frustration with and rejection by Bianca.  Hortensio directs Petruccio to Kate and then dresses up as a music instructor to court Bianca.  He and Gremio are both thwarted in their efforts by Lucentio.  Hortensio ends up marrying a widow.

Grumio – Petruccio’s servant and the fool of the play—a source of much comic relief.

Biondello – Lucentio’s second servant, who assists his master and Tranio in carrying out their plot.

List assembled from www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/shrew