LONG BEACH - William Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew" opens at the Long Beach Playhouse April 23 for a month-long engagement.The production directed by Gregory Cohen will tackle the 400-year-old commentary on male-female relationships "with a modern twist, creating a different approach to this legendary romantic work of theatre." Shakespeare's immortal comedy pits the ornery but honrable Petruchio against the wild and merciless Kate, and, as Petruchio predicts," when two raging fires meet together, they do consume the thing that feeds their fury." Kate's younger sister, Bianca, is forbidden by their father to marry any of her many suitors until her "shrewish" older sister Katherine is married, and only Petruchio is willing to take on that challenge. With the aid of his occasionally trusty servant, Grumio, Petruchio guides "Kate the Cursed" into a true loving partnership of trust and passion. Tickets to see "Taming of the Shrew" start at $22, except for a pay-what-you-can performance on April 21. Tickets are available at lbplayhouse.org or by calling (562) 494-1014, ext. 550.

********** Published: April 21, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 1