Christopher Sly (a drunken tinker) is taken in by a lord who wishes to make sport of him. Sly is dressed and placed in the lord's bedroom, told he is a nobleman who had been struck by insanity for 15 years and now, for his entertainment and health, a group of players will present a play: The Taming of the Shrew.
Lucentio, a wealthy young man, arrives in Padua with his servant Tranio, to study. Baptista, a wealthy merchant, has two daughters: Katherina and Bianca. The Younger Daughter Bianca, has many suitors including an old man, Gremio and a fasionable gentlemen, Hortensio. The elder daughter, Kate is renowned for her fiery disposition. To find husbands for both daughters, Baptista has declared that no one shall court Bianca until Katherina has been married.
Lucentio falls instantly for the beautiful Bianca and as a scheme to win her, trades clothes with Tranio. Lucentio will call himself "Cambio" and offers his services as a tutor to Bianca. Tranio will take on Lucentio's identity to offer Baptista his intentions towards Bianca.
Petruchio and his faithful servant, Grumio, arrive at the home of his friend, Hortensio where they learn of the shrewish Katherina. Attracted by her large dowry, Petruchio immediately presents himself to Baptista. Hortensio, in the hopes of gaining access to Bianca, is presented to Baptista as a music teacher "Litio."
Petruchio and Kate's first meeting is stormy but a marriage is arranged and Petruchio sets out to tame Katherina. Meanwhile "Cambio" and "Litio" compete for Bianca's attention during lessions.
Petruchio arrives late for the wedding and very poorly dressed. He takes Katherina instantly away from the wedding celebration. At home Petruchio's plan continues, he constantly contradicts Kate and allows her no food or rest.
Hortensio becomes suspicious of Bianca's attention to "Cambio." When he sees a display of affection between Bianca and Cambio, Hartensio vows to marry a rich widow and to learn from his friend Petruchio how to tame her.
Tranio, still disguised as Lucentio, offers Baptista a significantly better dowry for Bianca than is offered by his rival Gremio. Baptista agrees that Lucentio may marry Bianca providing Lucentio's father confirms the offer. Tranio, in order to comply with Baptista, convinces a Merchant to pose as Lucentio's father, Vincentrio.
Continuing to wear Kate down, Petruchio employs a tailor and haberdasher to provide riches she might wear to Bianca's wedding. Petruchio claims to find fault in the clothes and hat and refuses Kate to this luxury. He and Kate set out for Baptista's when they meet the real Vincentio and escort him to Padua.
Lucentio (still disguised as Cambio) plots with Bianca to marry in secret. Meanwhile, the Merchant disguised as Lucentio's father, Vincentio, attempts to fool Baptista into sealing the marriage deal. The arrival of the real Vincentio creates the crowning complication - until Lucentio and Bianca return from church and set everything straight.
At the marriage celebration, the newly married men enter into a wager: whose wife will most quickly come when beckoned? Kate not only wins the bet for Petruchio, but closes the play by instructing the other wives on the duty a woman owes her husband.
The cast includes
Christopher Sly (a town drunk) - Rod Mechem* Hostess - Jane Burke* A Lord - Jerry Gomis* Huntsmen - John Shuman*, Jim Lautenbach Page - Steve Strobel Players - Jon Hegge*, Mary Frances Miller, Khris Lewin, Tim Gettings, Jennefer Ludwigsen, Lee Becker Lucentio (a wealthy young lord, later disguised as Cambio) - Lee Becker Tranio (his faithful servant, later disguised as Lucentio) - Khris Lewin Baptista (father to Katherina & Bianca) - Jerry Gomis* Hortensio (suitor to Bianca, later disguised as Litio) - Jim Launtenbach Gremio (elder suitor to Bianca) - John Shuman* Bianca ( the beloved daughter to Baptista) - Jennefer Ludwigsen Katherina (a shrew) - Mary Frences Miller Biondello ( a lowly servant to Lucentio) - Tim Gettings Petruchio - Jon Hegge* Grumio (servant to Petruchio) - Tim Gittings A Merchant(later disguised as Vincentio) - Steve Strobel Servant, a tailor/haberdasher and Vincentio (a very wealthy merchant and father to Lucentio) by Christopher Sly - Rod Mechem* A Widow - Steve Strobel
The crew includes
Directed - Jerry Gomis
Costumes - Ann Thenell
Lighting & Properties - Stewart Dawson
Music - Dana Dejente, Lee Becker
Stage Management - Jane Burke
Production Management - Suzanne Graff
Box Office & House Management - John Hansen
* Appears courtesy of Actors' Equity Association
LEE BECKER (Lucentio/Composer/Music Director) Since last on the Peninsula, Lee has played various Milwaukee stages, most notably with the Skylight Opera Theatre as the Boatswain in H.M.S. Pinafore. Look for him this fall in American Folklore Theatre's Guys on Ice. Returning fans of Door Shakespeare might remember Lee as Theseus, Demetrius, Fabian, Sylvius, Dennis, and First Lord. Or they might not. In any case, he is glad to be back for the last Door Shakespeare season of the millennium. It's been a wonderful 1000 years.
JANE BURKE (Hostess/Stage Manager/Business Manager) Last summer was Jane's first visit to Door County and she liked it so much she had to become a member of the production team! A theatre major in college, Jane strayed from the theatre by letting her “day job” take over her life. Now back on the right path, she is excited to be involved in her first show in eleven years! Thanks Door Shakespeare!
TIM GITTINGS (Biondello/Grumio) Tim is very happy to be performing Shakespeare outdoors, where all words sound like poetry, and is excited to be working with a wonderful group of people. He's most recently appeared in Chicago as Pentheus (The Bacchae), and as the Fates in an original dance piece. Time dedicates this season to all his family and friends in Los Alamos, New Mexico; after all they've been through they could use the laughter and joy. Blessed Be.
JERRY GOMIS (Baptista/Producer/Director) After producing and directing the reopening of Door Shakespeare last year, Jerry is very excited to be sharing the stage with this talented group of actors. Behind the scenes, Jerry's experience includes: Administrative Director/Director and Master Acting Teacher at Hampton Playhouse Children's Theatre Program, directed various theatre projects at the Cubiculo and the 28th Street Playhouse in New York City, and voice/speech teacher with the National Shakespeare Conservatory in NYC. As an actor, Jerry has extensive experience performing contemporary works as well as those of the Bard and other classic writers, including major roles in The Merchant of Venice, King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing and She Stoops to Conquer. Jerry lives in Minneapolis with wife and producing partner, Suzanne Graff, their son William, and the newest member of the family (eight month old) Anna Marie.
JON ANDREW HEGGE (Petruchio) Jon returns to Door Shakespeare and his native Wisconsin after having appeared as Jacques last summer in As You Like It. Since then he appeared in Minneapolis in No Exit with Prairie Fire Theater. In January he moved to Los Angeles where he is continuing his acting career in film and television, but is glad to be back in the Wisconsin woods where the weather is less predictable.
JIM LAUTENBACH (Hortensio) Jim is a Door County native. He has performed in local productions of Godspell (Jesus), The Music Man (Marcellus) and Working (Lovin' Al, Charlie) and is a company member of Ballo, a local modern dance troupe. He studied at Marquette University in Milwaukee. He feels blessed to be performing and is honored to join the Door Shakespeare family.
KHRIS LEWIN (Tranio) Hails from Martinsburg, WV. Khris is a four-year veteran of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival, where he performed in twenty-two productions and directed two. Most recently, he performed his one man show, Appalachian Apparitions, at the Acadia in Minneapolis. Khris is a graduate of Duke Univerisity, and will begin working toward his Master of Fine Arts degree in the fall at the National Theatre Conservatory in Denver.
JENNEFER LUDWIGSEN (Bianca) Jennefer is thrilled to return to Door Shakespeare after playing Celia in As You Like It. This past winter, she toured over 100 elementary schools in Wisconsin with the National Theatre for Children and co-taught creative drama classes with Free Street Programs in Chicago. She's performed with American Folklore Theatre (Bone Dance), and Stone Circle Theatre Co. (The Winter's Tale) in Chicago. This summer, Jennefer, along with Rod Mechem, will be creating and directing Doorways Children's Theatre, a workshop dedicated to the creation and performance of original theatre. Thanks as always, to Mom, Dad, and AJ.
ROD MECHEM (Christopher Sly) Rod is pleased to return to Door Shakespeare for this second season. Originally from New Mexico he has lived and worked in Minneapolis most recently. When not drunk onstage he busies himself as a carpenter. You may be sitting in one of his chairs right now. Enjoy the show.
MARY FRANCES MILLER (Katherina) is thrilled to return to Door Shakespeare where she performed Phoebe in last summer's As You Like It. She resides in Minneapolis. Credits include Park Square Theatre, St. Paul; Eelysomynary (Artie), Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) (Desdemona). Commercials and Voice Overs for Fox 29. New York: Broadway; The Rehearsal, Off-Broadway; The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Sylvia), Twelfth Night* (Olivia), Hamlet* (Gertrude) (*Also National Tour). American Globe Theatre; The Importance of Being Earnest (Cecily), The Three Musketeers (Queen Anne). Also with the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, Bershire Theatre, Westside Repertory, Lehman Summerstage.
JOHN SHUMAN (Gremio) Minneapolis: Ordway, Oklahoma; Children's Theatre Company, Mr. Popper's Penguins (Mr. Popper); Guthrie, The Royal Family; Hidden Theatre, The Dying Gaul; as well as Old Log and the Playwright's Center. Los Angeles: L.A. Theatre Center, San Diego Starlight, 42nd Street. TV: Melrose Place, Step by Step, Love and War, VR-5 (pilot). Broadway: 13 Rue de L'Amour. Off-Broadway: Hotel Baltimore, Moonchildren. Regional: Yale Repertory, Pittsburgh Public, The Shakespeare Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre (Seattle), Alaska Rep. Film: The Naked Man, forthcoming Sugar and Spice.
STEVE STROBEL (Page/Merchant/Widow) Steve was born and raised in Milwaukee WI. He is a senior in the UW Milwaukee Theatre BA program. In early spring Steve got his feet wet in UWM's Winter Dance program entitled Shake Loose My Skin. Most recently seen as Laertes in Hamlet, a UWM student production. Before that Steve was in Wisconsin Lake Schooner Children's Theatre production Where Are You Bound?. Steve would like to thank Dad, Nance and Jeana for their continued support.
TERESE BOECK (Advertising Sales Rep) currently Administrator for the Holy Name Retreat House on Chambers Island, Terese has an extensive background in Theatre, Office Management and as a High School Forensics coach. We thank her for her boundless energy, enthusiasm and friendship.
JEANNE CHASE (Advertising Sales) Rep a Door County native, Jeanne really has been at the forefront of helping establish Door Shakespeare. No stranger to selling playbill advertising, Jeanne is well known as a piano teach, church organist and a senior “go-getter.” And as a great-grandmother, she's also a natural with babies. Many thanks, Jeanne.
STEWART DAWSON (Lighting, Set and Properties Designer) from Albuquerque New Mexico, Stewart returns to Door Shakespeare to lend his accomplished hand to our growing company. Stewart has designed and built sets for American Folklore Theatre and, closer to home, for Opera Southwest, in Albuquerque, the Ballet Theatre of New Mexico and the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. Thank you, Stewart for your talent and humor.
DANA DEZENTJE' (Composer Music) has played a major role in this native Minnesotan's life. Dana has stepped outside of his role as a practicing guitarist to debut as a composer in Taming of the Shrew. He thanks Jerry and Suzanne for the opportunity to bring his passion to the public. Without their support these songs would be floating in gray matter of stuffed in a folder on a shelf somewhere.
SUZANNE GRAF (Producer/Production Manager) is pleased to welcome you to Door Shakespeare 2000 and the Taming of the Shrew! Primarily a stage actress her credits range from classical theatre to musical; performed Off-Broadway, on National Tours, in Regional Theatre and locally at American Folklore Theatre. She and Jerry share many labors and joys together: Door Shakespeare – the artistic, William – the miracle, and Anna Marie – the Wonder! Thanks to everyone who has offered continued encouragement to this actress turned producer/mother/and on the odd day, lunatic.
ERIC HANSEN (Concessions Sales) from Louisville, Colorado this High School student already has years of sales experience both her at Door Shakespeare and at AFT. Eric is great with people of all ages and never tires of watching the action here in the Garden. Thank you, Eric. Give him a big hello when you visit the concession booth.
JOHN HANSEN (House and Box Office Manager) as a potter, John really knows how to throw the mud! He's a teacher of ceramic arts at the Peninsula Arts School here in Fish Creek as well as at Mudslingers, his own school in Colorado. John is known internationally for his acoustic pottery (speakers and drums). We're happy to again have John a part of Door Shakespeare.
ANN THENELL NOIRET (Costume Designer) after beautifully creating costumes for Door Shakespeare's As You Like It last year, Ann is back to create the characters of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. Ann has extensive experience in design and design engineering. She has worked in Interior Design and fabrication as well as designing costumes for stage and screen. She recently returned to her hometown of Sturgeon Bay.
