Photo of Ryder Dean McDaniel, Dexter Zollicoffer, Mark L. Montgomery, Monica West, Netta Walker, Nate Santana, Melisa Soledad Pereyra, Samuel Taylor, Jay Whittaker, and Alex Weisman by Michael Brosilow.
Get to know the characters of The Taming of the Shrew and read a detailed synopsis of the play.
Characters
Katherina/Ensemble: Bianca’s sister and Baptista’s daughter; she is known to be a “shrew” and thus unmarriageable (played by Melisa Soledad Pereyra)
Petruchio/Ensemble: A man determined to tame and marry the wealthy Katherina (played by Jay Whittaker)
Bianca/Ensemble: Katherine’s sister and Baptista’s daughter; she is being pursued by three suitors: Lucentio, Gremio, and Hortensio (played by Netta Walker)
Baptista/Petruchio’s Servant/Ensemble: Katherina and Bianca’s father (played by Mark L. Montgomery)
Lucentio/Ensemble: A student who falls in love with Bianca; he disguises himself as a Latin teacher to get close to her (played by Nate Santana)
Tranio/Ensemble: Lucentio’s manservant; he dresses as Lucentio in order to help the real Lucentio woo Bianca (played by Ryder Dean McDaniel)
Gremio/Vincentio/Ensemble: An older, rich man and one of Bianca’s suitors; Vincentio is Lucentio’s real father (played by Dexter Zollicoffer)
Hortensio/Ensemble: One of Bianca’s suitors and a good friend of Petruchio; he disguises himself as a music teacher in order to get close to Bianca (played by Samuel Taylor)
Grumio/Pedant/Ensemble: Petruchio’s manservant; a man who pretends to be Vincentio, Lucentio’s father, at Tranio’s request, but who greatly overpromises a dowry for Bianca (played by Alex Weisman)
Widow/Ensemble: A woman who is eventually pursued by Hortensio (played by Monica West)
The play is set in the Italian city of Padua, known as a place of higher learning. It is home to the wealthy Baptista, father of Bianca and Katherine. Several suitors pursue the beautiful and “mild” Bianca, but Baptista insists that her bad-tempered “shrewish” older sister, Katherine, must marry first. One of Bianca’s suitors, Lucentio, disguises himself as a teacher to get close to Bianca and woo her in secret; Lucentio’s servant, Tranio, pretends to be Lucentio. He and the other suitors encourage Petruchio, who has come to Padua to find a wealthy wife, to court Katherine in order to free Bianca to marry one of them.
Petruchio negotiates marriage terms with Baptista, then has a stormy meeting with Katherine, after which he assures Baptista that the two have agreed to marry. Petruchio arrives late to their wedding, behaves rudely and carries Katherine away before the wedding dinner. At his home, he embarks on a plan to “tame” Katherine as one would tame a wild hawk. Starved and deprived of sleep, Katherine eventually agrees with everything Petruchio says. He takes her back to Padua, where they attend Bianca’s wedding.
Lucentio arrives in Padua with his manservant, Tranio, to study at the university. He sees Baptista with his two daughters, Katherina and Bianca, and observes their interactions with two local men, Hortensio and Gremio. Hortensio and Gremio are in love with Bianca, but her father will not allow her to marry until her older sister, Katherina, marries. However, Kate is widely known to be antagonistic and abrasive, so it will be a challenge to find someone who wishes to marry her.
Baptista tells Hortensio and Gremio that he is looking for tutors for his daughters. Hortensio and Gremio then make a pact to seek a husband for Kate so that they can then compete for Bianca’s hand. Lucentio overhears.
Lucentio has fallen in love with Bianca. He and Tranio both decide to disguise themselves: Lucentio as a Latin teacher, knowing that Bianca is in need of a tutor, and Tranio as Lucentio, to help get Baptista on Lucentio’s side.
Petruchio and his manservant Grumio meet with Hortensio. Petruchio wishes to marry, and Hortensio says that Kate would be a terrible option. Petruchio, however, wishes to marry a wealthy woman and says Kate would be just fine. Hortensio asks Petruchio to introduce him to Baptista, Kate’s father, disguised as a tutor, in an attempt to get close to Bianca and woo her.
Lucentio, now disguised as a teacher, has convinced Gremio that he will persuade Bianca to marry Gremio, in exchange for Lucentio being introduced to Baptista. Tranio enters, disguised as Lucentio, asking for directions to Baptista’s house. Act I ends with all three of Bianca’s suitors—Gremio, Hortensio, and Lucentio (and apparently, Tranio) together.
Kate and Bianca argue; Bianca will not admit who she likes amongst her suitors. Baptista enters and reprimands Katherine for being cruel to Bianca.
Gremio and Petruchio arrive at Baptista’s house with the tutors: Lucentio and Hortensio, both disguised as teachers. Petruchio offers Hortensio (calling himself Licio) as a music tutor, and Gremio offers Lucentio (calling himself Cadmio) as a literature tutor. Tranio (in disguise) introduces himself as Lucentio, a suitor of Bianca.
Petruchio asks Baptista for Katherine’s hand in marriage; Baptista says he must win her love. Hortensio enters, injured after Katherine breaks a lute over his head. Petruchio, excited by the challenge posed by Kate’s temper, plans to oppose everything she does and says to “tame” her.
Petruchio and Kate talk alone; he expresses his plan to marry her. They exchange playful and charged banter. Petruchio tells Baptista that Kate is very interested in him and that they will be married on Sunday. Katherine is furious.
Baptista tells Gremio and Tranio (as Lucentio) that whoever can offer the largest dowry will win Bianca’s hand. Tranio promises a sum that goes beyond what the real Lucentio can offer; Baptista names him the winner if he can prove that his father will provide the money.
Hortensio and Lucentio, both in disguise, are trying to tutor Bianca. Lucentio reveals his true identity to her, along with Tranio’s. She tells him that she does not trust him. Hortensio reveals his own identity. Bianca pretends not to understand him. He notes that she seems interested in Lucentio and wonders if he has a chance at all. Bianca leaves to help Kate prepare for her wedding.
Petruchio is late for the wedding, which Katherine finds humiliating. Tranio (as Lucentio) reassures her, and Grumio enters to confirm that Petruchio is on his way. He is, however, dressed terribly—Baptista questions why he has arrived at the wedding in such a state. Petruchio says that Kate is marrying him, not his wardrobe.
Tranio and Lucentio scheme. Tranio, disguised as Lucentio, must produce Lucentio’s father, Vincentio, to prove that he will pay for Bianca’s dowry. He plans to find someone to pretend to be Vincentio.
Gremio and Hortensio recount Katherine and Petruchio’s bizarre wedding, in which Petruchio’s antics stunned Katherine into silence. Petruchio insists that he and Katherine will skip their wedding feast and immediately travel to his home.
INTERMISSION
Hortensio reveals his identity to Tranio, who convinces Hortensio that Bianca is not worthy of his love. Hortensio decides to marry a wealthy widow instead, leaving Lucentio as Bianca’s only suitor. Bianca is thrilled to know that only the real Lucentio remains.
A pedant—a self-important teacher—has been found who is willing to play the part of Vincentio, Lucentio’s father, to assure Baptista of a dowry for his daughter.
Petruchio’s servants prepare the house as they await the newly married couple. Grumio tells how Petruchio behaved terribly on their journey, all to shape Katherina’s behavior. Petruchio did not help her when she fell from her horse, but blamed and beat Grumio instead. Kate had to intervene to stop him, and the entire journey was entirely miserable.
At his home, Petruchio bullies his servants and criticizes the food. He says the meat is too burned to eat and will make Katherina ill; he reveals to the audience that he is denying her food and sleep to make her more compliant.
Hungry and exhausted, Katherina wonders why Petruchio married her. He says he loves her and is caring for her, and Grumio plays a game of suggesting and then denying food for Katherina. Petruchio brings in a plate of meat, and Katherina reluctantly thanks him.
Petruchio tells Kate that they will travel back to her father’s house. He teases her by presenting and denying beautiful clothes, and he gaslights her about the time of day. He insists that she not contradict him, as he decides the time.
Tranio (as Lucentio) tells the pedant (disguised as Vincentio) to play the part well so as to convince Baptista of his identity. The pedant is successful; Baptista agrees to allow Bianca to marry Lucentio.
Petruchio tries to convince Kate that the sun is actually the moon. Hortensio backs him up, telling Kate that unless she agrees with Petruchio, they will never complete the journey back to Baptista’s house.
The real Vincentio arrives and meets Petruchio, who tells him that his son, Lucentio, is to be married to Bianca. Vincentio thinks he is kidding.
Kate, Petruchio, and Vincentio arrive at Baptista’s house. The pedant (disguised as Vincentio) says he’s already in the house and that this man must be a fraud. Tranio (as Lucentio) comes out to meet the real Vincentio, calling him a madman. Vincentio reveals Tranio’s identity and accuses him of murdering his son; just then, the real Lucentio arrives. He and Bianca both greet Vincentio as their father; Baptista is confused. Lucentio explains the ruse. Both fathers are angry, but the young couple is thrilled.
Petruchio asks Kate to kiss him in the street, threatening another long and arduous journey back to Petruchio’s house if she does not. Kate agrees.
The newlywed couple, Bianca and Lucentio, enter the banquet hall for their wedding reception. Lucentio welcomes everyone. Hortensio is there with his new wife, the widow. The party continues and Kate, Bianca, and the widow eventually leave the stage.
Petruchio makes a bet with all the other men that whoever has the most obedient wife wins. Tranio goes to fetch Bianca; she won’t come. Hortensio sends Tranio to get the widow; she says no. Petruchio sends Grumio to get Kate, and she comes. He has her fetch Bianca and the widow, telling her to force them to come with her if need be. Petruchio has won the bet. Baptista compliments him on the change in Katherina’s behavior. Katherine and Bianca speak on the benefits of obedience. Thus, the shrew has been tamed.
Shakespeare’s original The Taming of the Shrew features an Induction, which is a framing device of a few scenes preceding the main action of the play. In Court Theatre’s production, this framing device has been adapted. Our production is framed by “The Shrew Experience,” in which the characters enter a sexually-charged and interactive space to explore their desires, all engineered for their pleasure by the Hostess and her group of players. The characters who enter The Shrew Experience are titillated participants until they themselves are tapped to perform, coached by the Hostess’s players. In this way, the plot of The Taming of the Shrew unfolds, with performers alternating between the roles of audience and amateur performer.
A Note for Teachers
Court Theatre does not produce theatre written specifically for young audiences, so there are times when our productions feature content that may be challenging for audience members under the age of 18.
This adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew engages with mature themes—including desire, sexuality, and power dynamics—while exploring how these issues reflect and challenge gender roles and social expectations. To tell this story, we will be staging moments of consensual dominance and incorporating elements of BDSM. While we will make some staging adjustments to this production for our High School Matinees, we will keep the core of the concept intact.
