We had a wonderful turn-out for the auditions and we thank everyone who came out. 39 talented actors and actresses signed up for the auditions! We had quite a few familiar faces audition, but also many new faces. In fact, we are very proud to say that with each audition thoughout the current season we have made many new friends.
Cast List for Theater … for a change’s (TFAC) The Taming of the Shrew (asterisk denotes TFAC debut):
| Petruchio | David Oddy * |
| Katherine | Jami Bassman * |
| Bianca | Evan Layne Hay * |
| Lucentio | Nick Cornelison * |
| Baptista | Naima Nicholson * |
| Hortensio | Luke Baehr * |
| Gremio | Doug Chew * |
| Merchant | Bob Baskerville |
| Tranio | Phil Henry * |
| Vincentio | Robert Uy * |
| The Clowns (servants, townspeople, etc) |
Andrew Jordan Adams * Scottie Baer * Lisa DeWaard * Kyle Phillips * Dylan Rolfes * Amanda Zeller * |
| Director | John Butz |
| Costume Design | Christy Wilkins |
| Stage Manager | Patti Spencer Burdette * |
| Tech Operator | Melissa Rezab |
Our family of talented people continues to grow …
- For the central Iowa premiere of I Am My Own Wife in September 2006, not only was it our first time working with fantastic actor Dean Krouch but it was our first time with four in the production staff.
- In Laughter on the 23rd Floor, TFAC worked for the first time with six of the nine actors and two of the production staff.
- Eight of the nine actors and our stage manager made Corleone: The Shakespearean Godfather their first TFAC experience.
And now for some chest-thumping time …
All but one of the cast members of The Taming of the Shrew is making their TFAC debut (plus our stage manager)! Thanks again, to everyone who auditioned and we look forward to seeing you audition next season!
A quick summary of The Taming of the Shrew (courtesy of www.william-shakespeare.info):
The beautiful and gentle Bianca has no shortage of admirers (Lucentio, Gremio and Hortensio) but her father insists that she will not marry until her shrewish sister, Katherine, is betrothed. Bianca’s suitors persuade fortune-seeker Petruchio to court her. The suitors pay for any costs involved and there is also the goal of Katherine’s dowry.
Sparks fly between Katherine and Petruchio and they enter into various slanging matches but not to be put off Petruchio marries Katherine. His behaviour following the wedding is intolerable and he carries Katherine off to his country house with his servant Grumio. Petruchio intends to browbeat Katherine into submission and he craftily denies her food and sleep, whilst continuously singing her praises. He also finds fault with her new clothes and she is forced to wear old ones. This is the final straw and Katherine starts agreeing and pleasing her husband - she has been tamed.
On their return to Padua Lucentio has won Bianca and Hortensio has married a widow. At a banquet they wager on who has the most obedient wife. Each wife is issued with commands but only Katherine obeys and promptly lectures everyone on the importance of wifely submission!
The theme of the play is a farcical comedy but the question is did Shakespeare really believe that a woman was in no way equal to a man or was this play tongue in cheek and was he portraying how men would simply like things to be!
