Pictured: Awkward Wedding Photo: Taming of the Shrew Edition.
Today’s Date: 7/28/2019
Show Title: The Taming of the Shrew
Director: Kim Newton
Assistant Directors: Austin Harleson & Taylor Lamb
Production Intern: Margot Flanders (Dramaturg) & Jules Talbot (Stage Manager)
Rehearsal Room: Hunt
What we did
This afternoon we began with notes from yesterday morning before learning how to disco to “Stayin’ Alive.” Then we went into wooing time with integrating the dance into Bianca and Lucentio’s ‘beastly’ courting scene and then tweaking the physicality in Katherina and Petruchio’s wedding scene. Then we worked on the wedding entrance and the music. Finally, we ran the show in its entirety.
Quick and Quotable
From the play
“Fie on her, see how beastly she doth court him”
—Tranio, Act V
From the director
“Are you all ready to learn some disco?”
“Then you’re gonna do the John Travolta.”
From the cast
“Margot, get up and dance with us!”
—Sophie (Bianca)
“I think I am just happy that it’s over.”
—Ella (Baptista) on how he feels about Katherina’s wedding.
“He is thriving.”
—Teagan (Grumio) on Katherina and Petruchio’s wedding.
Production Insights
As we begin the final week with our last Sunday rehearsal, it is time to think big picture. We have started doing full runs, the costume rack is full and show shoes are on. We spend the first half of rehearsal tweaking little things and then finish up with as much of the show as we can get through. Everything is now detail work, which is so important to comedies to help the jokes land. Today we spent that time learning a dance, continuing to work on wooing, and creating a wedding photo style tableau.
Everything is falling into place. In a week we will have a wonderful show and a million memories that will last forever.
Margot Flanders
Margot Flanders was born and raised about fifteen minutes from Staunton in the small town of Fishersville, VA. She is currently studying English and Theatre (and possibly studying Classics and/or Geology) at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. She has spent her first year of college as an Assistant Director, Assistant Production Manager, Dramaturg, and Assistant Stage Manager for Shakespeare in the Dark (W&M’s Shakespeare Club), The Sinfonicron Light Opera Company (W&M’s Gilbert and Sullivan based musical company) and the school’s theatre department. When she is not locked in a rehearsal room, she loves to hike and play with her dogs.