Claudia Acosta and Shawn Gann in ‘The Taming of the Shrew’
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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I’d Do That Differently
We put on new productions of old plays because they can bring out fascinating layers and subtexts in material that we thought we knew. Two Fort Worth theater troupes are giving that a try with their shows this weekend.
Teatro de la Rosa takes on Shakespeare in their production of The Taming of the Shrew. As you might expect, this company’s version is set in old Mexico. Shakespeare’s comedy about the battle of the sexes has proven to be infinitely transplantable (contemporary high school, the Old West), and surely it’ll be worth checking out to see if the colonial time period and the traditional machista culture brings anything new to light.
The Box Theatre is doing something a bit more radical with its production of Sam Shepard’s True West. This intense two-character piece about estranged brothers confined to the same house in L.A. will have two different sets of actors switching off performances. (This is reminiscent of the recent Broadway production in which John C. Reilly and Philip Seymour Hoffman flip-flopped into each other’s roles on alternating nights.) The Box Theatre promises wildly different interpretations of the play from the two casts. This possibility is what gives enduring life to any theatrical work, whether it’s by Shakespeare or Shepard.
The Taming of the Shrew runs May 12-28 at Rose Marine Theatre, 1440 N Main St, FW. Tickets are $5-10. Call 817-624-8333.
True West runs May 12-27 at Ridglea Theatre, 6025 Camp Bowie Blvd, FW. Tickets are $15. Call 817-994-7201.
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