Alec Hufford, a rising senior at Rye High School, is the stage manager for the upcoming local production of The Taming of the Shrew. Other Rye residents in the show are Chet Sternlicht, assistant stage manager; Kathleen Nicholas (plays Bianca); Gwen Wiegold (plays Tranio); Noam Ben Yakir (plays Curtis) and Channing Porter (plays widow). The first performance kicks off August 2nd in Rye Town Park, here are the details:
Grab your spouse, round up your family and browbeat your friends (just kidding!) to see that classic battle of the sexes, The Taming of the Shrew, at your neighborhood park in Westchester on August 2-4 and August 8-10. This is the 8th year that the Port Chester Council for the Arts and LawnChair Theatre are presenting summertime performances of William Shakespeare’s work.
Set in the early 1960s era of “Mad Men,” this newly adapted production of Shakespeare’s comedy will dish out intrigue, plots, disguises and insults galore, all befitting a more unenlightened time. Will Baptista, the gentleman from Padua, manage to marry off both his daughters – the “shrew” Katharine as well as the “sweet” one, Bianca? Will the various suitors and their servants, acting on their behalf, win their chosen mates? Will Kate love and obey Petruchio?
In keeping with the theme, intermission will feature a 1960s style trivia game show in which audience members will compete to win prizes. The production, directed by Mat Young and produced by Peter Green and Carin Zakes, co-founders of Port Chester’s LawnChair Theatre, features a multigenerational cast and crew. Stage manager for the production is Alex Hufford, a rising senior at Rye High School.
Music for the show was composed and recorded by Keith Levenson.
The venue schedule is as follows:
August 2, Rye Town Park, Dearborn Avenue, Rye, N.Y.
August 3, Crawford Park, 122 N. Ridge Street, Rye Brook, N.Y.
August 4, Bedford Village Memorial Park, Greenwich Road, Bedford, N.Y.
August 8 & 9, Lyon Park, 60 Parkway Drive, Port Chester, N.Y.
August 10, Pine Ridge Park, corner of Latonia Drive and Mohegan Lane, Rye Brook, N.Y.
Rain date for Rye Town Park and Pine Ridge Park is August 11.
Suggested donations are $20 general public and $15 for seniors 65 and older and children 12 and under. All performances are at 5:45pm. Audience members should bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. There is no reserved seating. Light refreshments will be on sale. LawnChair Theatre is supported by the Port Chester Council for the Arts and the Port Chester Dept. of Recreation.
