The 2016 Stolen Shakespeare Festival will present The Taming of the Shrew and its pseudo-sequel, The Tamer Tamed.

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare is a comic confrontation between the sexes. Older sister Kate matches her gentle and loveable sister Bianca in beauty, but in temperament leaves much to be desired; she is razor-tongued and strong-willed. Though Bianca has many suitors, her father will not allow her to marry until Kate has a hisband of her own. No one dares to marry the foul-tempered Kate until Petruchio arrives in Padua and tries his hand at courtship.

The Tamer Tamed by John Fletcher is the comedic sequel and "reply" to The Taming of the Shrew by 17th century playwright John Fletcher. Fletcher switches the gender roles of the Shakespeare play: here the women seek to tame the men. Fletcher was widely celebrated in his day, collaborated with Shakespeare on at least three plays, and no doubt wrote this play to attract Shakespeare's attention. When Katherine (the "shrew" of the original) dies, Petruchio takes a second wife, Maria, who suddenly denounces her former mildness and vows not to sleep with Petruchio until she "turn him and bend him as [she] list, and mold him into a babe again." Plot twists and comedic exchanges lead to Petruchio finally being "tamed" in the eyes of Maria and the play ends with the two happily reconciled.

Schedule of events

The Taming of the Shrew

• Friday, February 12 - 8 pm
• Saturday, February 13 - 8 pm
• Sunday, February 14 - 2 pm
• Saturday, February 20 - 8 pm
• Sunday, February 21 - 2 pm
• Friday, February 26 - 8 pm​
• Sunday, February 28 - 7:30 pm
• Saturday, March 5 - 2 pm

The Tamer Tamed

• Friday, February 19 - 8 pm​
• Saturday, February 20 - 2 pm
• Sunday, February 21 - 7:30 pm
• Saturday, February 27 - 2 pm
• Sunday, February 28 - 2 pm

• Saturday, March 5 - 8 pm

• Sunday, March 6 - 2 pm