Eric Paterniani back to Bryant Park for "Taming Of The Shrew"
The Drilling Company will present its last show for the summer in Bryant Park and Eric Paterniani is enthusiastic to be back as Grumio.
Sometimes the battle of the sexes is not enough. The Drilling Company reads turf wars and class consciousness into its production of "The Taming of the Shrew," to be presented for Bryant Park Shakespeare September 4 to 20, directed by Alessandro Colla. In an intrepid adaptation, the popular comedy is transported to a modern New England fishing village, not unlike Martha's Vineyard, where Katherina is a member of the yachting set and P In this Padua-on-Atlantic, there is lots of tension between the summer vacationers (Gremio, Hortensio, Lucentio) and the townies (Petruchio, Grumio, Curtis). The latter are the kind of people who live off the sea. They don't play tennis and they don't show status in their dress. Petruchio, a seafaring man, wants to marry well because he's broke, like many fishermen are today.
This "Shrew" is the third of three free Shakespeare productions by The Drilling Company, producer of Shakespeare in the Parking Lot, to be performed in Bryant Park this summer. It follows "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" (May 15-31), which was set in Little Italy, and "Romeo and Juliet" (July 17 to August 2), which was set in a modern city divided by wealth and class, to send a clear message about the violence that can result from social division and corporate greed.
This production will be staged on Bryant Park's Upper Terrace, facing the rear of the New York Public Library. As always, admission is free, nearby food kiosks serve affordable meals, capacious rest rooms are close at hand and seating on bistro chairs is guaranteed for everyone. Best of all, there is no waiting in line for tickets.