Shakespeare with circus atmosphere

By VANESSA McCRAY
vmccray@record-eagle.com

June 26, 2009 07:05 am

—

INTERLOCHEN -- Petruchio tries to tame a knife-throwing Kate in an Interlochen Shakespeare Festival production of "The Taming of the Shrew."

Director Bill Church stages the well-known comedy under the big top tent of an early 1900s circus. Shrewish Kate's character takes on an extra edge with her knife-throwing prowess. Petruchio, the suitor who tries to soften Kate, is depicted as a lion tamer.

"It has been fun to be able to add these physical aspects of knife throwing and the instinct to throw things to the aspect of Kate," said Laura Mittelstaedt, who portrays the ill-tempered eldest daughter of a wealthy merchant.

The father refuses to allow his pretty younger daughter Bianca to marry until her older sister has a husband.

The interior of the Harvey Theatre at Interlochen Center for the Arts will be transformed into the inside of a circus tent for the run of the production, which began Thursday and runs through July 5. The audience also can expect clowns and a human cannonball.

"The costumes are great fun," Church said.

Interlochen launched the festival last year with sold-out shows of "Twelfth Night." This second annual festival continues to draw on Interlochen's talented staff, faculty and alumni. Mittelstaedt, who lives locally, teaches acting during the summer program. Dustin Tucker, who plays Petruchio, attended the academy for four years and graduated from the school in 1998.

"It's fantastic to be back. They actually put me in my freshman dorm room -- the actual room that I was in. That's kind of strange," Tucker said.

The actor whose primary interest is classical theater had not envisioned himself in the role, but he liked Church's ideas for the characters.

"Bill's take on the play is just wonderful and gives so much love to the people," Tucker said. "They kind of learn a lot from each other."

Tickets to "The Taming of the Shrew" are $26. For ticket availability and information, visit the Web site www.interlochen.org or call the box office at 276-7800.

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.