Category: Productions

“Troilus and Cressida”
Presented by the Wichita Shakespeare Company

The Wichita Shakespeare Company (WSC) closes its 2011 Shakespeare-in-the-Park series with “Troilus and Cressida.”  This Trojan War-era play tells the story of Troilus and Cressida, two young lovers torn apart by the long-running war between the Greeks and the Trojans.  The play is difficult to categorize by genre, as it includes elements of both comedy and tragedy.  It had been neglected for several centuries – not coming into its own until the last century. For this reason, and due to its centric theme on the futility of war, it has frequently been called “the Shakespeare play for the 20^th century.”

The play is directed by veteran WSC director Dan Schuster.  Previous WSC directing credits include “Coriolanus, “Pericles, “Measure for Measure, “Two Noble Kinsmen, “Cymbeline, “Love’s Labours Lost”, and “The Winter’s Tale.” The impressive cast assembled for this production includes Ben Blankley as Troilus, Charlene Grinsell as Cressida, Jim Crawley as Achilles, and Kenneth Mitchell as Ulysses. Others in the cast include Elizabeth Anderson, Kate Corbin, Heather Jewell, Anna Kraus, April Karber, Vonda Schuster, David Weills, Eric Olson, Robert Esau Rutherford, Mark Schuster, Damian Padilla, Isaac Banta, and Joey LeCompte.

Shakespeare-in-the-Park will return to the very popular Central Riverside, Buffalo, and College Hill Parks in Wichita. Parks in Andover, Park City, Derby, and Haysville will complete the tour. All shows will begin at 7:00 pm, with an approximate running time of two hours. The show is rated PG-13 due to violence and adult content. As always, the play is performed free to all audiences but donations are accepted and appreciated. Those attending are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and, of course, bug spray.

In the event of inclement weather, there will be a message posted at 6 pm on the WSC line (316-655-2017) alerting if the show has been cancelled for that evening.

Exact park locations and dates are as follows:

Friday Sept 2 – Central Riverside Park
Saturday Sept 3 – College Hill Park
Sunday Sept 4 – Andover Sports Park, Andover
Friday Sept 9 – Buffalo Park
Saturday Sept 10 – Hap McLean Park, Park City
Sunday Sept 11 – Riggs Park, Haysville
Friday Sept 16 – Central Riverside Park
Saturday Sept 17 – College Hill Park
Sunday Sept 18 – High Park Amphitheatre, Derby

For additional information regarding this show or press release, contact Dan Schuster at (316) 655-2017.

Additionally, check out our website at www.wichitashakespearecompany.org or find and “like” us on www.facebook.com.

Click “Continue Reading” to view photos, the video, and the show poster.

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The Wichita Shakespeare Company (WSC) opens its 2011 Shakespeare-in-the-Park series with “The Taming of the Shrew.”  One of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies, the play tells the story of Katherine Minola, well known in Italy for her scolding tongue, who is courted by a raucous gentleman by the name of Petruchio. This is much to the pleasure of Kate’s family and friends. Kate’s father has refused to marry off the beautiful Bianca (Kate’s younger sister), to one of her many suitors, until Kate has found a husband of her own.

The play is directed by WSC veteran Vonda Schuster.   Vonda previously directed “Twelfth Night” for WSC in 2006.   Vonda has also acted in many past WSC shows. Most recently, she was Lady Macbeth in “Macbeth” and Mistress Page in “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” The impressive cast assembled for this production includes Elizabeth Anderson as Kate and Jeffrey Faus as Petruchio. The supporting players are Jim Crawley, Jamie Smith, John Sommerhauser, Dan Schuster, Kevin Sowers, Ben Blankley, Katie Corbin, Danzel Muzingo Bond, Joey LeCompte, Stephanie Brean, Robert Esau Rutherford, Ben Sanders, Amanda Montoya, and Jessica Fisher.

Shakespeare-in-the-Park will return to the very popular Central Riverside, Buffalo, and College Hill Parks in Wichita.   For this show, the Central Riverside Park performances are being presented in conjunction with the Wichita River Festival.   Parks in Andover, Park City, Derby, and Haysville will complete the tour.   All shows will begin at 7:00 pm, with an approximate running time of an hour and a half.   As always, the play is performed free to all audiences but donations are accepted and appreciated.   Those attending are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and, of course, bug spray.

In the event of inclement weather, there will be a message posted at 6 pm on the WSC line (316-655-2017) alerting if the show has been cancelled for that evening.

Exact park locations and dates are as follows:

June 3rd College Hill Park, Wichita
June 4th Central Riverside Park (Riverfest Performance)
June 5th Central Riverside Park (Riverfest Performance)
June 10th Buffalo Park, Wichita
June 11th Hap McLean Park, Park City
June 12th Riggs Park, Haysville
June 17th College Hill Park, Wichita
June 18th Andover Sports Park, Andover
June 19th Hand Park, Derby

For additional information regarding this show or press release, contact Dan Schuster at (316) 655-2017.

Additionally, we must inform our patrons about Wichita Shakespeare Company’s policy of closed rehearsals. Attendance at WSC rehearsals is restricted to those people either in the Cast or Crew, or adult guardians for any minor cast members. Thank you in advance for complying with our closed rehearsal policy.

PDF of Taming of the Shrew Poster

Click”Continue reading” for photos and video from the production.

Continue reading “Wichita Shakespeare Company Presents Taming of the Shrew”