July 22, 2009 > Bring on the drama Bring on the drama Woman's Will performs "The Taming of the Shrew" By Mona Shah Photos By Elizabeth Allen Looking for some good, sassy fun this summer? Look no further. Woman's Will opens their season with fireworks in the form of famous, furious and fascinating Kate and Petruchio - Shakespeare's sassiest couple. Kate, untamed, meets Petruchio, equally wild. They find (and fight) their way to peace and perfect love in each other's arms, in Woman's Will's performance of "The Taming of the Shrew." Woman's Will is the Bay Area's all-female Shakespeare Company that exists to provide opportunities for women and girls to work together in a supportive yet challenging environment. There are few good roles for women to play in theater; this company rose from a desire to overcome that. Talented women are pulled together and given an opportunity to expand their boundaries. "We chose 'Taming of the Shrew' because it is exactly the kind of play that suits us best: sexy, sassy and deeply invested in exploring gender roles" says Director and long-time Woman's Will Artistic Director, Erin Merritt. Any time a Shakespeare production has an all-male or all-female cast, it is in danger of becoming a parlor trick. Men playing Viola or Cleopatra are almost always cheesy because they end up mere parodies of the characters. It's no different when women play male characters. Woman's Will doesn't mess around like that. These women are some of the most talented actors because they not only speak like men, but also move like them. Taming of the Shrew stars are returning actor El Beh, having performed in Woman's Will's "Good Person of Szechuan" last summer, and newcomer Kate Jopson, as the fiery lovers Petruchio and Kate. This sassy yet family-friendly show is guaranteed to woo any untamed hearts in the audience. For more information, please visit www.womanswill.org or (510) 420-0813. Taming of the Shrew By William Shakespeare Saturday, August 1 1 p.m. San Felipe Park 2058 D Street, Hayward Shrew runs 2 hours Free (donations accepted)