STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

Laughing Stock Theater is presenting one of Shakespeare's most debated plays this summer — "The Taming of the Shrew" — and they're doing it with a twist that makes the 435-year-old comedy feel fresh and relevant.

The play runs through Aug. 14 in Ketchum’s Rotary Park.

The play, written between 1590 and 1592, tells the story of the headstrong Katherine, whose mother declares that her sweet younger daughter Bianca cannot marry until Katherine finds a husband first.

Lucentio, played by Jamie Wygle, woos Bianca.

A fortune-seeking man named Petruchio agrees to take on the challenge, launching a stormy battle of the sexes set in Padua, Italy, complete with disguises, elopements and romantic chaos.

It's a play that has made modern directors squirm. On the surface, it depicts the psychological breaking of an independent woman and ends with a speech that would seem to advocate female submission.

"It's a really controversial piece because of the violence and the relationship," said Colton Pometta, the New York City-based director who is helming this production. "So really throughout it, I just learned to trust it more. We found that the couples were really equals and Katherine and Petruchio found their match more than anything, as opposed to him being dominant."

Part of that discovery, Pometta said, came from the casting itself. "I just know these people so well. I think it's pretty exciting."

Katherine cozies up to Lucentio’s father played by David Janeski.

The result, he said, is "one of the least violent Taming of the Shrews" audiences are likely to see.

David Janeski, who plays Vincentio--Lucentio's father--agreed that this production finds humanity where other versions have found only caricature.

" ‘Taming of the Shrew’ is a show that has been worked on a lot by modern directors and playwrights to try and fix it, because in a post-feminist world, ‘Taming of the Shrew’ doesn't work quite so well," Janeski said. "But our version that Colton has mastered is very clear on the text and the relationships. I think our Petruchio and Kate each come from a little bit of desperation, and they find their homes in these roles that they make for one another, that make their relationship work."

Rather than ideas, he said, they become human characters.

Petruchio, played by Jacob Sefcak, tries to goad his wife into submission.

Adrienne Haan, the internationally known cabaret singer who performs Remio and The Widow in this version of “Taming of the Shrew,” brings a different perspective to the production.

"The Widow is much more an Adrienne Hahn character — a proud feminist who knows her way and doesn't take anything from men," she said with a laugh. "So that's really fun."

Haan said she loves that "Taming of the Shrew" was Shakespeare's very first play, rooted in Commedia dell' Arte, the comedic form from Italy of that period. "It is a very silly comedy, and it takes a great director and a good cast to make it work so that it's still funny to an audience today," she said. "That is the challenge of the play."

The production features old-fashioned costumes but a modern sensibility. "Most people have modern accents and there is a modern twist to it," Haan said. "But we're not doing Commedia dell' Arte the way it was originally done."

Suitors of Bianca try to impress her mother, played by Patsy Wygle.

This is the first year Laughing Stock Theater is running two plays simultaneously, rotating "Taming of the Shrew" with the musical "1776" over two weeks. Patsy Wygle, who heads up Laughing Stock and plays Katherine's mother in "Taming," said the idea came up last fall.

"We talked about doing two Shakespeares, like a Tom and Jerry with the same cast," she said. "But I really wanted to do ‘1776’ for our 50th and the country's 250th."

The double bill has been an enormous undertaking. Everyone in "Taming of the Shrew" is also in "1776," which adds another 10 cast members for a company of about 25. The company added only one extra week of rehearsals — four weeks instead of the usual three — and expanded from eight performances to 10.

Janeski, who carries one of the larger roles in "1776" alongside his smaller part in "Taming," said the balancing act required careful planning. "Our director had to do a good job of casting for balance so that we don't have two people with very large roles in both shows," he said.

Katherine chases off one of her suitors.

"Taming of the Shrew" runs about two hours. Performances rotate with "1776" over the next two weeks. Wygle said she is giving audiences a questionnaire this year to gauge their preferences — Shakespeare and a musical, Shakespeare and a straight play, two Shakespeares — to help guide future seasons.

Adrienne Haan said that Shakespeare will always remain the best playwright of all times in her opinion.

The set has been professionally painted to look like fresco. And each actor now has a microphone, which greatly enhances the ability to follow The Bard’s lines.

Megan Beard stars as Katherine and Jacob Sefcak, Petruchio. Jamie Wygle plays Lucentio and David Janeski, his father. Patsy Wygle plays Katherine’s mother, while others locals include Will Hemmings and his son

IF YOU GO:

Laughing Stock Theatre will present “The Taming of the Shrew” at Ketchum’s Rotary Park through Aug. 14.

Showtimes are 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7; Sunday, Aug. 9; Tuesday, Aug. 11; and Friday, Aug. 14.

The theater company will present “1776” Wednesday, Aug. 5; Saturday, Aug. 8; Monday, Aug. 10; Wednesday, Aug. 12, and Saturday, Aug. 15.

Theatergoers are invited to bring blankets or low-back chairs and picnics. Wine, beer and cookies also are available for a donation. Bring a jacket, as well, just in case the evening turns pleasantly cool. The park opens at 5 p.m.

Tickets are $35 for general admission. Reserved bleacher seats are $50, available at https://www.laughingstocktheater.com/team-1