Taming a shrew, southwest style, opens July 10

Ruben Angel Ortega as Petruccio, carrying Angelina Villalva, as Katherina

El Paso Community College Theatre presents its latest production, William Shakespeare's Taming of The Shrew, directed by EPCC Theatre Director Ted Karber, Jr. Opening night is Friday, July 10, with production running through Sunday, July 19, at the EPCC Forum Theatre on the Transmountain Campus. Admission price is one non-perishable food item per person. 

William Shakespeare's classic comedy is reimagined taking place in the 1800s, inspired by historic El Paso, Ciudad Juarez, and the Southwest. “Filled with fiery personalities, humor, romance, and rivalry, this production brings a bold new atmosphere to one of Shakespeare's most iconic plays,” according to an EPCC Theatre press release.

“This would be called a high concept for directing, in some way similar to an auteur concept in film making. I'm hoping the setting of the Borderlands in the late 1800's will make the play a little more relatable to today's audience," EPCC Theatre Director Ted Karber, Jr. said. “Almost all of the cast are EPCC students, and they are really doing a great job. It is so exciting to see them find the rhythms and actions of the play and make them their own as they maneuver the play."

This classic comedy has been reimagined in an 1899 El Paso border town setting, bringing the history and culture of the Borderlands to one of Shakespeare's most beloved works.

Produced by the EPCC Theatre Discipline, this production features theatre majors and Theatre Club members. The cast and creative team have incorporated research on El Paso’s history at the turn of the century, a period of rapid growth driven by the railroad industry and the diverse communities it attracted.

The production includes a cast of 18 performers. Several cast members are also serving in crew roles, along with three additional crew members, bringing the total number of students and participants to 21, including theatre students, Theatre Club members, and community members.

The cast includes:

Angelina Villalva – Katherina

Ruben A. Ortega – Petruccio

Samantha Smelser – Bianca

Steven Stringfellow – Lucentio

Emily Montelongo – Baptista

Dylan Brennan – Gremio

Seamus Darey-Bell – Hortensio

Numan Aidyn – Tranio

Rafael Alicea – Biondello

Ian Pannell – Grumio

Joseph Hernandez – Merchant/Servant 2

Joie Carriollo - Curtissa

Colleen McCrary is the assistant director and stage manager, and set designer is Dominic Pagano.

Performances will be held on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. All performances take place at the Transmountain Campus Forum Theatre, located at 9570 Gateway Blvd. North, El Paso, Texas 79924.

Admission to this special performance consists of one non-perishable food item per person with donations supporting the EPCC Tejano Mercado, the college's on-campus food pantry.

For more information on showtimes and EPCC Theatre, please visit: https://www.epcc.edu/Academics/Theater