“The Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare opens this weekend in the Central auditorium. 

Cast member Mac Sheforgen said it’s going to be an experience that a lot of people will enjoy.

“With all the instruments and sound effects,” Sheforgen said, “I think that is a really cool touch to add that makes it its own thing and different from other productions.”

Fellow cast member sophomore Aly Aldrich agreed.

“It is just a very unique and different show – you really would not be able to see this show anywhere else,” Aldrich said. “It is different from anything else I have seen before.”

The show dates are Friday and Saturday at 7:00 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm. It is $5 for students and $7 for adults. 

  “‘Shrew’ is about suitors wanting to marry the younger sister (Bianca) but they can not marry the younger sister without the older sister (Katherine) being married,” Aldrich said. “So they find a man (Petruchio) who is willing to change the older sister into being his wife.”

“The Taming of the Shrew” has been told in different ways, and there are even references to it in popular movies.

Junior Madison Berndt said she wasn’t at all familiar with the play before she was cast in it.

“I knew absolutely nothing,” Berndt said. “I knew ‘10 Things I Hate About You” is based on it.”

The ending of “The Taming of the Shrew” – Kate bowing down to Petruchio and giving herself to him – can be considered controversial.

“The ending is technically Kate pushing herself down,” sophomore Roselyn Nienke said. “She is what her man is and she is saying that women should be what their man is.” 

Nienke plays Bianca, who is the ideal woman. She is kind and gentle. Luciento is her love interest. 

Nienke said that she finds the ending interesting. 

“You could take (the ending) as sarcasm,” Nienke said. “You could take it as Shakespeare making fun of the love and the stories.” 

Berndt plays Katherine — who is the shrew that Petruchio is trying to “tame” — and the older sister of Bianca.  

Berndt said she likes how it all flows together.

“It makes sense in the end,” Berndt said. “I think it is fun to see how two characters who are so butted heads end up together.”

Junior Wyatt Angell plays Lucientio, the parallel role of Petruchio. Luciento wants to marry Bianca and they have the more idealistic love story. 

Angell said that he had got a sort of brief on what the “shrew” was beforehand. 

 “I kind of knew a bit about Mac (Petruchio) and Madison’s (Katherine) role,” Angell said. “Then I knew beforehand that my role and Bianca were kind of parallels of Mac and Madison’s role.”

Aldrich plays Megara the Haberdasher, who is a hatmaker. Aldrich said that she was hesitant to try out for “The Taming of the Shrew” because she thought it was going to be boring. 

“It is actually a really fun show,” Aldrich said. “I got to do my own little twist on my character because it is an ensemble. My character is just a very happy and cheerful little guy.”

Berndt said the show was not what she was expecting.

 “I was expecting a more solemn show,” Berndt said. “It is not solemn at all. It is high energy and high impact. A lot of things are happening.”

Bill Weaver, who is normally Central’s tech director, is directing the play.

“He knows what he wants, and he will try his best to pull your best out of you,” Berndt said. “We are all trying our very best to fit his vision for this show.”