It's a Man, Man, Man, Man World: Genesius Guild’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” at Lincoln Park through July 19

The Taming of the Shrew, which has been adapted many times, is one of those stories that you probably know even without having actually seen Shakespeare's play.

Of course, by my millennial birthright, I was introduced to the story through the 1999 film classic 10 Things I Hate About You. You may be more familiar with the its musical adaptation Kiss Me, Kate. Nevertheless, Genesius Guild's new production of the Bard's classic follows the courtship of the strong-willed and outspoken Katherine (the wonderfully talented Josef Bodenbender) and the determined Petruchio (a boisterously manipulative Andy Curtiss), the latter of whom sets out to marry Kate despite her reputation for being difficult – or, as the title would have it, a shrew. Meanwhile, several suitors compete for the hand of Kate's younger sister Bianca (the engaging Zach Ulmer), whose father refuses to let her marry until Kate is wed.

In her pre-show announcements on Sunday night, director Cait Bodenbender didn't shy away from the fact that Shakespeare's comedy is funny while also being fraught with issues when viewed through the lens of 2026. The central premise revolves around a man "taming" his wife into obedience, and no amount of historical context completely erases the discomfort that can bring to a modern audience. Rather than trying to explain it away, however, Bodenbender embraced the play's history by simply casting as Shakespeare himself did: with an all-male cast.

The entire evening leaned enthusiastically into that throwback concept. The men looked splendid in Elizabethan attire courtesy of costume designer Shannon Ryan, whose costumes were period-appropriate. Shout out to Frank Woolley, who also transformed the Don Wooten stage by adding walls that made the intimate outdoor “theatre” feel much closer to Shakespeare's own Globe Theatre. Honestly, the only thing missing was someone selling oranges at intermission. I especially loved how the stage became "The Boar's Head" tavern, framing the production as a play performed for a rowdy group of pub patrons. Right from the opening moments, it was clear that Bodenbender wasn't interested in presenting Shakespeare as something stiff or overly academic. The atmosphere was playful, and all 13 actors seemed genuinely delighted to be there.

Once it was established that the players would begin performing, the three assigned to portray the women immediately began practicing their feminine mannerisms while conversations continued elsewhere on stage and nearly stole focus. It was exactly the sort of background business that rewards audiences who keep scanning the stage instead of staring at whomever happens to be speaking. This was, in fact, one of the greatest strengths of this production: There is almost always something happening to watch.

Because this rendition of Taming is technically a play-within-a-play, Christopher Sly (Andy Lord) spends much of the evening watching alongside the audience. His reactions, and those of whichever tavern companions happened to be sharing a bench with him, became their own layer of storytelling.

Another standout comic moment came whenever Bianca and one of her many admirers, Jonah Higinbotham's delightful Lucentio, occupied the upper level of the set and were dramatically canoodling and patty-caking while others talked about how lovely she was. The addition of a second playing level created some beautiful stage pictures throughout the evening, and allowed multiple stories to unfold simultaneously without feeling cluttered.

Meanwhile, once married, Petruchio deprives Katherine of food and sleep in an effort to force her into submission. To be clear: There's nothing funny about abuse. So rather than asking the audience to laugh at Katherine's suffering, this production shifts the comedy elsewhere. Petruchio's household staff are absolutely terrified of displeasing him, and their exaggerated panic creates much of the laughter during these scenes. It doesn't erase the ugliness of what's happening, but does redirect the audience's attention enough that the scenes remain watchable.

Ryan's costumes once again proved invaluable here. Whenever members of the cast doubled as Petruchio's servants, they changed into coordinated shades of blue that echoed Petruchio's own costume, making it immediately obvious that they were now portraying different characters. In a production in which actors regularly play multiple roles, those visual cues helped keep everything clear without slowing the pace.

Hesitant about a Shakespearean experience? At least in this case, I wouldn't be. Apart from in a handful of moments, director Bodenbernder's cast is especially easy to hear and understand, making the language far less intimidating than one might expect. And while its story definitely isn't all sunshine and roses, this production wisely leans into the comedy whenever it can, helping modern audiences navigate a script that hasn't aged perfectly.

No, The Taming of the Shrew isn't Shakespeare's easiest play to love in 2026. But Genesius Guild doesn't pretend otherwise. It's presented with a genuine affection for the theatrical traditions from which it came, and the result is a production that embraces both the strengths and shortcomings of the Bard's source material. Overall, this is a really solid evening of Shakespeare, and one that's well worth your time.

Genesius Guild's The Taming of the Shrew runs at Lincoln Park (1120 40th Street, Rock Island IL), and more information is available by visiting Genesius.org.