FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 15, 2008
Contact: Jessica Wong
(662) 329-7119

MUW to host international theatre troupe, ‘The Taming of the Shrew’

COLUMBUS, Miss. - William Shakespeare’s comedy “The Taming of the
Shrew” will be performed by international theatre troupe Actors From The London Stage March 6-8 in Whitfield Hall, Rent Auditorium, on the campus of Mississippi University for Women.

The performances and actors’ residency are sponsored by the Ina E. Gordy Honors College with the honors students assisting at the performances and with the residency of the actors.

During the actors’ one week residence on campus, they will be visiting classes, conducting various workshops and discussions and taking part in the honors seminar on “From the Page to the Stage,” held by Peppy Biddy, chair of the Department of Music and Theatre. One of the actors will also be living alongside students in the Honors Residence Hall. Their stay will provide students and faculty with the unique opportunity to see how Shakespeare’s texts become scripts, his words become actions and his actions take on meaning.

“The Taming of the Shrew” is one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated comedies and the classic example of “the battle of the sexes.” The play tells the story of five men battling one another to obtain love and the conflict that stems from that love.

Nicola Alexis, Victor Gardener, Andy Greenhalgh, Martin Parr and Louise
Yates, who portray the characters in the play, come from various renowned acting companies, such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre of Britain, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and many others.

Though the performances are free to the public, a ticket must be presented at the door for admittance. Tickets can be obtained starting Monday, Feb. 25 by calling 662-241-6850.

The performance on Thursday, March 6 will begin at 6 p.m., and performances for Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8 will begin at
7:30 p.m. Seating will begin 30 minutes before each performance.

Actors From The London Stage is an educational program that first began
in Santa Barbara, Calif., at the University of California in 1975 under Dr. Homer Wander and British actors Patrick Stewart, Bernard Lloyd, Lisa
Harrow and Tony Church. Since 2000, the program has been managed under the University of Notre Dame and tours twice annually to universities
and performing art centers across the United States.

The Ina E. Gordy Honors College at MUW supports the intellectual development of highly motivated, high-performing undergraduate students.
With nearly 100 participants, the Ina E. Gordy Honors College offers
courses and field trips as well as an honors residence hall, a study abroad program, and opportunities for student research. Over two years ago, the late Ina E. Gordy endowed the Honors College.