"The Taming" at Yellow Tree Theatre

When I first saw Lauren Gunderson's play The Taming, in a production by the dear departed Theatre Unbound, I remember not really getting it. But that was September of 2016, I was different then, the country was different then. That was before the 2016 election, before COVID, before George Floyd, before the 2020 election, before the 2021 insurrection, before the Epstein files, before the political violence that has affected our state so greatly, before the doubled-down horrors of Trump 2.0. Seeing Yellow Tree Theatre's new production of this play (that was surprisingly written in 2013), I get it now. The Taming (inspired by Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, but bearing little resemblance to it) is a hilarious and biting political satire that is sneakily brilliant; a play that was ahead of its time, and whose time has come. Very smart programming by Yellow Tree to open their 19th season with this play, as we celebrate 250 years of this grand experiment called the United States of America, and approach yet another election with a lot on the line. Head to Osseo to laugh, have a good time, and get inspired. And then vote.

"The Taming" by Theatre Unbound at SteppingStone Theater

Women in politics. It's a pretty timely issue in this election season that may end with America's first woman president (if we're lucky and vote smart). Theatre Unbound's The Taming looks at women and politics, specifically "three powerful, ambitious, and politically motivated women: an animal-loving Democratic social media giant, a workaholic Queer Republican Senator's aide, and a Miss America-hopeful who attempts to break their divide and bring the parties together to rewrite the constitution" (per a note in the program from director Mel Day). Inspired by Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, but not bearing a whole lot of resemblance to it, there's still a whole lot of fodder for political satire, humor, and wackiness, and The Taming delivers.