[SkateDC] Theater - Shakespeare Free for All: The Taming of the Shrew [Off Topic]

[George Marinkovich]

Saw "Taming of the Shrew" last night at the Harman and had a marvelously good time.  It's a wonderful production, and I imagine people will enjoy themselves regardless of whether they are fans of Shakespeare or not.  The "chic, funny and marvelously acted modern-dress production is a divinely
contemporary, off-center comedy that embraces the play's contradictions
and shortcomings, its wisdom as well as its absurdity."

Here's a review of the production from October 5, 2007, but aside from an entirely new cast (also terrific, by the way), it's in all essentials the same show:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/profile/the-taming-of-the-shrew,1052759/critic-review.html#reviewNum1

My experience getting tickets:
Arrived at the theater at 6:05 pm at which time the line for tickets stretched around two corners of the block.  Waited in line for about 25 minutes when I was informed that the show was sold out, all tickets having been given out.  We were invited to continue waiting in the line anyway to get sequentially numbered paper tickets (wait-list tickets) that would entitle us to get any "returned tickets" 15 minutes prior to the curtain.  Continued waiting in line about 5 more minutes and was then told that all the wait-list tickets had been given out (around 50 it seems).  Was then told it was still possible to get in by showing up half hour before curtain and if there were enough "returned tickets" to satisfy all the wait-list ticket holders, we would then be given any "returned tickets" that might remain.  So I showed up at around 7:30 and waited in the reserve queue for the wait-list ticket line (sort of the wait-list for the wait-list).  Sure
 enough, at around 7:45 they started seating people with wait-list tickets by number.  Around 10 minutes later, all the wait-list ticket holders having been seated, they then started calling for groups of 10 or 20 people to fill empty seats in the theater.  My party of 20 people followed the usher into the theater and were seated in the entirely empty third row from the stage.  Absolutely wonderful seats, somewhat convoluted process to get them, never actually had a ticket.  This is the first Free for All at the Harman Theater and so there may have been some kinks in the process to work out.  Either they gave away far too few tickets or many people who had tickets "returned" them 15 minutes before curtain.  I think everyone who wanted in and showed up right before curtain got seated.  I still saw 2 or three empty seats, but the theater was 99% filled to capacity.

My advice for people wanting to get tickets:

Attend on a weekday (not Friday or the weekend, see schedule link below)

Attend early in the run.

Arrive early and get in line at least half hour BEFORE tickets are handed out (which begins two hours before curtain).

If you don't get a ticket, try and get a wait-list ticket.

If you don't have a ticket, come back half hour before curtain, and when all the wait-list ticket people are seated, you have a chance of getting in without a ticket as they make an effort to fill any empty seats that remain.

Finally, if you happen to be out and about near the Verizon center a few minutes before curtain, stop by the theater and they may let you in without tickets.

Enjoy,
George

--- On Wed, 8/26/09, George Marinkovich <skatewash at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: George Marinkovich <skatewash at yahoo.com>
Subject: [SkateDC] Theater - Shakespeare Free for All: The Taming of the Shrew [Off Topic]
To: "WAR Skate List" <skatedc at www.skatedc.org>
Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2009, 3:39 PM

"The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Free For All is a much-loved Washington
  tradition, offering free performances of a Shakespearean classic to the general
  public. This year the Free For All moves to STC's new state-of-the-art
  theatre Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW; Metro Stop: Gallery Place-Chinatown)."

Performances of "Taming of the Shrew" are presented on  Thursday, August 27, 2009 through Saturday, September 12, 2009.  

The first opportunity to see this is this Thursday (8/27/09) at 8pm  (tickets become available at Sidney Harman Hall at 6pm).  See event information below.  I will try to see it this Thursday night.  If you are interested in joining me, please reply directly to me.

See the calendar for other showtimes:  
http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/about/ffa/calendar.html

Event Information
 
 Location: Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F Street, NW
 Admission: Free
 Reservations: Not required

Tickets can be obtained free of charge in-person the day of the
performance at the Sidney Harman Hall Box Office. Staff will begin
distributing tickets two hours prior to curtain (please note curtain
times do vary).  Each person in line is allowed two tickets. Tickets
are subject to availability. Seating is reserved and will be at the
discretion of House Management.

More info:http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/calendar2532/calendar_show.htm?doc_id=294053
“Smashing … a chic, funny
    and marvelously acted modern-dress production.”

    The Washington Post

“A fun, frivolous and happy parody … the
    cast in this wonderful, zany world is superb.”

  
Metro Weekly
"With The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare gives us the improbable
  courtship of the fiery-tongued Katherine by the arrogant Petruchio. But unlike
  Shakespeare’s other romantic comedies, the play does not stop with the
  wedding. Shakespeare considers the institution of marriage, the rifts between
  men and women, and the rough journey toward love. One of Shakespeare’s
  earliest and most popular comedies, The Taming of the Shrew bursts
  with disguise, deception and devilment."

Enjoy,
George




      
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