This week’s Throwback Thursday goes way back to grade 8 for me!  This is a photo that appeared in the Stratford Beacon Herald to promote Juliet Public School’s production of The Taming of the Shrew.  I played Bianca, and it was such a fun production.  The show was designed with a Western theme, with all the boys dressed as cowboys and the girls in similar western wear.  This show was my first experience with stage combat (including a scene where I was hog-tied and hit with a riding crop!) and also my first stage kiss!

One of my favourite memories from the production was getting to trash one of Katherine’s wedding dresses with Leigha, who played Katherine.  Two dresses were made — one for Katherine and Petruchio’s wedding, and one for when they arrived at Petruchio’s home after Katherine was thrown from her horse.  Leigha and I took the dress outside into the muddy playground and stomped all over the dress!  The only bad part was the fact that when we went to rehearse that day, the dress wasn’t completely dry, and poor Leigha had to rehearse in a damp, cold dress!

Growing up in Stratford, you study Shakespeare early.  This wasn’t my first experience with Shakespearean language — I started with A Midsummer Night’s Dream in grade 4.  I remember studying the Rude Mechanicals scene and taking on the roles of both Peter Quince AND Robin Starveling — I played Quince so I could have the most lines in the scene, and Starveling so I could wear the awesome Moonshine costume!  I’m just sad that I don’t have photos of that performance!  Pretty sure I was destined to become a director!