Simply Streep is your premiere source on Meryl Streep's work on film, television and in the theatre - a career that has won her the praise to be one of the world's greatest working actresses. Created in 1999, we have built an extensive collection to discover Miss Streep's body of work through articles, photos and videos. Enjoy your stay.
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Career > > 1978 > The Taming of the Shrew

The Taming of the Shrew

August 03, 1978 - September 03, 1978 · The Public Theater
Directed by: Wilford Leach · Literature: William Shakespeare · Costume Design: Patricia McGourty · Production Design: Wilford Leach · Music: Richard Weinstock
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Bianca (Deborah Rush), the beautiful daughter of nobleman Baptista (Max Gulack), cannot marry until her older sister finds a husband. The only problem is: There is no man in Padua brave enough to woo the shrewish Katherine (Meryl Streep), so Bianca's suitors enlist the help of Petruchio (Raul Julia), who has just arrived from Verona. Though he woos Katherine unsuccessfully, Petruchio secures her father's permission and the two are married. He carries her off to his house, where he gives her a taste of her own bad behavior to force her to change her ways.
Cast & Characters
Raul Julia (Petruchio), Meryl Streep (Katharina), Larry Pine (Hortensio), Deborah Rush (Bianca), John Bottoms (Gremio), Joel Brooks (Grumio), Tom Costello (Christopher Sly), John Ferraro (Tranio), Stanley Flood (Servant), Kathryn Grody (Tavern, Hostess, Widow), George Guidall (Vincentio), Max Gulack (Baptista Minola), Stephen Hanan (Servant), Anthony Holland (Lord, Pedant), Jim Jansen (Player, Curtis), James Lally (Lucentio), Nicholas Woodeson (Huntsman, Biondello), Richard Zobel (Bartholemew)

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Production Notes

Meryl Streep remembered working with Raul Julia at the most unfortunate event – his memorial service at the Public Theater in November 1995: “He emanated exuberant joy, on which I and others had come to depend like heat in winter. Everything about him was so big his eyes, his gestures, his smile and he was so loud, and I was terrified of him until I had the chance to play with him in The Taming of the Shrew 16 years ago.” Back then, she said, in an overheated moment during a rehearsal, she lunged at him with her fingernails. He then stabbed her with a pencil, leaving “the little blue-black pencil point” embedded in her hand. “I tried to take it off, and now I don’t want to,” Ms. Streep said, adding that when she told Mr. Julia about it, he said, “Aha, now you’ll never get rid of me.”

Awards & Nominations

☆   SoHo Arts Award – Best Actress in a Play


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