Program explores Shakespeare's depiction of women
At their recent meeting, members of American Association of University Women saw a vignette from "The Taming of the Shrew" and heard a talk on "Women in Shakespeare."
By the Daily Facts
Friday, November 15, 2002
REDLANDS "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players."
Members of the Redlands Branch of American Association of University Women, attending their branch meeting Nov. 5, experienced the truth of Shakespeare's lines several times during their evening program.
From the opening thought for the day by Carol Steele, a 40-year member of Redlands Footlighters, through a vignette from the Footlighters' production of "The Taming of the Shrew," to the speaker of the evening, the emphasis was on Shakespeare and his depiction of women.
Steve Sabel, director of the Footlighters' production of "The Taming of the Shrew," brought three from the cast to give a brief scene from the production which opened Nov. 14 at the Footlighters Theater on Barton Road.
The actors were Micha Henderson, who plays the lead role of Kate; Stephanie Ann Grewer, who plays her sister, Bianca; and John Mussman, appearing as their father.
"Shrew" performance will benefit scholarship fund
The Redlands branch's annual theater party, a benefit for the AAUW Educational Foundation, will be a special production of "The Taming of the Shrew" on Thursday evening, Nov. 21.
Tickets, at $15 each, are available from Antoinette Brenion, 790-1773. Gift baskets will be offered by various branch interest groups and refreshments will be served at intermission.
Proceeds will go toward the branch's International Fellowship endowment, to provide stipends for women from other countries to study in the United States.
"The Taming of the Shrew" was translated into "Kiss Me Kate," a popular movie and stage play.
Professor talks about women in Shakespeare
Professor Margaret Perry from the theater arts department at Cal State San Bernardino, speaking on "Women in Shakespeare," said the role of Kate is one of the most famous women's roles in Shakespeare's works and one of the most difficult to play. She is a product of an era when feminism was not even a dream.
Shakespeare frequently wrote "uppity women" characterizations which were not around before his time, Perry said. It took several hundred years, but these were the strong-willed women who would eventually become advocates for women's suffrage.
Shakespeare also is known for his "trouser roles " for women, she said. These women, trapped in men's clothing to appear as men, fell in love with the men who saw them only as males. One of the great trouser roles is found in "As You Like It." In his tragedies, Shakespeare was fond of using women as inspiration for men, Perry said. She read excerpts from several of Shakespeare's works to illustrate how the playwright had women speaking a variety of voices.
In addition to teaching and directing productions for the theater arts department at Cal State, Perry is the director of the Coyote Conservatory for the Arts, the department's after-school program for children offered in downtown San Bernardino.
Upcoming events
Other upcoming events for the branch, announced at the meeting, included hosting a home for the Y Alliance Home Tour Dec. 8 and sponsoring the ninth annual Math-Science Conference for eighth-grade girls on Jan 9.
Brenion is chair of the home tour volunteers. Sheron Bealer is chairing the conference which will introduce 600 young women to fields needing math and science. Volunteers still are needed for both projects, they said.
The branch also is "adopting" a family, a single mother with five children, for Thanksgiving and Christmas, announced Renae Reiswig, who is accepting food items and gift certificates to provide for the family.
Member recognized
Jane Roberts, a branch member, was recognized for the honors she has received for starting a campaign to raise $34 million to replace funds for helping women around the world with education, family planning and female health problems which were cut from the federal budget by President Bush.
Two surveys were taken of branch members present. Judy Handleman, public policy chair for the branch, was seeking grass-roots opinions for important issues on which the national association should focus its efforts in the coming year.
Kathy Albrektson, chair of the Legal Advocacy Fund Committee, was seeking to determine members' interest in sponsoring a seminar on computer and Internet training.
New member welcomed
Membership Vice President Sue Angell introduced the branch's newest member, Karen Skoog, a teacher at Cope Middle School.
Guests at the dinner meeting were Millie Lorntz, Debbie LeDoux and Harris Howard.
President Pat Kramer presided over the business meeting and introduced Carolyn Krejci, who was the greeter for the evening.
Mary Dalton introduced the speaker and the troupe from the Footlighters.
The next branch meeting will be Tuesday evening, Dec. 3, when the program will be holiday music by a group from Moore Middle School, said Carol Howard, program vice president.
Submitted by Edna Steinman.