As summer nights fade into autumn glow, The Taming of the Shrew wraps up Shakespeare Dallas’ 2025 season, but there is a twist to this Shakespearean battle of the sexes. The outdoor production running at Samuell-Grand Amphitheater in Dallas, Sept. 19 – Oct. 19, is a reimagined, bilingual version of the comedy, translated into modern verse by Pulitzer Prize finalist Amy Freed.
Presented in part by The Hitz Foundation and Play On Shakespeare, this production is performed in English and Spanish and set in the Texas borderlands of the 1880s. Ryan Matthieu Smith directs the comedy, reframing the classic battle of wills between Katherine and Petruchio with cultural vibrancy and a contemporary lens.
Gates open at 7:30 p.m. for general admission, 7:00 p.m. for advanced sales, and 6:45 p.m. for members. Performances begin at 8:00 p.m. Similar to summer performances, patrons are welcome to bring chairs and blankets and enjoy picnic baskets, food, beer, and wine.
Jenni Stewart, Shakespeare Dallas’ Interim Executive and Artistic Director, talks about Freed’s modern treatment of a beloved Shakespearean comedy, the importance of a bilingual production, and how comedies make people think.
NBC DFW: When it comes to producing The Taming of the Shrew, why did you want to produce Amy Freed’s version?
Jenni Stewart (JS): We were drawn to Amy Freed’s modern verse translation, created through Play On Shakespeare, because it gives us a chance to revisit this classic comedy with fresh eyes and ears. Shrew has always been a lightning rod — funny, troubling, and provocative in equal measure. Freed’s version opens the door for new audiences while still respecting the bones of Shakespeare’s play. It allows us to both laugh and wrestle with the themes in a way that feels relevant right now.
NBC DFW: What do you most appreciate about Freed’s approach to Shakespeare’s themes and language?
JS: What’s remarkable about Freed’s modern verse translation is how it preserves the poetry, cadence, and theatricality of Shakespeare, but in contemporary English. It doesn’t simplify or dumb down — it clarifies. That’s especially important when paired with Spanish. When you translate Shakespeare into another language, you translate into the modern form of that language. So, using Amy’s modern verse in English allows the two languages to sit side by side, both contemporary, both alive. It creates a production that feels equally accessible whether you’re listening in English, Spanish, or both.
NBC DFW: Why is a bilingual production important to your audience?
JS: Dallas is a city where bilingualism is part of everyday life. As a theater company committed to reflecting the community we serve, incorporating Spanish alongside English is essential. For our Spanish-speaking audiences, it offers representation and recognition; for English-speaking audiences, it expands the theatrical experience. Most importantly, it brings both groups together in a shared space, laughing and thinking as one community.
Jordan Fraker
Jordan Fraker
This bilingual production runs September 19 – October 19 at Samuell-Grand Amphitheater in Dallas.
NBC DFW: How does the bilingual aspect of the show work?
JS: The production integrates English and Spanish organically into the script and the performance. Characters move between languages much the way people do in bilingual families and communities. Freed’s modern verse translation provides a contemporary English base, while the Spanish is also rendered in its modern form. The result is a dynamic interplay where both languages feel immediate and natural. Even if you don’t speak both, the story shines through thanks to the actors’ delivery, the physical comedy, and the universality of the themes.
NBC DFW: Comedies are designed to make people laugh. How does this comedy make people think too?
JS: Comedy is a great way to get at truths we might otherwise resist. Freed’s Shrew invites us to laugh at the ridiculousness of rigid gender roles, mismatched expectations, and the battle of the sexes — and then to ask ourselves: why was that funny? What has changed in how we view relationships and power, and what hasn’t? It’s in that space, between laughter and reflection, that the play finds its real impact.
Learn more: Shakespeare Dallas