WHAT: Rebel Alliance Theatre presents Taming of the Shrew
WHEN: 7 p.m. Feb. 18-20 and 25-27
COST: Ticket prices are on a sliding scale; base $8 or $15, including a donation to help Rebel Alliance Theatre continue.
INFO: 920-426-8580, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , rebelalliancetheatre.org

By Sarah Ludeman

The Rebel Alliance Theatre has been a mainstay in the Fox Valley region for more than 15 years, where it has worked to bring the arts to life. After spending nine years located in Oshkosh’s Time Cinema building and the last six years in the Omro Wedding Chapel, the Rebel Alliance Theatre is proud to announce that it finally has a place to call its own, as it will soon be moving to the former Presbyterian Church on Webster Street in Omro. Under the new name “Rebel Alliance Theatre and Omro’s Center for the Arts,” the goal of the theatre remains the same, despite the change in venue.

“Our continuing mission is to reveal and recognize the arts as an essential dimension of a thriving and sustainable community,” said Kelley Duhatschek, artistic director and education program director for the Theatre. “Our new venue will not only provide cultural, artistic and educational opportunities for Omro, but will generate interest in and attract tourism to the Omro area.”

Entering its 16th season, the Rebel Theatre is made up of a central group of 15 volunteers, all of whom have been with the Theatre for several years. The Theatre is also open to members of the community who are not core members, but who often participate in the Theatre’s productions as actors and crew members.

Jen Frank, production coordinator for Rebel Alliance Theatre, is excited about the possibilities that come with moving to a new location.

“Our move to a new venue was prompted by our desire to have a space that we could call our own, where we could more fully realize our commitment to making the arts a part of the fabric of life in Omro and surrounding communities,” said Frank. “We have long believed that the creative vision that fires the work we do required a ‘home’ where all could gather and experience the arts freely and fully.”

Frank and the rest of the Theatre staff hope to be moved into their new home in April, but plan to go out with a bang with their upcoming performance of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, which can be seen Feb. 18–20 and 25–27 at the Omro Wedding Chapel, 205 Adams St.

One of Shakespeare’s early plays, The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy based around the evolution of two different relationships. Upon meeting a beautiful woman named Bianca, Lucentio immediately falls in love and seeks her hand in marriage, despite the stiff competition from two other potential suitors. However, Bianca’s father, Baptista, has made it clear that no one may court Bianca until her older, ill-tempered sister, Katherine is married. It takes a young man from Verona named Petruchio to help solve the Katherine situation. Seeking a wife, Petruchio agrees to marry Katherine without ever having met her. The result is a comedic play full of witty humor, deception and disguise.

Kari Ann, who plays the shrew-like Kate in the play, has been with Rebel Theatre for three seasons and is looking forward to the upcoming performance and the chance to share the world of production with the audience.

“Live theatre is always a new experience. Not only between productions but every night, with each new audience, something new and wonderful is found,” said Kari Ann. “Rebel isn’t afraid to break down preconceived notions of what theater is or should be. Neither are we afraid to really look at the heart of a play we’ve all heard, seen or done a million times and find a new way of looking at it, without losing the truths contained in the story. Rather, Rebel brings those truths to light.”

Duhatschek, who is also directing the play, says anyone in attendance can expect to have a lot of fun. Audience members can expect an up-close-and-personal performance with the final performance at the Theatre’s current venue.

“We perform in an intimate space with very little separation between audience and actors so it is very hard not to be drawn into the story and get close to and care about the characters,” Duhatschek said. “We only have 42 seats and that demands a sort of attention from the audience and generates a kind of energy that sitting in a huge theatre just can’t duplicate.”