The Taming of the Shrew
July 31st, 2026
Friday July 31, 2026, 7pm
Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA – 527 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116
By William Shakespeare
In a modern verse translation by Amy Freed
Tickets are Pay What You Wish with a minimum of $5
A presentation of The Huntington Education Department’s 20th Annual Summer Theatre Institute
20th Anniversary of the Summer Theatre Institute!
Synopsis:
Lucentio arrives at Padua and falls head over heels for Bianca. The problem; her father Baptista has forbidden anyone to marry her until his strong-willed oldest daughter, Katherine, is married and out of his hair.
Petruchio comes to visit his friend, Hortensio, with one goal in mind, to find a rich wife. He is presented with the challenge of marrying the “shrewish” Katherine. While he focuses on transforming Katherine into a loving wife, Lucentio plots to win the heart of Bianca. But can he beat out her other suitors?
To learn more about the Summer Theatre Institute, visit our website here! →
In partnership with Play On! Shakespeare
Cast & Creative Team
The Actors
Isha Ali
Vincentio
Isha Ali
Isha Ali (she/her) returns for her fourth Summer Theatre Institute Production having previously appeared in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Much Ado About Nothing, and As You Like It. Isha is a recent graduate of Codman Academy Charter Public School and will attend Clark University in the Fall.
Maka Ali
Tailor, Widow
Maka Ali
Maka Ali (she/her) returns for her second Summer Theatre Institute Production having previously appeared in last summer’s As You Like It. Maka will be a Junior at Codman Academy Charter Public School in the fall. For Maka “the Summer Theatre Institute helps build skills such as communication, self confidence, and public speaking. It also shows a lot of my ability to learn from peers who are on similar pathways as me.”
Junielia Bailey
Philip, Officer
Junielia Bailey
Junielia Bailey (she/her) returns for her fourth Summer Theatre Institute Production after having previously appeared in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Much Ado About Nothing, and As You Like It. Junielia is a recent graduate of Codman Academy Charter Public School and will attend Suffolk University in the fall to study business and theatre. Junielia returns to the Summer Theatre Institute because “I love acting and this program. I love being on stage and stepping into someone else’s shoes. I am excited to keep learning, make new memories, and see what the future holds because of this program.”
Marcus Lamar Coulter Barton Brown
Baptista
Marcus Lamar Coulter Barton Brown
Marcus Lamar Coulter Barton Brown is making his Summer Theatre Institute Debut this summer! Marcus will be a Sophomore at Codman Academy Charter Public School and has also participated in Poetry Out Loud Massachusetts.
Soleil Desai
Messenger, Nathaniel, Pedant
Soleil Desai
Soleil Desai is making her Summer Theatre Institute Debut this summer! Soleil will be a Sophomore at Boston Latin School as was the school’s 2026 Poetry Out Loud Massachusetts Champion and a 2026 State Finalist. Soleil has joined the Summer Theatre Institute because she is an avid performer.
Xavier Fairweather
Joseph, Nicholas, Peter
Xavier Fairweather
Xavier Fairweather (he/him) returns to the Summer Theatre Institute after appearing in last summer’s production of As You Like It. Xavier is a recent graduate of Codman Academy Charter Public School and will attend Framingham State University this fall to study fashion and merchandising.
Alenny Guerrero
Bianca
Alenny Guerrero
Alenny Guerrero (she/her) is back once again after participating in last summer’s production of As You Like It. Alenny will be a Junior at Codman Academy Charter Public and joins us this summer “because I’m passionate about theater and enjoy being part of a creative and collaborative environment.”
Akira Johnson
Curtis, Haberdasher
Akira Johnson
Akira Johnson is back for her fourth summer having appeared in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Much Ado About Nothing, and As You Like It with the Summer Theatre Institute. Kira is a recent graduate of Codman Academy Charter Public School and will attend Salem State University in the Fall to study Nursing.
Ngolela Kamanapata
Tranio
Ngolela Kamanapata
Ngolela Kamanapata (she/her) is making her Summer Theatre Institute debut this summer! Ngolela will be a Junior at Boston Arts Academy and wanted to join this summer “because I knew that it was an incredible opportunity to continue my training in acting.” Ngolela has been a dancer since she was two years old, training at OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center. She has danced at venues such as Gillette Stadium and The Kennedy Center.
Jeaon Kylin Lafleur
Petruchio
Jeaon Kylin Lafleur
Jeaon Kylin Lafleur (he/him) is making is Summer Theatre Institute debut this summer! A recent graduate of Boston Arts Academy, Jeaon will attend Salem State University this fall to pursue acting. Jeaon has attended Huntington student matinees with his school and joined the Summer Theatre Institute “because I wanted to improve my Shakespeare and make connections at The Huntington.”
Yarlenis Mejia
Katherine
Yarlenis Mejia
Yarlenis Mejia (she/her) returns to the Summer Theatre Institute after participating in our 2024 production of Much Ado About Nothing. She will be a Senior at Boston Arts Academy and returns to the Summer Theatre Institute because “I knew I had to do it again after being in Much Ado About Nothing. It was truly such a fun and wonderful experience, why not do it again?”
DJ Mills
Lucentio
DJ Mills
DJ Mills (she/her) is making her Summer Theatre Institute Debut this summer! DJ will be a sophomore at Codman Academy Charter Public School where she has attended student matinees and is the school’s current Poetry Out Loud Massachusetts School Champion. DJ joined us this summer because she wanted to continue to pursue more poetry and acting.
Ryelle Paulino
Hortensio
Ryelle Paulino
Ryelle Paulino she/her
Codman Academy Charter Public School Class of 2027
Theatre is something that has helped me gain the ability to have newer opportunities as well as a new art form to express myself and go through real-life experiences on stage or enjoy a fictional play!
Zoe Jesenia Lorraine Santos
Grumio
Zoe Jesenia Lorraine Santos
Zoe Jesenia Lorraine Santos is making a Summer Theatre Institute debut this summer! Zoe is going to be a Sophomore at the Academy of the Pacific Rim this fall and auditioned for this job “because it seemed like something fun to keep me busy during the summer.” Zoe likes to draw and write and has also participated in Poetry Out Loud Massachusetts.
Tallula Sullivan
Biondello
Tallula Sullivan
Tallula Sullivan (she/her, they/them) returns to the Summer Theatre Institute after participating in last year’s production of As You Like It. Tallula will be a Senior at Boston Latin School and joins us because “I love Shakespeare, I want to do more of his plays. I also just really like putting on productions with people in my age group.”
Dan Worku
Gremio
Dan Worku
Dan Worku is making is Summer Theatre Institute Debut this summer! Dan will be a Senior at Cambridge Rindge & Latin School. Dan has acted before playing Capulet in Romeo & Juliet last summer, and he plays the drums. Dan says “I’ve previously participated in other programs with The Huntington and when I saw auditions were up for Summer Theatre Institute I knew I should come back because I always have a good time here.”
The Taming of the Shrew Creative Team
LaTasha Snider
Director
LaTasha Snider
LaTasha Snider (she/her) is a Boston-based creative, photographer, teaching artist, and director with a passion for visual storytelling. She is enthusiastic about connecting arts with education and helping students find their voices. Whether she is behind the camera or teaching young emerging artists in the classroom, her purpose is to create meaningful work and relationships that will leave a lasting impact.
Lexi Ashraf
Stage Manager
Lexi Ashraf
Lexi Ashraf The Huntington: Eureka Day, The Light in the Piazza, The Grove, Leopoldstadt. Regional: Her Portmanteau (Central Square Theater), Seussical Jr. (Greater Boston Stage Company). She is a second-year Stage Management M.F.A. candidate at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale.
Tova Carmen Bouare
Assistant Stage Manager
Tova Carmen Bouare
Tova Carmen Bouare (she/her) returns for her second summer having previously been on the stage management team for As You Like It. Tova graduated from the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science in 2025 and will be a sophomore in the Stage Management Program at the University of Hartford.
Analyse Lisa Duffy
Assistant Stage Manager
Analyse Lisa Duffy
Analyse Lisa Duffy (she/her) returns for her third summer having previously been on crew for both Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It. Analyse is a Junior with Penfoster Academy and says she has returned to the Summer Theatre Institute “because of my love for theater. I’ve done this program before and genuinely loved it.”
Amy Freed
Translator
Amy Freed
Amy Freed is the author of Shrew! ,The Monster Builder, Restoration Comedy, The Beard of Avon, Freedomland, Safe in Hell, The Psychic Life of Savages, You, Nero and other plays. Her work has been produced at South Coast Repertory Theater, Seattle Repertory, American Conservatory Theater, Yale Rep, California Shakespeare Theater, Berkeley Rep, the Goodman, Playwrights’ Horizons, New York Theater Workshop, Woolly Mammoth, Arena Stage and other theaters.
Cristobal Sanchez
Production Assistant
Cristobal Sanchez
Cristobal Sanchez is returning for his second Summer Theatre Institute after previously appearing in last summer’s production of As You Like It. A recent graduate of Boston Arts Academy, Cristobal will attend Bunker Hill Community College in the fall and will major in theater. An active participant with The Huntington Education Department, Cristobal has attended student matinees and participated in Boston’s regional Next Narrative Monologue Competition.
Naheem Garcia
Carpenter/Deck Crew, Costume Coordinator, House Electrician, House Audio
Naheem Garcia
Naheem Garcia (he/him/el) Alexis Rene Garcia, professionally known as Naheem Garcia, has been an actor and theatre educator for thirty years. He grew up in Boston, MA, arriving here from Cuba with his mother, grandmother, and aunt in 1968. This proud bilingual (English and Spanish) artist is known for his deep, mellifluous voice. As a teenager, Naheem developed his acting skills in Boston Youth Theater and received his formal training in theater arts at New African Company, where he has been a Distinguished Artist-In-Residence since 2004. Naheem is the Founder and lead teaching Artist for NG edutainment, an Arts/Education Program, founded in Boston Massachusetts. He is the Residence Teaching Artist and a member of The Huntington’s Education Department, for close to 30 years.
The Huntington’s Education Department
Meg O'Brien
Director of Education
Meg O'Brien
Meg O’Brien (she/her/hers) is in her 18th season at The Huntington where she has been the Director of Education since 2017. Meg is also a member of the national cohort of Teaching Artists with Play On! Shakespeare. Meg has worked professionally as an actor, dancer, singer, director, producer, finance director, arts administrator, access coordinator, and stage manager. For more than 20 years Meg’s career has focused on educational theater, training and development for students of all ages, and ensuring schools have access to live stage productions. Since joining The Huntington in 2008, Meg has directed, stage managed, and/or produced more than 60 student-centered productions, showcases, and other events for The Huntington’s Education Department.
Marisa Jones
Associate Director of Education & Workforce Development
Marisa Jones
Marisa Jones (she/her/hers) received a B.F.A in Theatre Education with a minor in writing from Emerson College where she was the recipient of the Phyllis A. McCullough Scholarship for Performing Arts. Marisa co-authored (Colby, Nelson) the paper, Signs of Change: New Directions in Theatre Education published in the Youth Theatre Journal. Marisa went on to earn an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education as part of the Arts in Education program (A.I.E.) and dedicated part of her study to a concentration in Human Development & Psychology.
Bec Ray Lowe
Manager of Education Operations
Bec Ray Lowe
Bec Ray Lowe(they/he) is a multidisciplinary artist and educator who is in their 4th season at The Huntington. They graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design’s Savannah campus in Spring 2020 with a BFA in Dramatic Writing and a minor in Music Composition. Prior to joining The Huntington in 2022, they worked at Wellesley Theatre Project as a teaching artist in a variety of roles, primarily within the wardrobe department. They have worked as a trans sensitivity reader, and as a reader for Fresh Ink Theatre’s 2024/2025 season. They are a founding member of The Huntington Pride Committee, acting as a leader for The Huntington’s participation in the Boston Pride for the People Parade since 2023.
Kalee Burrows
Manager of Curriculum & Instruction
Kalee Burrows
Kalee Burrows (she/her) is a queer theatre artist, writer, and educator in Boston, MA. She teaches and works with young people and adults in schools, studios, and theatre spaces across the globe. These participating organizations include The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, The Huntington, Boston Lyric Opera, SpeakEasy Stage Company, The Boston Center for the Arts, The Hanover Theatre & Conservatory, Company One, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, The New Art Center, and Little Theatre of Fall River. Officially recognized as a Certified Artist by the City of Boston, Kalee is a skilled practitioner in devised theatre and arts education.