Shawnigan Players stage 'Taming of the Shrew' for 15th Cowichan Valley Shakespeare Festival

The Shawnigan Players presented William Shakespeare’s *Taming of the Shrew* on July 31, 2026, marking the 15th season of the Cowichan Valley Shakespeare Festival in British Columbia. Director Alex Gallacher highlighted the milestone, saying the troupe’s long‑running festival “feels absolutely amazing to celebrate our 15th season.”

The production emphasized the play‑within‑a‑play opening with the character Christopher Sly and focused on the courtship of Petruchio (played by Connor Lachmanec) and the headstrong Katherina (Jessica Lyric). Gallacher described his aim to frame the story as a love narrative, noting contemporary sensitivities around the title and Petruchio’s tactics. Supporting roles included Baptista (Bill Levity), Bianca (Serafh Hoffart), and suitor tutors Hortensio (Senya Pike) and Lucentio (Daniel O’ Brien).