​WaterTower Theatre Announces Cast & Creative Details for THE TAMING

WaterTower Theatre Announces Cast & Creative Details for THE TAMING

Addison (TX) – WaterTower Theatre Producing Artistic Director Shane Peterman and Associate Producer Elizabeth Kensek are proud to announce casting and creative details for The Taming, the all-female political comedy by playwright Lauren Gunderson.

The Taming kicks off WaterTower’s 26th Season and will run from October 13th - October 24th on the Terry Martin Main Stage at the Addison Theatre Centre.

In this hilarious, raucous, all-female “power-play” loosely inspired by Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, Katherine Chelsea Hartford, the current reigning Miss Georgia, has political aspirations to match her beauty pageant ambitions. All she needs to revolutionize the American government is the help of one ultra-conservative senator’s aide on the cusp of a career breakthrough, and one bleeding-heart liberal blogger who will do anything for her cause. She kidnaps Patricia, a Republican senator’s campaign manager, and Bianca, a liberal activist fighting to protect the endangered pandashrew to hold them hostage in her hotel room the night before the Miss America pageant. Why? Because she has just ditched her original Miss America platform (Sunglasses for Babies) and changed it to “Rewriting the American Constitution”. Can this unlikely trio figure out how to set aside their differences & work together to form a MORE more perfect union? How far will they go to defend themselves and their country? Southern Fried Politics, y’all!

WaterTower Theatre’s production will be directed by Cheryl Denson. Cheryl Denson is an accomplished actor and has become one of the most in-demand directors in Dallas and is heralded as an expert with comedies.

The productions stars Kimberly Michelle Thomas as Katherine, the current reigning Miss Georgia, Leslie Collins as Patricia, the chief of staff to a leading conservative Southern senator, and Jenna Caire as Bianca, the bleeding-heart liberal blogger. All three roles will be understudied by Raven Lawes.

The creative team includes Sarah Mosher as Costume Designer, Jessica Drayton as Lighting Designer, Amy Poe as Properties Designer, Kennedy ‘K’ Styron as Scenic Designer, Brian Christensen as Sound Designer, Jasmine Shands as Production Stage Manager, and Briana Collazo Abbott as Assistant Stage Manager.

Tickets are limited to allow for social distancing of audience, and the production has been approved by Actors Equity Association under their fully vaccinated safety protocols for indoor productions, ensuring the safety of both artists and patrons alike.

Contains adult language. Recommended for ages 12 and above.

WaterTower Theatre’s 2021-2022 Season Sponsor is the Town of Addison.


Lauren Gunderson (Playwright) Lauren has been one of the most produced playwrights in America since 2015 topping the list twice including 2019/20. She is a two-time winner of the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award for I and You and The Book of Will, the winner of the Lanford Wilson Award and the Otis Guernsey New Voices Award, a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and John Gassner Award for Playwriting, and a recipient of the Mellon Foundation’s Residency with Marin Theatre Company. She studied Southern Literature and Drama at Emory University, and Dramatic Writing at NYU’s Tisch School where she was a Reynolds Fellow in Social Entrepreneurship. She co-authored the Miss Bennet plays with Margot Melcon, and her play The Half-Life of Marie Curie is available on Audible.com. Her work is published at Playscripts (I and You; Exit Pursued By A Bear; The Taming and Toil And Trouble), Dramatists Play Service (The Revolutionists; The Book of Will; Silent Sky; Bauer, Natural Shocks, The Wickhams and Miss Bennet) and Samuel French (Emilie). Her picture book Dr Wonderful: Blast Off to the Moon is available from Two Lions/Amazon. She is currently developing musicals with Ari Afsar, Dave Stewart, and Joss Stone. LaurenGunderson.com

Cheryl Denson (Director) is a theatrical director, designer, and actress with around 300 credits for major theaters in Dallas and around the country. Ms. Denson has directed Angels in America, Parts1 and 2, The View UpStairs, bare: a pop musical, Altar Boyz, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Victor/Victoria, The Boy from Oz, and Catch Me If You Can, End of the Rainbow, It’s Only a Play, The Full Monty, Titanic, The Cake, La Cage Aux Folles, A Year With Frog and Toad, Oklahoma, The King and I, Carousel, Master Class, Bye, Bye Birdie, Hello, Dolly!, Fiorello, The Most Happy Fella and The Sound of Music. Past recognition for direction: After the Fair (1997 Leon Rabin Award), The Most Happy Fella (1998 Rabin Award), Gypsy (1999 Rabin Award), Richard Corey (2000 Rabin Nominee), Hair (2007 Rabin Nominee), A Christmas to Remember (2001 Rabin Nominee). Cheryl also has a Rabin award for acting and numerous Dallas Critics’ Forum Awards, Column Awards, and other recognition for acting and directing. Cheryl is a member of AEA, SAG/AFTRA. She has worked in television/radio as an on-camera performer and voice talent and behind the scenes as a set/costume designer for over 60 television commercials and industrial films. Cheryl holds an MFA from Trinity University and a BA from Baylor University.

Show Run Dates: October 13-24, 2021

Single tickets are on sale now.