The Taming Read Online Free PDF

actor in the lead role, Petractlio.”
    “That would be Petruchio, unless you’re doing a very, very different version,” I said.
    “You even know the names of the characters?” Danny asked in amazement.
    “The main characters.”
    “Hey, Pistachio!” Danny called out. “How you doing, you nut?”
    The guy put down his tray and then slid into a seat at our table. He was tall and looked athletic—more like a jock than a drama geek.
    “Josh, this is Evan. Evan, this is Josh.”
    I started to get to my feet to shake hands but remembered that wasn’t done around here.
    “Good to meet you, man,” he said.
    “You too.”
    “I was just telling Evan about his involvement in the school play,” Danny said. “How it’s mandatory.”
    “Yeah, part of the course. Of course I didn’t think me getting the lead role was gonna be part of it.” He held up his hands. “Look, my palms get sweaty just talking about getting in front of an audience.”
    Danny laughed. “I figured that wouldn’t bother you. You’ve played in front of large groups before.”
    “Big difference between performing on a stage and being on a basketball court,” he said.
    He was an athlete. That made sense. I liked when things made sense. I’d rather have been able to predict something bad than not see something good coming … wow, that was strange. It was just that it was safer to be able to predict things. If you tripped and gravity didn’t make you fall, it would be less painful than hitting the ground but way too strange.
    “Five hundred people in an auditorium should be nothing after screaming crowds in the stands.”
    “Big difference. I sort of know what I’m doing on the basketball court.”
    “Look who’s being modest,” Danny said. He turned to me. “Josh here is the school’s star athlete. How many scholarships have you been offered for university next year?”
    “More than a few,” he said. “And absolutely none for acting.”
    “Well, that’s not surprising,” Danny said. “I mean, I’ve seen how the rehearsals are going.”
    “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Josh said.
    “I’m only telling you what you already know, right?”
    “No argument,” he said.
    “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m not even sure why Cooper gave you the lead.”
    “You’re not the only one,” Josh agreed. “Ms. Cooper said something about how she wanted to stretch me. If she was going to stretch me a couple more inches it would at least help with my rebound stats.”
    “Maybe Cooper was just thinking that you being in the play would bring in the ladies, guaranteed,” Danny said.
    “Yeah, like that’s gonna work. I’m afraid the sight of me in tights isn’t gonna be anyone’s idea of fun. Why couldn’t she just let me play ball?” He turned to me. “Do you play ball?”
    “Technically, but not basketball. Rugby.”
    “Rugby, now that’s a sport!” Josh said. “Football without equipment. You have to be either fearless or stupid to play that sport!”
    “It helps if you’re a bit of both,” I said.
    “I don’t know,” Danny said. “I think I have the stupid part of it down so I should be a great rugby player. But I’d rather play football, or rugby or have people throw axes at my head than play the lead in The Taming of the Shrew .”
    “Thanks a lot, I appreciate your ongoing support,” Josh said.
    “Come on, just having some fun—at your expense.”
    “So … who’s playing Katherina?” I asked.
    “Katie, Katie Rosario,” Josh said. “Now that was a surprise, too!”
    “Yeah, but there is one big difference between her playing Katherina and you playing Pinocchio,” Danny said.
    “It’s Petruchio, not Pinocchio,” I said, correcting him.
    “Not the way he plays it,” Danny said. “He’s made of wood and trying to be a real boy. But the difference is that Katie is doing a really great job.”
    “I can always count on you for kind words,” Josh said. “I never would have