Kiss Me, Kate
Encyclopedia
Kiss Me, Kate is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter
. It is structured as a play within a play, where the interior play is a musical version of William Shakespeare
's The Taming of the Shrew
. The original production starred Alfred Drake
, Patricia Morison
, Lisa Kirk
and Harold Lang
.
Kiss Me, Kate was a comeback and a personal triumph for Cole Porter. After several successful musicals in the 1920s and 1930s, notably Gay Divorce
, Fifty Million Frenchmen
, and Anything Goes
, he experienced an equestrian
accident in 1937 that left him in constant pain.
Following the accident, he continued to write songs and musicals but with limited success, such as Mexican Hayride, Let's Face It!
and Something for the Boys
, and some thought he was past his prime. Kiss Me, Kate was a response to Rodgers and Hammerstein
's Oklahoma!
and other integrated musicals, and it proved to be his biggest hit and the only one of his shows to run for more than 1,000 performances on Broadway. It won the first Tony Award
presented for Best Musical, in 1949.
tryout at the Shubert Theatre in Philadelphia starting December 2, 1948, the original Broadway
production opened on December 30, 1948, at the New Century Theatre
, where it ran for nineteen months before transferring to the Shubert
, for a total run of 1,077 performances. Directed by John C. Wilson
with choreography
by Hanya Holm
, the original cast included Alfred Drake
, Patricia Morison
, Lisa Kirk
, Harold Lang
, Charles Wood
and Harry Clark.
production opened on March 8, 1951 at the Coliseum Theatre
, and ran for 400 performances. Directed by Sam Spewack with choreography again by Holm, this production starred Patricia Morison, Bill Johnson and Julie Wilson
.
, Ann Howard (Kate), Francis Egerton, Robert Lloyd, with direction by Peter Coe
and choreography by Sheila O'Neill. Coe did a translation for British audiences, including having "a tea wagon", and included "traditional English music hall jokes". This revival had a "brief run", according to the Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre.
and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall
and Rob Ashford
, the opening night cast included Marin Mazzie
, Brian Stokes Mitchell
, Amy Spanger
, Michael Berresse
, Ron Holgate
, Lee Wilkof
, and Michael Mulheren
. This production won the Tony Award
s for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actor in a Musical for Mitchell; Marin Mazzie
received a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, and Michael Berresse
, Lee Wilkof
and Michael Mulheren
received Tony nominations for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.
revival opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre
on October 30, 2001 and closed on August 24, 2002. As with the 1999 Broadway revival, Michael Blakemore was the director with choreography by Kathleen Marshall. Brent Barrett
and Marin Mazzie co-starred.
on December 31, 2007.
A Canadian production opened on June 8, 2010, in Stratford, Ontario.
Kiss Me, Kate had also been produced in Canada as the choice for a musical at the annual Shaw Festival
at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, in the early 1990s.
The Swiss-German version of the show opened on December 30, 2010, in Zentrum Bühne Bottighofen, Switzerland and had 14 successful performances.
In November 2011, the Minerva Theatre Group in Glasgow opened a version of the show at The Mitchell Theatre which ran for 5 performances from the 8th to the 12 of Novermber. The show starred Cathrine Usher as Lilli Vanessi/“Kate”, Jim McPhee as Fred Graham/“Pertruchio” and Eleanor Docherty as Lois Lane/Bianca”.
The Guildhall School of Music and Drama
will be performing the show from July 5 - July 13 2011.
The story begins with the cast of a musical version of William Shakespeare
's The Taming of the Shrew
rehearsing (Another Op'nin', Another Show), getting ready for the opening of the show, which is that day. Egotistical Frederick C. Graham is the director and producer, as well as playing Petruchio
, and his movie-star ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi, is playing Katherine
(the titular Kate). The two are not fond of each other and frequently bicker and insult each other. During the rehearsal, Fred upsets Lilli by appearing more interested in young and sexually promiscuous actress Lois Lane, playing Bianca
, who is romantically involved with actor Bill Calhoun, playing Lucentio. After the rehearsal, Bill, who had been missing, appears and reveals that he had been gambling, to which he is addicted. He lost $10,000, and to get away, signed an IOU in Fred's name. Lois reprimands him (Why Can't You Behave).
Meanwhile, Lilli and Fred argue backstage shortly before the opening. They recap experiences that happened in their past, and Lilli reminds Fred of the first anniversary of their divorce. As well, it is revealed that Lilli has a lover who has some political importance. However, they end up reminiscing fondly (Wunderbar), and kiss before being interrupted. After returning to their dressing rooms, Lilli receives flowers from Fred, and realizes that she still loves him (So in Love
). However, we find out that the flowers were meant to be delivered to Lois, and that there is a card with them that reveals it. As well, before the show, two gangsters show up to collect the money that Fred lost earlier while gambling, though it was really Bill who lost the money. They threaten him and tell him that they will be sitting in the first row. The actors go onstage to begin the show.
The show begins (We Open in Venice), and we are introduced to the main characters. Baptista, the father of Katherine and Bianca, will not allow Bianca to marry until Katherine is married. However, she is shrewish and ill-tempered, and no man desires to marry her. Three suitors - Lucentio, Hortensio, and Gremio - try to woo Bianca (Tom, Dick, or Harry
). After this, Petruchio, a friend of Lucentio, arrives and expresses a desire to marry into wealth (I've Come to Wive it Wealthily in Padua). The suitors hatch a plan for him to marry Kate, as Baptista is rich. A happy Lilli, as Kate, sings about her desire to not be married (I Hate Men). Petruchio attempts to woo her unsuccessfully (Were Thine That Special Face). After this number, however, Lilli reads the card that came with the flowers and discovers that they were for Lois. She storms back onto the stage off-cue and Fred is forced to improvise. She begins hitting him on stage, and claims to want to leave in the middle of the show. Fred, fed up, spanks her on stage, as Petruchio.
Lilli decides to leave in the middle of the performance, and calls her lover. As well, the gangsters re-appear in Fred's dressing room. He tells them that he would have the money if the show could run, but it can't, since Lilli decided to quit. The gangsters force her to play the show until Fred can pay his debt. Back on stage, Petruchio and Katherine have been married (Cantiamo D'Amore) in a ramshackle ceremony, and Petruchio and Katherine enter, followed by the gangsters. Lilli is forced to perform (Kiss Me Kate), and tries to run away, but Fred catches her and drags her off-stage, followed by the gangsters.
Act II
During intermission, the company, led by Paul (Fred's assistant), sings about how hot it is (Too Darn Hot
). The play continues, as Petruchio begins to 'tame' Kate by not allowing her food. He sings about how he misses the bachelor life (Where Is the Life That Late I Led?). Off-stage, famous World War II
general Harrison Howell arrives and is revealed to be engaged to Lilli. He demands to see Lilli and take her away, but Fred convinces him otherwise. It is revealed that Howell and Lois have been sexually involved in the past, and Bill complains about Lois's sexual promiscuity. However, she tells him that though she is promiscuous, she will always love him (Always True To You In My Fashion
).
Lilli prepares to leave with the general (From This Moment On
), and it is revealed that he intends to be Dewey's running mate for the upcoming election (an inconsistency because the play takes place in 1949, a year after the Dewey-Truman Election
). Fred and the two gangsters reluctantly allow her to leave. Meanwhile, Bill realizes that he loves Lois, and writes her a love song that he performs with the cast off-stage (Bianca). Lois shows up and they kiss. Lilli leaves with the general after one last attempt by Fred to convince her to stay (So in Love (Reprise)). However, he is unsuccessful in convincing her, and they leave to get married.
The gangsters discover that their boss has been killed, so the IOU is no longer valid. They prepare to depart, but not before wishing Fred the best. While they leave, though, they get caught on stage and are forced to improvise (Brush Up Your Shakespeare). The company prepares for the conclusion of the play, not realizing that Lilli has left. In the play, Lucentio and Bianca have been married (Pavane), but Kate is not there, as she should be. The cast begins to search for her, but suddenly, she appears, having left the general. She is obedient to Fred and performs Kate's final speech from 'Taming' (I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple). Fred and Lilli wordlessly reconcile on stage, and the play ends (Kiss Me Kate (Finale)) with them, as well as Bill and Lois, kissing passionately.
was released in 1953. There have been at least four television productions, the first on Hallmark Hall of Fame
in 1958, with Drake and Morison reprising their Broadway roles, the second recorded for the launch of BBC Two in the UK in 1964, starring Howard Keel
, Patricia Morison
and Millicent Martin
, the third in 1968 with then husband-and-wife team Robert Goulet
and Carol Lawrence, and the fourth in 2003 on Great Performances
, a high-definition shot performance of the London
revival with Brent Barrett
and Rachel York
.
Act II
In 1998, the original cast recording of the 1948 Broadway
production was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
1999 revival
2001 London revival
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
. It is structured as a play within a play, where the interior play is a musical version of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself...
. The original production starred Alfred Drake
Alfred Drake
Alfred Drake was an American actor and singer.-Biography:Born as Alfred Capurro in New York City, the son of parents emigrated from Recco, Genoa, Drake began his Broadway career while still a student at Brooklyn College...
, Patricia Morison
Patricia Morison
Patricia Morison is an American stage and motion picture actress and mezzo-soprano singer . She made her feature film debut in 1939 after several years on the stage. During her time as a screen actress she was lauded for her patrician beauty, with her blue eyes and extremely long, dark hair among...
, Lisa Kirk
Lisa Kirk
Lisa Kirk was an American actress and singer noted for her comic talents and rich contralto .-Career:...
and Harold Lang
Harold Lang
Harold Lang was an American dancer and actor.-Biography:Lang began his professional career as a ballet dancer, making his professional debut with the San Francisco Ballet in 1938 and then going on to perform with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo two years later and American Ballet Theatre in 1943...
.
Kiss Me, Kate was a comeback and a personal triumph for Cole Porter. After several successful musicals in the 1920s and 1930s, notably Gay Divorce
Gay Divorce
Gay Divorce is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and book by Dwight Taylor, adapted by Kenneth Webb and Samuel Hoffenstein. It was Fred Astaire's last Broadway show and featured the hit song "Night and Day" in which Astaire danced with co-star Claire Luce.It was made into a musical...
, Fifty Million Frenchmen
Fifty Million Frenchmen
Fifty Million Frenchmen is a musical comedy with a book by Herbert Fields and music and lyrics by Cole Porter. It opened on Broadway in 1929 and was adapted for a film two years later...
, and Anything Goes
Anything Goes
Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
, he experienced an equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
accident in 1937 that left him in constant pain.
Following the accident, he continued to write songs and musicals but with limited success, such as Mexican Hayride, Let's Face It!
Let's Face It!
Let's Face It! is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The book by Herbert and Dorothy Fields is based on the 1925 play The Cradle Snatchers by Russell Medcraft and Norma Mitchell....
and Something for the Boys
Something for the Boys
Something for the Boys is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Herbert Fields and Dorothy Fields. Produced by Mike Todd, the show opened on Broadway in 1943 and starred Ethel Merman in her fifth Cole Porter musical.-Productions:...
, and some thought he was past his prime. Kiss Me, Kate was a response to Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well-known American songwriting duo, usually referred to as Rodgers and Hammerstein. They created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age of the medium...
's Oklahoma!
Oklahoma!
Oklahoma! is the first musical written by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance...
and other integrated musicals, and it proved to be his biggest hit and the only one of his shows to run for more than 1,000 performances on Broadway. It won the first Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
presented for Best Musical, in 1949.
Original Broadway production
After a 3½-week pre-BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
tryout at the Shubert Theatre in Philadelphia starting December 2, 1948, the original Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production opened on December 30, 1948, at the New Century Theatre
New Century Theatre
The New Century Theatre was a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 932 Seventh Avenue at West 58th Street in midtown Manhattan.The house, which seated 1700, was designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp for the Shuberts, who originally named it Jolson's 59th Street Theatre after Al Jolson, who...
, where it ran for nineteen months before transferring to the Shubert
Shubert Theatre (Broadway)
The Shubert Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 225 West 44th Street in midtown-Manhattan, New York, United States.Designed by architect Henry Beaumont Herts, it was named after Sam S. Shubert, the second oldest of the three brothers of the theatrical producing family...
, for a total run of 1,077 performances. Directed by John C. Wilson
John C. Wilson
John C. Wilson was an American theatre director and producer.-Early life:Born in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Wilson started out his working life as a stockbroker.-Career:...
with choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
by Hanya Holm
Hanya Holm
Hanya Holm is known as one of the “Big Four” founders of American modern dance...
, the original cast included Alfred Drake
Alfred Drake
Alfred Drake was an American actor and singer.-Biography:Born as Alfred Capurro in New York City, the son of parents emigrated from Recco, Genoa, Drake began his Broadway career while still a student at Brooklyn College...
, Patricia Morison
Patricia Morison
Patricia Morison is an American stage and motion picture actress and mezzo-soprano singer . She made her feature film debut in 1939 after several years on the stage. During her time as a screen actress she was lauded for her patrician beauty, with her blue eyes and extremely long, dark hair among...
, Lisa Kirk
Lisa Kirk
Lisa Kirk was an American actress and singer noted for her comic talents and rich contralto .-Career:...
, Harold Lang
Harold Lang
Harold Lang was an American dancer and actor.-Biography:Lang began his professional career as a ballet dancer, making his professional debut with the San Francisco Ballet in 1938 and then going on to perform with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo two years later and American Ballet Theatre in 1943...
, Charles Wood
Charles Wood (singer and actor)
Charles Wood was an American singer and actor. After moving to New York City from Redwood City, California, where he grew up, he appeared in five Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s.-Early years:...
and Harry Clark.
Original London production
The original West EndWest End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
production opened on March 8, 1951 at the Coliseum Theatre
Coliseum Theatre
The London Coliseum is an opera house and major performing venue on St. Martin's Lane, central London. It is one of London's largest and best equipped theatres and opened in 1904, designed by theatrical architect Frank Matcham , for impresario Oswald Stoll...
, and ran for 400 performances. Directed by Sam Spewack with choreography again by Holm, this production starred Patricia Morison, Bill Johnson and Julie Wilson
Julie Wilson
Julie Wilson is an American singer and actress.Born in Omaha, Nebraska and first finding a musical outlet with local musical group Hank's Hepcats, Wilson headed to New York City during World War II and found work in two of Manhattan's leading nightclubs, the Latin Quarter and the Copacabana...
.
1970 London revival
A London revival opened in December 1970 at the London Coliseum, in a production by the Sadler's Wells Opera. The cast featured Emile Belcourt (Petruchio), Judith Bruce, Eric ShillingEric Shilling
Eric Shilling was an English opera singer and producer, long associated with English National Opera. He was married to the soprano Erica Johns, and their son is George Shilling.-Life and career:...
, Ann Howard (Kate), Francis Egerton, Robert Lloyd, with direction by Peter Coe
Peter Coe
Percy Newbold "Peter" Coe was the father and athletics coach to Sebastian Coe.-Early life:Coe was born Percy Newbold Coe in Kingston, Surrey, the eldest child of Violet and Percy Coe Sr...
and choreography by Sheila O'Neill. Coe did a translation for British audiences, including having "a tea wagon", and included "traditional English music hall jokes". This revival had a "brief run", according to the Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre.
1999 Broadway revival
A Broadway revival opened at the Martin Beck Theatre on November 18, 1999 and closed on December 30, 2001 after 881 performances and 28 previews. Directed by Michael BlakemoreMichael Blakemore
Michael Howell Blakemore OBE is an Australian actor, writer and theatre director. In 2000 he became the only individual to win Tony Awards for best Director of a Play and Musical in the same year for Copenhagen and Kiss Me, Kate....
and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall
Kathleen Marshall
Kathleen Marshall is an American choreographer, director, and creative consultant.-Life and career:Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Marshall graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School and Smith College. She worked in the Pittsburgh theatre scene when she was younger, performing with such...
and Rob Ashford
Rob Ashford
Rob Ashford is an American choreographer and director. He is a seven-time Tony Award nominee , five-time Olivier Award nominee, Emmy Award winner, Drama Desk winner, and Outer Critics Circle Award winner.-Biography:...
, the opening night cast included Marin Mazzie
Marin Mazzie
Marin Joy Mazzie is an American actress and singer known for her work in musical theater. She was nominated for the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Olivier Award for her role as Lilli/Katharine in Kiss Me, Kate, and won the Outer Critics Circle Award...
, Brian Stokes Mitchell
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Brian Stokes Mitchell is an American stage, film and television actor. A powerful baritone, he has been one of the central leading men of the Broadway theatre since the early 1990s...
, Amy Spanger
Amy Spanger
-Biography:A graduate of Triton Regional High School in Byfield, Massachusetts, Spanger made her Broadway debut in 1995 in the musical Sunset Boulevard, following a half-year run in the pre-Broadway national tour of Jekyll & Hyde...
, Michael Berresse
Michael Berresse
Michael Berresse is an American actor, dancer, choreographer, and director. The son of artist and author Cynthia Berresse Ploski, he has appeared on Broadway in many shows including: Kiss Me, Kate, Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof, Carousel and Damn Yankees, and The Light in the Piazza as Giuseppe...
, Ron Holgate
Ron Holgate
Ronald "Ron" Holgate is a American actor and opera singer. He is known for winning the Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor as Richard Henry Lee in the original Broadway production of 1776.-Early life:...
, Lee Wilkof
Lee Wilkof
Lee Wilkof is an American actor and veteran of the Broadway stage. He originated the roles of Sam Byck in Assassins and Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, later earning a Tony Award nomination for the 2000 revival of Kiss Me, Kate...
, and Michael Mulheren
Michael Mulheren
- Theatre :Mulheren's Broadway debut was in 1995 in On the Waterfront, after previously appearing in The Fantastickss off-Broadway run in the 1960s. He also appeared in the 1997 production of Broadway's The Titanic. Other Broadway credits include The Boy from Oz and La Cage aux Folles; his...
. This production won the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
s for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actor in a Musical for Mitchell; Marin Mazzie
Marin Mazzie
Marin Joy Mazzie is an American actress and singer known for her work in musical theater. She was nominated for the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Olivier Award for her role as Lilli/Katharine in Kiss Me, Kate, and won the Outer Critics Circle Award...
received a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, and Michael Berresse
Michael Berresse
Michael Berresse is an American actor, dancer, choreographer, and director. The son of artist and author Cynthia Berresse Ploski, he has appeared on Broadway in many shows including: Kiss Me, Kate, Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof, Carousel and Damn Yankees, and The Light in the Piazza as Giuseppe...
, Lee Wilkof
Lee Wilkof
Lee Wilkof is an American actor and veteran of the Broadway stage. He originated the roles of Sam Byck in Assassins and Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, later earning a Tony Award nomination for the 2000 revival of Kiss Me, Kate...
and Michael Mulheren
Michael Mulheren
- Theatre :Mulheren's Broadway debut was in 1995 in On the Waterfront, after previously appearing in The Fantastickss off-Broadway run in the 1960s. He also appeared in the 1997 production of Broadway's The Titanic. Other Broadway credits include The Boy from Oz and La Cage aux Folles; his...
received Tony nominations for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.
2001 London revival
A West EndWest End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
revival opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre
Victoria Palace Theatre
Victoria Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, opposite Victoria Station.-Origins:The theatre began life as a small concert room above the stables of the Royal Standard Hotel, a small hotel and tavern built in 1832 at what was then 522 Stockbridge...
on October 30, 2001 and closed on August 24, 2002. As with the 1999 Broadway revival, Michael Blakemore was the director with choreography by Kathleen Marshall. Brent Barrett
Brent Barrett
Brent Barrett is an American actor and tenor who is mostly known for his work within American theatre. Barrett has performed in musicals and in concerts with theatres, symphony orchestras, opera houses, and concert halls internationally...
and Marin Mazzie co-starred.
Other productions
The Italian version opened at the Teatro delle Celebrazioni in BolognaBologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
on December 31, 2007.
A Canadian production opened on June 8, 2010, in Stratford, Ontario.
Kiss Me, Kate had also been produced in Canada as the choice for a musical at the annual Shaw Festival
Shaw Festival
The Shaw Festival is a major Canadian theatre festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, the second largest repertory theatre company in North America...
at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, in the early 1990s.
The Swiss-German version of the show opened on December 30, 2010, in Zentrum Bühne Bottighofen, Switzerland and had 14 successful performances.
In November 2011, the Minerva Theatre Group in Glasgow opened a version of the show at The Mitchell Theatre which ran for 5 performances from the 8th to the 12 of Novermber. The show starred Cathrine Usher as Lilli Vanessi/“Kate”, Jim McPhee as Fred Graham/“Pertruchio” and Eleanor Docherty as Lois Lane/Bianca”.
The Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
will be performing the show from July 5 - July 13 2011.
Plot
Act IThe story begins with the cast of a musical version of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself...
rehearsing (Another Op'nin', Another Show), getting ready for the opening of the show, which is that day. Egotistical Frederick C. Graham is the director and producer, as well as playing Petruchio
Petruchio
Petruchio is the male romantic lead in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew . Petruchio is a fortune seeker who enters into a marriage with a strong-willed young woman named Kate and then proceeds to "tame" her temperamental spirit...
, and his movie-star ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi, is playing Katherine
Kate (The Taming of the Shrew)
Katherina Minola is a fictional character and the female romantic lead in the comedy The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. Kate is the elder outspoken daughter of Baptista Minola and the sister of apparently sweet-tempered Bianca...
(the titular Kate). The two are not fond of each other and frequently bicker and insult each other. During the rehearsal, Fred upsets Lilli by appearing more interested in young and sexually promiscuous actress Lois Lane, playing Bianca
Bianca Minola
Bianca Minola is a character in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew . She is the younger daughter of Baptista Minola and the sister of Kate, the "shrew" of the title. The lovely Bianca has several admirers in the play, but Baptista has refused to allow her to marry until his shrewish daughter...
, who is romantically involved with actor Bill Calhoun, playing Lucentio. After the rehearsal, Bill, who had been missing, appears and reveals that he had been gambling, to which he is addicted. He lost $10,000, and to get away, signed an IOU in Fred's name. Lois reprimands him (Why Can't You Behave).
Meanwhile, Lilli and Fred argue backstage shortly before the opening. They recap experiences that happened in their past, and Lilli reminds Fred of the first anniversary of their divorce. As well, it is revealed that Lilli has a lover who has some political importance. However, they end up reminiscing fondly (Wunderbar), and kiss before being interrupted. After returning to their dressing rooms, Lilli receives flowers from Fred, and realizes that she still loves him (So in Love
So in Love
"So in Love" is a popular song, written by Cole Porter, from his musical Kiss Me, Kate, based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. It was sung in the show by Patricia Morison, reprised by Alfred Drake and further popularized by Patti Page in 1949.The Page recording was issued by Mercury Records...
). However, we find out that the flowers were meant to be delivered to Lois, and that there is a card with them that reveals it. As well, before the show, two gangsters show up to collect the money that Fred lost earlier while gambling, though it was really Bill who lost the money. They threaten him and tell him that they will be sitting in the first row. The actors go onstage to begin the show.
The show begins (We Open in Venice), and we are introduced to the main characters. Baptista, the father of Katherine and Bianca, will not allow Bianca to marry until Katherine is married. However, she is shrewish and ill-tempered, and no man desires to marry her. Three suitors - Lucentio, Hortensio, and Gremio - try to woo Bianca (Tom, Dick, or Harry
Tom, Dick or Harry (song)
Tom, Dick or Harry is a show tune from the Cole Porter musical, Kiss Me, Kate, introduced on Broadway on December 30, 1948 by Lisa Kirk ; Harold Lang ; Edwin Clay ; and Charles Wood...
). After this, Petruchio, a friend of Lucentio, arrives and expresses a desire to marry into wealth (I've Come to Wive it Wealthily in Padua). The suitors hatch a plan for him to marry Kate, as Baptista is rich. A happy Lilli, as Kate, sings about her desire to not be married (I Hate Men). Petruchio attempts to woo her unsuccessfully (Were Thine That Special Face). After this number, however, Lilli reads the card that came with the flowers and discovers that they were for Lois. She storms back onto the stage off-cue and Fred is forced to improvise. She begins hitting him on stage, and claims to want to leave in the middle of the show. Fred, fed up, spanks her on stage, as Petruchio.
Lilli decides to leave in the middle of the performance, and calls her lover. As well, the gangsters re-appear in Fred's dressing room. He tells them that he would have the money if the show could run, but it can't, since Lilli decided to quit. The gangsters force her to play the show until Fred can pay his debt. Back on stage, Petruchio and Katherine have been married (Cantiamo D'Amore) in a ramshackle ceremony, and Petruchio and Katherine enter, followed by the gangsters. Lilli is forced to perform (Kiss Me Kate), and tries to run away, but Fred catches her and drags her off-stage, followed by the gangsters.
Act II
During intermission, the company, led by Paul (Fred's assistant), sings about how hot it is (Too Darn Hot
Too Darn Hot
"Too Darn Hot" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for his musical Kiss Me, Kate . In the stage version, it is sung at the start of Act 2, and in the 1948 original Broadway production, it was sung by Lorenzo Fuller and Eddie Sledge and Fred Davis...
). The play continues, as Petruchio begins to 'tame' Kate by not allowing her food. He sings about how he misses the bachelor life (Where Is the Life That Late I Led?). Off-stage, famous World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
general Harrison Howell arrives and is revealed to be engaged to Lilli. He demands to see Lilli and take her away, but Fred convinces him otherwise. It is revealed that Howell and Lois have been sexually involved in the past, and Bill complains about Lois's sexual promiscuity. However, she tells him that though she is promiscuous, she will always love him (Always True To You In My Fashion
Always True to You in My Fashion
"Always True to You in My Fashion" is a 1948 show-tune by Cole Porter, written for the musical Kiss Me, Kate. In the lyrics, the singer protests that she is always faithful to her main love in her own way, despite seeing, and accepting gifts from, wealthy older men.It is sung in the later part of...
).
Lilli prepares to leave with the general (From This Moment On
From This Moment On (Cole Porter song)
"From This Moment On" is a 1951 popular song written by Cole Porter, for his musical Out of This World, where it was dropped, but included in MGM's Kiss Me Kate of 1953...
), and it is revealed that he intends to be Dewey's running mate for the upcoming election (an inconsistency because the play takes place in 1949, a year after the Dewey-Truman Election
United States presidential election, 1948
The United States presidential election of 1948 is considered by most historians as the greatest election upset in American history. Virtually every prediction indicated that incumbent President Harry S. Truman would be defeated by Republican Thomas E. Dewey. Truman won, overcoming a three-way...
). Fred and the two gangsters reluctantly allow her to leave. Meanwhile, Bill realizes that he loves Lois, and writes her a love song that he performs with the cast off-stage (Bianca). Lois shows up and they kiss. Lilli leaves with the general after one last attempt by Fred to convince her to stay (So in Love (Reprise)). However, he is unsuccessful in convincing her, and they leave to get married.
The gangsters discover that their boss has been killed, so the IOU is no longer valid. They prepare to depart, but not before wishing Fred the best. While they leave, though, they get caught on stage and are forced to improvise (Brush Up Your Shakespeare). The company prepares for the conclusion of the play, not realizing that Lilli has left. In the play, Lucentio and Bianca have been married (Pavane), but Kate is not there, as she should be. The cast begins to search for her, but suddenly, she appears, having left the general. She is obedient to Fred and performs Kate's final speech from 'Taming' (I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple). Fred and Lilli wordlessly reconcile on stage, and the play ends (Kiss Me Kate (Finale)) with them, as well as Bill and Lois, kissing passionately.
Cultural references and lexicon
- In homageHomageHomage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to Noel CowardNoël CowardSir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
, Fred quotes (in part) a famous comic line from the playwright's 1930s play Private LivesPrivate LivesPrivate Lives is a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts by Noël Coward. It focuses on a divorced couple who discover that they are honeymooning with their new spouses in neighbouring rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetually stormy relationship, they realise that they still have feelings for...
saying "Women should be struck regularly like gongs."
- Porter wondered if Clark GableClark GableWilliam Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
would object to his name being used in the song "Always True to You (in My Fashion)Always True to You in My Fashion"Always True to You in My Fashion" is a 1948 show-tune by Cole Porter, written for the musical Kiss Me, Kate. In the lyrics, the singer protests that she is always faithful to her main love in her own way, despite seeing, and accepting gifts from, wealthy older men.It is sung in the later part of...
": "Mister Gable, I mean Clark,...". According to Cole Porter, a biography by William McBrien (ISBN 0-679-72792-2), Gable was delighted upon hearing the song, along with his name's being mentioned in the lyric.
- Hong Kong actress Kate TsuiKate TsuiKate Tsui Tsz-shan is the 2004 Miss Hong Kong pageant winner and currently a TVB actress.-Education:Tsui graduated from the University of California, Davis, majoring in Japanese. She is skilled in different interests such as acting, dancing, learning languages, and snowboarding...
launched her singing career with an EP named "Kiss Me Kate". She has since mentioned that one of the reasons she used the name was because the play is one of her favorites.
- Porter received a shout out by Usnavi in the opening number from In The HeightsIn the HeightsIn the Heights is a musical with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story explores three days in the characters' lives in the New York City Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights....
when the character sings that it's gotten "Too Darn Hot" from the Kiss Me Kate song.
Film and television
A film version of the same nameKiss Me, Kate (film)
Kiss Me Kate is the 1953 MGM film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name.Inspired by The Taming of the Shrew, it tells the tale of musical theater actors, Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi, who were once married and are now performing opposite each other in the roles of Petruchio and...
was released in 1953. There have been at least four television productions, the first on Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City based greeting card company. The second longest-running television program in the history of television, it has a historically long run, beginning in 1951 and continuing into 2011...
in 1958, with Drake and Morison reprising their Broadway roles, the second recorded for the launch of BBC Two in the UK in 1964, starring Howard Keel
Howard Keel
Harold Clifford Keel , known professionally as Howard Keel, was an American actor and singer. He starred in many film musicals of the 1950s...
, Patricia Morison
Patricia Morison
Patricia Morison is an American stage and motion picture actress and mezzo-soprano singer . She made her feature film debut in 1939 after several years on the stage. During her time as a screen actress she was lauded for her patrician beauty, with her blue eyes and extremely long, dark hair among...
and Millicent Martin
Millicent Martin
Millicent Mary Lillian Martin is an English actress, singer and comedienne.Martin was born in Romford, England. She made her Broadway debut opposite Julie Andrews in The Boy Friend in 1954...
, the third in 1968 with then husband-and-wife team Robert Goulet
Robert Goulet
Robert Gerard Goulet was a Canadian American entertainer as a singer and actor. He played the role of Lancelot in the Broadway musical Camelot of 1960.-Early life:...
and Carol Lawrence, and the fourth in 2003 on Great Performances
Great Performances
Great Performances, a television series devoted to the performing arts, has been telecast on Public Broadcasting Service public television since 1972...
, a high-definition shot performance of the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
revival with Brent Barrett
Brent Barrett
Brent Barrett is an American actor and tenor who is mostly known for his work within American theatre. Barrett has performed in musicals and in concerts with theatres, symphony orchestras, opera houses, and concert halls internationally...
and Rachel York
Rachel York
Rachel York is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in City of Angels, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Les Misérables, Victor Victoria, Kiss Me, Kate, Sly Fox, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels...
.
Song list
Act I- "Another Op'nin', Another Show" - Hattie and Company
- "Why Can't You Behave?Why Can't You Behave?"Why Can't You Behave?" is a 1948 popular song written by Cole Porter, for his musical Kiss Me, Kate, where it was introduced by Lisa Kirk.-Notable recordings:*Joe Loss and His Orchestra. Recorded in London on January 29, 1950...
" - Lois, Bill - "Wunderbar" - Fred, Lilli
- "So In LoveSo in Love"So in Love" is a popular song, written by Cole Porter, from his musical Kiss Me, Kate, based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. It was sung in the show by Patricia Morison, reprised by Alfred Drake and further popularized by Patti Page in 1949.The Page recording was issued by Mercury Records...
" - Lilli - "We Open In Venice" - Fred, Lilli, Lois, Bill
- "Tom, Dick or HarryTom, Dick or Harry (song)Tom, Dick or Harry is a show tune from the Cole Porter musical, Kiss Me, Kate, introduced on Broadway on December 30, 1948 by Lisa Kirk ; Harold Lang ; Edwin Clay ; and Charles Wood...
" - Bianca, Lucentio, Gremio, Hortensio - "I've Come to Wive It Wealthily in Padua" - Fred and The Men
- "I Hate Men" - Lilli
- "Were Thine That Special Face" - Fred
- "We Sing of Love" ("Cantiamo D'Amore" Broadway Revival) - Company
- "Kiss Me, Kate" - Fred, Lilli and Company
Act II
- "Too Darn HotToo Darn Hot"Too Darn Hot" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for his musical Kiss Me, Kate . In the stage version, it is sung at the start of Act 2, and in the 1948 original Broadway production, it was sung by Lorenzo Fuller and Eddie Sledge and Fred Davis...
" - Paul and Company - "Where Is the Life That Late I Led?" - Fred
- "Always True To You In My FashionAlways True to You in My Fashion"Always True to You in My Fashion" is a 1948 show-tune by Cole Porter, written for the musical Kiss Me, Kate. In the lyrics, the singer protests that she is always faithful to her main love in her own way, despite seeing, and accepting gifts from, wealthy older men.It is sung in the later part of...
" - Lois - "From This Moment OnFrom This Moment On (Cole Porter song)"From This Moment On" is a 1951 popular song written by Cole Porter, for his musical Out of This World, where it was dropped, but included in MGM's Kiss Me Kate of 1953...
" - General Howell and Lilli (Broadway revival) - "Bianca" - Bill and Company
- "So In Love (Reprise)" - Fred
- "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" - First Gangster, Second Gangster
- "Pavane" - Company
- "I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple" - Lilli
- "Kiss Me, Kate (Finale)" - Company
In 1998, the original cast recording of the 1948 Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Awards and nominations
Original 1948 production- Tony Award for Best MusicalTony Award for Best MusicalThis is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Musical, first awarded in 1949. This award is presented to the producers of the musical.-1940s:* 1949: Kiss Me, Kate – Music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Samuel and Bella Spewack...
(winner) - Tony Award for Best Author of a Musical (winner)
- Tony Award for Best Composer and Lyricist (winner)
- Tony Award for Best Costume DesignTony Award for Best Costume DesignThese are the winners and nominees for the Tony Award for Best Costume Design. The award was first presented in 1947 and included both plays and musicals...
(winner) - Tony Award for Best Producer of a Musical (winner)
1999 revival
- Tony Award for Best Revival of a MusicalTony Award for Best Revival of a MusicalThe Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical has been awarded since 1994. Before that time, both plays and musicals were considered together for the Tony Award for Best Revival....
(winner) - Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical (Brian Stokes MitchellBrian Stokes MitchellBrian Stokes Mitchell is an American stage, film and television actor. A powerful baritone, he has been one of the central leading men of the Broadway theatre since the early 1990s...
, winner) - Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (Marin MazzieMarin MazzieMarin Joy Mazzie is an American actress and singer known for her work in musical theater. She was nominated for the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Olivier Award for her role as Lilli/Katharine in Kiss Me, Kate, and won the Outer Critics Circle Award...
, nominee) - Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Michael Berresse, nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Lee WilkofLee WilkofLee Wilkof is an American actor and veteran of the Broadway stage. He originated the roles of Sam Byck in Assassins and Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, later earning a Tony Award nomination for the 2000 revival of Kiss Me, Kate...
, nominee) - Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Michael MulherenMichael Mulheren- Theatre :Mulheren's Broadway debut was in 1995 in On the Waterfront, after previously appearing in The Fantastickss off-Broadway run in the 1960s. He also appeared in the 1997 production of Broadway's The Titanic. Other Broadway credits include The Boy from Oz and La Cage aux Folles; his...
, nominee) - Tony Award for Best Scenic Design (nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Costume DesignTony Award for Best Costume DesignThese are the winners and nominees for the Tony Award for Best Costume Design. The award was first presented in 1947 and included both plays and musicals...
(winner) - Tony Award for Best Lighting DesignTony Award for Best Lighting DesignThis is a list of the winners of the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design in a play or musical, first presented in 1970. In 2005 the category was divided with each genre represented separately.-1970s:* 1970: Jo Mielziner – Child's Play...
(nominee) - Tony Award for Best ChoreographyTony Award for Best Choreography-1940s:* 1947: Agnes de Mille – Brigadoon / Michael Kidd – Finian's Rainbow* 1948: Jerome Robbins – High Button Shoes* 1949: Gower Champion – Lend An Ear-1950s:* 1950: Helen Tamiris – Touch and Go* 1951: Michael Kidd – Guys and Dolls...
(nominee) - Tony Award for Best Direction of a MusicalTony Award for Best Direction of a MusicalThis is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. Prior to 1960, category for direction included plays and musicals.-1950s:Note: this category was for both dramatic and musical productions...
(winner) - Tony Award for Best Orchestrations (winner)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a MusicalDrama Desk Award for Outstanding RevivalThe Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors. It honors the Broadway, off-Broadway, off-off-Broadway, or legitimate not-for-profit theater revival of a production previously staged in New York City.It...
(winner) - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a MusicalDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a MusicalThe Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since...
(Brian Stokes Mitchell, winner) - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a MusicalDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a MusicalThe Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since...
(Marin Mazzie, nominee) - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a MusicalDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a MusicalThe Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since...
(Michael Mulheren and Lee Wilkof, nominees) - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding ChoreographyDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography-1970s:* 1970: Ron Field – Applause** No nominees* 1971: Michael Bennett – Follies and Donald Saddler – No, No, Nanette** No nominees* 1972: Patricia Birch – Grease and Jean Erdman – Two Gentlemen of Verona...
(nominee) - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a MusicalDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a MusicalThe Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical was first awarded at the 1974–1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since...
(nominee) - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding OrchestrationsDrama Desk Award for Outstanding OrchestrationsThe Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors...
(winner) - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set DesignDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Set DesignThe Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee composed of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors...
(winner) - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume DesignDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume DesignThe Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors...
(winner)
2001 London revival
- Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production (nominee)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical (Marin Mazzie, nominee)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical (Brent Barrett, nominee)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Nancy Anderson and Michael Berresse, nominees)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Direction of a Musical (nominee)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Choreography (nominee)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Set Design (nominee)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Costume Design (nominee)
- Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical (winner)
- Critics Circle Award for Best Musical (winner)