Two shrews to be tamed: ‘Kiss Me, Kate’ on Hilton Head stage brilliant in every way
All of the moving parts we look for in a first-rate musical comedy performance were brilliantly stacked together to provide our opening night audience a superlative theater experience for “Kiss Me, Kate,” now on stage at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina through Dec. 29.
It comes to us from the renowned Cole Porter, who has created the best music and lyrics within the bounds of possibility.
Porter actually changed the format of musical comedy when he integrated the storyline and the music. The amazing result was a change in the flow of the performance. Everything would come together to weave the delightful, purposeful new format, which actually brought about a Golden Era in musicals.
Filled to the brim with prima donnas, passion and heavy helpings of ego, our production, which impressively and artfully soars right over the top, was first staged on Broadway in 1948, when it won the first Tony Award, ever, for Best Musical.
The winning storyline of “Kiss Me, Kate,” is based on the fantastic book by the famous writing team of Sam and Bella Spewack. It has it all.
It is a backstage kind of show — a show within a show — that is filled with the goings and comings of two wildly entertaining divas or prima donnas, supported by a stellar cast. In all cases, the Spewacks offer close-up glances at a pair of musical comedy stars, who spend much of their time bickering, and bantering and the rest of their time making up. According to several sources, the characters in our Spewack story are kind of self-referential.
The charismatic direction of Mark Martino is totally on the “mark.” You may remember that he also directed “Newsies,” “White Christmas,” “An American in Paris,” and “Forever Plaid” at our Arts Center.
Adding impressively to our enjoyment of the performance is the choreography of Elise Kinnon, a Broadway choreographer and dancer who magically focuses her attentions on a variety of exhilarating dance formats — from jazz to tap and everything in between. Her results are exemplary.
Simply put, there are actually two shrews to be tamed in our musical within a musical. Shrew number one is the backstage actress, Lilli Vanessi, who, by the way, is currently divorced from her actor husband, Fred Graham. The two have moments of simmering attraction, as they rehearse backstage, and we do begin to see hope for a reinvigoration of their relationship. Shrew number two is Kate, the on-stage lead in the musical version of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew.” Kate is a nag, bad tempered, and a full-on termagant. The taming is left to Petruchio!
The storyline
We, in the audience, were captured and held in thrall by the tightly woven, intertwined storyline.
The lead performers, who are portrayed as actor-manager Fred Graham (Denis Lambert) and his leading lady, Lilli Vanessi (Madison Claire Parks) are appearing in Graham’s theater company’s production of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” musical. The two are outstanding. Their voices are perfect, their acting and presence are spot-on, and their chemistry is wonderfully projected.
The secondary leading actors are Lois Lane (Julia Hemp), who is currently something of an object of Graham’s affection. Oh, and also, her smooth-talking gambler boyfriend, Bill (Chris LeBeau), has just signed an IOU to the mob for $10,000. So, attach to Bill, the gambler, a couple of the most engaging, erudite mobsters you’ll ever meet. They are integral to the story and are, as it turns out, completely charming, as striped-suited, gun-wielding thugs in Baltimore and court jesters in Italy. They, we find immediately, are more than just two guys out for an evening stroll!
There are lots of delightful scene changes. Each new setting is entertaining and compelling. What fun, and what contrast to enjoy the Lilli of the ’40s in a Baltimore theater, and Kate, the other shrew, on stage as she moves around and among the Italian surroundings of the Shakespeare setting.
The playlist is the most incredible, ever. Running the gamut from romantic ballads, to some with the most amazing themes, rhymes, and wordplays imaginable ... so, so funny.
Every song is well known. Though this is slightly more than a partial list, I’m betting you’ll recognize most of them. Look forward to: “Another Op’nin’, Another Show,” ”Why Can’t You Behave?” ”Wunderbar,” ”So In Love,” “Tom, Dick or Harry,” “I Hate Men,” ”Kiss Me, Kate,” “Too Darn Hot,” “Always True to You in My Fashion,” ”From This Moment On,” and the hysterically funny, ”Brush Up Your Shakespeare.”
You’ll exit the theater with those melodies in your memory, and recall them long after your drive home.
If you go
What: “Kiss Me, Kate.”
Where: Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island.
When: Through Dec. 29.
Information: 843-842 2787; Artshhi.com.
This story was originally published December 16, 2019 at 3:32 PM.