The most recent Broadway revivals of South Pacific and The King and I (both shows written by Rodgers & Hammerstein) have one thing in common: Tony Award-winning actress Kelli O’Hara. So it should come as no surprise that when the Roundabout Theatre wanted to do a revival of the Cole Porter musical, Kiss Me, Kate! they turned immediately to O’Hara for the dual roles of Kate/Lilli Vanessi. Kiss Me, Kate is now playing at Studio 54 in New York through June 30th.
Joining O’Hara for this musical take on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is Will Chase in the dual roles of Petruchio/Fred Graham. Chase has appeared on Broadway in such shows as Something Rotten and Nice Work If You Can Get It (which also starred O’Hara.)
The key to this show, whose book was written by Sam and Spella Bewack, is chemistry between the two leads. They have to hate each other so much at times you just know they will be completely in love by the end of the show.
Kiss Me, Kate! contains some of Porter’s best known songs including Another Op’nin’, Another Show, I Hate Men, Too Darn Hot, From this Moment On and So In Love.
Scott Ellis (She Loves Me, You Can’t Take It With You) directs with choreography by Warren Carlyle (She Loves Me, On the Twentieth Century). Paul Gemignani is the music director.
For background on the original production of Kiss Me, Kate, go here to see my 2015 interview with the actress who originated the role of Kate/Lilli Vanessi: Patricia Morison.
For tickets go here.
Update: Kiss Me, Kate has been nominated for 4 Tony Awards
2nd Update: Kiss Me, Kate did not win any Tony Awards
Kiss Me, Kate production photos by Joan Marcus