Shows K

KISS ME KATE music and lyrics by Cole Porter: Book by Bella and Samuel Spewack New Century Theatre Broadway 30 December, 1948 (1077 perfs) London Coliseum 8 March, 1951 (501 perfs) SYNOPSIS A musical version of The Taming of the Shrew is about to open in Baltimore. In the show with producer- actor Fred Graham are his former wife, Lilli; Lois, a singer in whom he is interested; and Bill Calhoune, who is Lois's interest. The irresponsible Bill informs Lois that he has signed Fred's name to a 10,000 dollar IOU for gambling debts. She begs him to reform. Fred and Lilli patch up their differences as they reminisce nostalgically about other shows in which they have appeared together. Fred sends a bouquet to Lois, which is delivered in error to Lilli. On stage as Katherina, Lilli discovers that the bouquet was meant for Lois and threatens to leave the show. Her departure is prevented by two gangsters who have come to collect the IOU with Fred's signature. As the first Act ends she is raging, both in character and reality. Petruchio ( played by Fred Graham) although just married to Katherina, and beginning his tempestuous wedded life, begins to yearn for his life as a single man. Because of a sudden change in gang administration the gangsters tear up the now worthless IOU and Lilli prepares to walk out on the show as Fred muses on his love for her. They gangsters sing the always show-stopping Brush Up YOur Shakespeare. As the show comes to close, Lilli unexpectedly returns and in Katherina's words expresses her intention of returning to her husband. STORY Act I The cast of a musical version of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is rehearsing for the opening of the show that evening (Another Op’nin’, Another Show). Egotistical Fred Graham is the director and producer and is starring as Petruchio, and his movie-star ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi, is playing Katherine. The two seem to be constantly arguing, and Lilli is particularly angry that Fred is pursuing the sexy young actress Lois Lane, who is playing Bianca. After the rehearsal, Lois’s boyfriend Bill appears; he is playing Lucentio, but he missed the rehearsal because he was gambling. He tells her that he signed a $10,000 IOU in Fred’s name, and Lois reprimands him (Why Can’t You Behave?). Before the opening, Fred and Lilli meet backstage, and Lilli shows off her engagement ring from Washington insider Harrison Howell, reminding Fred that it’s the anniversary of their divorce. They recall the operetta in which they met, which included Wunderbar, a Viennese waltz; they end up fondly reminiscing and singing and dancing. Two gangsters show up to collect the $10,000 IOU, and Fred replies that he never signed it. The gangsters obligingly say they will give him time to remember it and will return later. In her dressing room, Lilli receives flowers from Fred, and she declares that she is still So In Love with him. Fred tries to keep Lilli from reading the card that came with the flowers, which reveals that he really intended them for Lois. However, Lilli takes the card with her onstage, saying she will read it later. The show begins (We Open in Venice). Baptista, Katherine and Bianca’s father, will not allow his younger daughter Bianca to marry until his older daughter 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, and she says that she would marry any of them (Tom, Dick, or Harry). Petruchio, a friend of Lucentio, expresses a desire to marry into wealth (I’ve Come to Wive it Wealthily in Padua).[4] The suitors hatch a plan for him to marry Kate, as Baptista is rich. Kate, however, has no intentions of getting married (I

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