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Lilli Vanessi (Liz Ruff) is threatened by a gangster (Andrew Sklar) in a scene from the SUNY Fredonia production of “Kiss Me, Kate.” |
The golden age of 1940s musical theatre will be brought to life as the SUNY Fredonia Department of Theatre and Dance, in association with the School of Music, presents its production of “Kiss Me, Kate.” Six performances are set from April 23 to May 1 in Marvel Theatre.
Preview the show via YouTube video!>>Director/choreographer Paul Mockovak said the appeal of “Kiss Me, Kate” lies in the fact that it “combines romance, comedy, singing and dancing sprinkled with Shakespeare-spouting gangsters. The result is 100 percent theatrical fun.” More than 80 people are involved in the production, including a cast of 24 and a 29-piece orchestra.
“Kiss Me, Kate” is structured as a play within a play – or more precisely, a musical within a musical. Mockovak said it features some of Shakespeare’s funniest scenes, along with the lyricism and wit of Cole Porter and a fine-tuned story of two egotistical ex-spouses at each other’s throats.
The story centers on characters Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi, a divorced couple who are both actors. Chance reunites them when they land the leading roles of Petruchio and Kate in a musical version of “The Taming of the Shrew.” Petruchio and Kate have a love/hate relationship that is enhanced all the more by the real life animosity between Fred and Lilli. Meanwhile, due to mistaken identity, two gangsters harass Fred while Lois Lane and Bill Calhoun, two other performers in “The Taming of the Shrew,” deal with their own romantic issues.
The original production of “Kiss Me, Kate” opened on Dec. 30, 1948 and ran for more than 1,000 performances on Broadway. It earned the first-ever Tony Award for best musical, proving to be a comeback triumph for Porter. After successful musicals in the 1920s and early 1930s, including “Anything Goes” and “Gay Divorce,” Porter was believed by many to be past his prime by the 1940s.
However, Porter proved the naysayers wrong when he created “Kiss Me, Kate” — which was his response to the popularity of Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!.”
Popular tunes from the show include “So In Love,” “Too Darn Hot,” “I Hate Men” and “Brush Up Your Shakespeare.” The original cast recording has been included in the Grammy Hall of Fame. A Broadway revival in 1999 earned two Tony Awards.
The Mainstage production will feature talented student performers, an orchestra under the direction of conductor Paula Holcomb, set and lighting design by Gregory Kaye, assistant professor of scenic design, and costume design by Dixon Reynolds, assistant professor of costume design.
“Kiss Me, Kate” is a Walter Gloor Mainstage Series event. It is sponsored by Midtown Realty as part of the Lake Shore Savings Season. Performances are at 8 p.m. on April 23, 24, 29, 30 and May 1 and at 2 p.m. on April 25.
Tickets are available through the Ticket Office in the Williams Center (673-3501 or 1-866-441-4928) or online at www.fredonia.edu/tickets.
