BWW Reviews: Reprise's KISS ME KATE Is Wunderbar

Kiss Me Kate
book by Sam & Bella Spewack
music & lyrics by Cole Porter
directed by Michael Michetti
Reprise Theatre Company @ The Freud Playhouse, UCLA
through May 22

Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate is a delightful musical romp that can be seen again and again. It's timeless and an overblown, yet joyous account of two egotistical actors, once married to each other, who adore one another but just cannot be around each other very long without catastrophic, calamitous results. It's also a play within a play, as Lilli Vanessi (Lesli Margherita) and FrEd Graham (Tom Hewitt) are on tour essaying Katharine and Petruchio in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Above all, the silly contrived story is overshadowed by Cole Porter's divine score with some of the most glorious tunes ever composed. Kiss Me Kate is a showcase to Porter's genius. Reprise Theatre's current revival is devastatingly hilarious with top-notch direction from Michael Michetti and a magnificent cast.

Heading the ensemble as Kate/Lilli is the incomparable Lesli Margherita, a true force of nature, an actress/singer who literally can play any role and make it divinely her own. Sharing top billing with her as Graham/Petruchio is Tom Hewitt, a Broadway veteran whose commanding presence and dulcet tones assure another outstanding performance. Equally wonderful are the supporting players. Megan Gillentine as Lois/Bianca is dynamite and has her shining moment with "Always True to You in My Fashion". Sean Martin Hingston is her beau Bill/Lucentio, and boy, oh, boy can he dance! Steve Vinovich is a delight as General Harrison Howell, as is Mark Capri as Kate's father, and Jay Brian Winnick and Herschel Sparber bring down the house as the two thugs trying to collect on an I Owe You.Their comedic "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" is a killer. Roland Rusinek has a field day as the frantic stage manager, and the 20+ ensemble dance beautifully with Lee Martino's steadily skillful choreography. Michael Paternostro serves terrifically as musical director. Garry Lennon has designed lovely, colorful period costumes and Tom Buderwitz some functionally perfect set pieces with an artful flavor.

Other Cole Porter masterpieces include: "Another Op'nin, Another Show", "Wunderbar", "So In Love", "I Hate Men", "Were Thine That Special Face", "Too Darn Hot", "From This Moment On", and of course the title song "Kiss Me Kate".

This is a musical show that has it all: great songs, great dance, great physical and verbal sparring for the two actors playing Kate and Petruchio, and a lightweight plotline to make the battle of the sexes thoroughly enjoyable. If you have never seen Kiss Me Kate, you owe it to yourself to catch Reprise's fabulous production before May 22.