The Kiss Me, Kate exclamation point

[FranklinDickson2018]

Posted: 3/14/19 at 11:44pm

I think it interesting that the program/cover art/etc all have a big ! after Kate, and that isn't the way work was originally listed. 

And the reviews that I have read all choose to omit it.  A small point (very small I admit) but it is interesting to think why it was added?   

On a similar note: at Broadwaycon this year they (the production team) kept crowing about Oklahoma! having its 75th anniversary, when it fact it is the 76th...

Maybe no one checked that the original Kate didn't have the end punctuation??

[slow_the_rain]

Posted: 3/14/19 at 11:57pm

And here I thought you were talking about the wordless, pointless scene added to the end of this production...

The exclamation seems to be solely in their logo. Roundabout's website never once stylizes it with an exclamation point. I wouldn't read too much into it.

Also this Oklahoma! was initially a 75th anniversary staging when it debuted at St. Ann's. In 2018. 

[BeNice]

Posted: 3/15/19 at 12:15am

Ironically, Oklahoma! didn’t have an exclamation point originally either. Per Todd Purdum’s book “Something Wonderful”: “Late one night, Helburn called from Boston to tell the publicity department to say that the decision had been made to add an exclamation point, to make the title Oklahoma! The word had already been reproduced three times on each of the ten thousand press releases that had been prepared for mailing, so they set about inking in thirty thousand exclamation points by hand, while Heidt called printing firms and sign painters all over town to get them to change the copy. A lot was riding on that single burst of punctuation.”

Updated On: 3/15/19 at 12:15 AM

[zainmax]

Posted: 3/15/19 at 12:54am

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/01/theater/broadway-shows-get-the-point-again.html

[John Adams]

Posted: 3/15/19 at 9:35am

zainmax said: "https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/01/theater/broadway-shows-get-the-point-again.html"

Very on point article (see what I did there?)! (and there, too?)

This quote made me chuckle for two reasons:

"At this point, I can’t imagine any straight-faced musical using one,” said Mr. Maslon. “Either it’s intentionally self-referential and not meant to be seriously, or it’s coming from a more jejune sensibility and doesn’t care."

"not meant to be seriously"...? Probably, that's just an editing error, and the word taken is omitted. Still, I found it fun to add an exclamation point at the end (almost, as written): "Either it’s intentionally self-referential and not meant to be - Seriously!"

The other giggle was the use of the word, "jejune". Couldn't they have just written, "dull"? I find the choice to instead use "jejune" equivalent to using an exclamation point. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/15/19 at 11:48am

HELLO, DOLLY! always had the exclamation point.

The 1994 Broadway revival of GREASE! added that exclamation point. It’s never been used before nor since.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/15/19 at 11:53am

Kiss Me, Kate is a command

It is in the imperative mode

Therefore, it’s exclamation is not nec. a titular musical comedy convention.

It is also just correct grammar.

It would be grammatically incorrect without it.

[Niles Silvers]

Posted: 3/15/19 at 1:58pm

henrikegerman said: "Kiss Me, Kate is a command

It is in the imperative mode

Therefore, it’s exclamation is not nec. a titular musical comedy convention.

It is also just correct grammar.

It would be grammatically incorrect without it."

It would be tacky to point out the numerous grammatical and usage errors here, so I shall refrain from doing so.  

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/15/19 at 2:22pm

You must really want people here to hate you.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/15/19 at 2:24pm

But titles don't USUALLY have any punctuation.....so no, it wouldn't be grammatically incorrect for it not to appear.   

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 3/15/19 at 5:06pm

Semi related... grammatically incorrect movie titles

I'm surprised the estates didn't have Roundabout change it for consistency.

Other fun examples:
Hello [comma] Dolly [exclamation point]
Bye Bye Birdie [no commas]
Oklahoma [exclamation point]
Singin' [apostrophe, no g] in the Rain