Lyric Stage's 'Kate' Deserves Hugs and Kisses

Kiss Me, Kate

Music and lyrics by Cole Porter, Book by Sam and Bella Spewack

Directed by Spiro Veloudos, Musical Direction by Jonathan Goldberg, Choreography by Ilyse Robbins, Scenic Design by Janie E. Howland, Costume Design by Rafael Jaen, Lighting Design by Scott Clyve, Production Stage Manager Katherine Shea, Assistant Stage Manager Nerys Powell

Featuring Jack Agnew, Rachel Bertone, Amelia Broome, Mary Callanan, Neil A. Casey, Joseph Cullinane, Phil Crumrine, Santio Cupon, Peter Davenport, Michele A. DeLuca, Josh Dennis, Caitlin Crosbie Doonan, Caitlin Diana Doyle, Shanna Heverly, Peter Mills, Kennedy Pugh, R. Patrick Ryan, Timothy John Smith, J.T. Turner, Arthur Waldstein, Hilary Werthmann

Performances through October 10, 2009 at The Lyric Stage Company of Boston

Box Office 617-585-5678 or www.lyricstage.com

Kiss Me, Kate is an old chestnut given a new, glossy shine at the Lyric Stage Company of Boston, opening its 36^th season. Producing Artistic Director Spiro Veloudos directs an energetic troupe of actors, singers, and dancers in this show-within-a-show Cole Porter musical, based on William Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew. Has there ever been collaboration between two finer wordsmiths? Book writers Bella and Sam Spewack get credit for the backstage story structure and creating a cast of characters who deliciously mirror those of the bard, as well as a pair of gangsters that provides an outlandish anachronism.

The play hinges on the relationship between FrEd Graham (Peter Davenport), the handsome, narcissistic, director/star, and Lilli Vanessi (Amelia Broome), the insecure movie star/diva making her return to the stage opposite her ex-husband Graham. They take on the roles of Petruchio and Katherine in Shrew, which gives them an opportunity to act out their real-life conflicts. As they "celebrate" the first anniversary of their divorce, they discover (to their consternation) that they are still very much in love, but each is involved with a new romantic interest. Graham is dabbling with Lois Lane (Michele A. DeLuca), the crafty ingénue playing Katherine's beautiful younger sister Bianca, while Lilli is engaged to war hero Harrison Howell (Timothy John Smith). To further complicate the affairs of the heart, Lois is really sweet on irrepressible hoofer Bill Calhoun/Lucentio (R. Patrick Ryan), and any young, sweet thing easily turns Howell's swelled head.

From the moment he strides confidently onstage during the opening number, Davenport commands attention and appears perfectly cast as the imperious Graham. He wears a crisp, three-piece white suit, sports a Van Dyke beard, and spits out orders to the stagehands and dancing girls.  Broome is a vision with her long, flowing red locks and stylish '40s outfits. When his full, rich baritone and her crystalline soprano merge for "Wunderbar," a song of reminiscence, you know you're in for an evening of tremendous musical entertainment. Together or separately, they stand out vocally and enhance Porter's songs with their own emotive styles, perhaps most notably in solo renditions of "So In Love."

Broome brings class along with her classic voice, but that makes it a little hard to accept her in the early going of Shrew. Kate is a chauvinist's nightmare. She starts out feisty, vulgar, and independent, even going so far as to declare in song "I Hate Men." Here it looks like Broome is trying to be funny, rather than letting the comedy emanate naturally from the scene. In contrast, she unaffectedly mines the humor in Lilli by being insecure, jealous, hopeful, angry, wistful, or whatever the situation calls for, evoking laughs as well as sympathy. When Petruchio tames Kate by severe behavior modification methods and she turns into a "Stepford Wife" late in the tale, Broome's fair lady fits the bill.

DeLuca is a sassy, sexy strong dancer with great stage presence, but her singing is too brassy at times. Ryan conveys Bill's "aw, shucks - what, me worry?" demeanor easily even when his gambling debts bring a couple of gangsters down on the company. The insertion of the latter pair seems totally bizarre, but they come to collect from Graham who manipulates them into standing guard over Lilli so she won't bolt and ruin the show. Neil A. Casey (First Man) and J.T. Turner (Second Man) play it for all they're worth and then some, especially in the ditty "Brush Up Your Shakespeare." (I've never been crazy about that bit in the past, but Casey and Turner turned me around.) Smith also goes hilariously over the top when Howell takes his turn in the spotlight to sing "From This Moment On." 

Everyone in this ensemble can sing, but Boston favorite Mary Callanan (Hattie) and Kennedy Pugh (Paul) are deserving of special mention. She leads the charge in "Another Op'nin', Another Show," and he drives up the temperature in "Too Darn Hot." The foursome of DeLuca, Ryan, Peter Mills, and Joseph Cullinane perform fabulous close harmony in "Tom, Dick or Harry." Continuing its practice of bringing in talent from both Emerson College and the Boston Conservatory, the Lyric rounds out the ensemble with more than half a dozen representatives of those farm teams for the local theatres and the result is quality singing and dancing.

Spiro Veloudos calls them his "usual suspects" and playgoers at the Lyric have come to expect the best of artistic and technical design qualities from these collaborators. Musical Director Jonathan Goldberg and his orchestra of six virtuosos spread a full, rich carpet of sound under the voices of the accomplished cast, playing nearly a dozen instruments, ranging from keyboard, bass, and drums, to multiple members of the brass and reed families. Choreographer Ilyse Robbins works her magic and creatively moves a lot of people around the small thrust stage. "Too Darn Hot" features almost the entire company on the boards simultaneously, performing Robbins' steps crisply and with great energy. Scott Clyve's lighting and Janie E. Howland's set design provide an authentic backstage environment, right down to the lone ghost light sitting center stage before the curtain. The piece de resistance is Rafael Jaen's costume design. It is a massive undertaking in sheer volume alone, but the variety of colors, fabrics, and styles is impressive. The actors arrive for rehearsal in their street clothes, fashions of the '40s, and dress in Renaissance era costumes for their production of The Taming of the Shrew.

Kiss Me, Kate opened on Broadway on December 30, 1948, ran for more than 1000 performances, and won the first ever Tony Award for Best Musical. The revival in 1999 was nominated for a slew of Tony and Drama Desk Awards, taking home the honors for Best Revival of a Musical from both organizations. Sixty years after its debut, this popular musical continues to attract and charm audiences around the world because it is the complete package of songs with wonderful music and lyrics, well-written characters in a solidly structured libretto, and, above all, loads of fun. From this moment on, add this fine Lyric Stage production to the annals of Kate's storied glory.

 

L-R: J.T. Turner, Neil A. Casey (photo credit: Mark S. Howard)