Photo Coverage: Inside Opening Night of Barrington Stage Company's KISS ME KATE

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, presents the company's 20th Anniversary Season opener - Kiss Me, Kate, which opened last night, June 16, and runs through July 12 on the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage (30 Union Street). Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a look back at the opening night celebrations!

Directed by Joe Calarco, with choreography by Lorin Latarro, the production stars Elizabeth Stanley (BSC's On the Town; Broadway: Company) as Lili Vanessi/Kate, Paul AnthonyStewart (The People in the Picture, Fiddler on the Roof, TVs Guiding Light) as Fred Graham/Petruchio, Mara Davi (A Chorus Line) as Lois Lane/Bianca, Tyler Hanes (A Chorus Line) as Bill Calhoun/Lucentio, Nyla Watson (Hattie), Matthew Bauman (Paul), Carlos Lopez (Gangster #1), Michael Dean Morgan (Gangster #2), Roger DeWitt, Fred Inkley, KC Fredericks, Calvin Cooper, Joel Robertson, Brittany Bohn,Jennifer Evans,Adrienne Howard, Jakob Karr, Amanda La Motte, Robin Lounsbury, Kyle Pressley, and BSC's Musical Theatre Apprentices Matthew Gregory,Gabriel Kadian, Jordana McMahon, Brian Sandstrom, and Ross Yoder.

Kiss Me, Kate features music and lyrics by Cole Porter and book by Sam and Bella Spewack. Taking its inspiration from Shakespeare, Kiss Me, Katerecounts the backstage and onstage antics of two feuding couples during a touring musical production of The Taming of the Shrew. Sparkling with 18 classic Cole Porter songs, Kiss Me, Kate includes "Another Op'nin', Another Show," "So in Love," "Always True to You in My Fashion," "Too Darn Hot," and "Brush Up Your Shakespeare".

Cole Porter's most successful musical, the original production of Kiss Me, Kate opened on Broadway at the NewCentury Theatre on December 30, 1948 and ran for 1,077 performances. Starring Alfred Drake and Patricia Morrison, Kiss Me, Kate was the first musical to win the Tony Award for Best Musical. M-M-MGM's 1953 movie version, filmed in 3-D, starred Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel and Ann Miller. The production received its first Broadway revival in 1999 - starring Brian Stokes Mitchell and Marin Mazzie - winning five Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival.

Kiss Me, Kate has a Berkshires connection to composer/lyricist Cole Porter, who in 1940 purchased "Buxton Hill" with his wife Linda in Williamstown.

Performances of Kiss Me, Kate are Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm, Thursday through Saturday at 8pm, Wednesday and Friday matinees at 2pm (excluding June 11 and June 13), Sunday at 5pm. Added Saturday matinees July 5 and July 12 at 2pm. Please note Friday, July 4 there is no 8pm evening performance; there will be a 2pm matinee. Press Opening: Sunday, June 15 at 5pm. Tickets start at $20. Low priced previews June 11-13 are $15/$20. Youth ages 6-18, tickets $15/$20 all performances (subject to availability). For more information, call the Barrington Stage Box Office at 413-236-8888 (or toll-free at 855-TIX-2BSC) or visit www.barringtonstageco.org.

Photos by Stephen Sorokoff

Barrington Stage Company

Michael Dean Morgan, Payl Anthony Stewart, Elizabeth Stanley, Mara Davi, Tyler Hanes, Carlos Lopez

Julianne Boyd, artistic director

Elizabeth Stanley, Tyler Hanes, Mara Davi, Paul Anthony Stewart

Paul Anthony Stewart & Elizabeth Stanley

Paul Anthony Stewart

Paul Anthony Stewart, Elizabeth Stanley, Tyler Hane,s Mara Davi

Boyd-Quinson Mainstage

Boyd-Quinson Mainstage

Paul Anthony Stewart & Elizabeth Stanley

Michael Dean Morgan & Carlos Lopez

Elizabeth Stanley & Paul Anthony Stewart

Tyler Hanes & Mara Davi

Carlos Lopez & Michael Dean Morgan

Curtain Call

"Kiss Me Kate" Company Curtain Call

William Finn & Radhel Sheinkin

William Finn & Stephen Sorokoff

Marita O'Dea Glodt, President, Board of Directors

Mary Ann Quinson, Chair Board of Directors

After Party

Beth Sapory, Rosita Sarnoff, Carlos Lopez

Bruno Quinson

Barrington Stage Company