KISS ME, KATE! Opens Tonight at Longwood Gardens

Hundreds of disappointed fans shuffled out of steamy Longwood Gardens last night as the long anticipated opening of Kiss Me, Kate! succumbed to the fickle summer storms of the Delaware Valley.

One disappointed ticket holder suspected the blow-your-socks off first number, Another Opnin' shook the clouds and made the rain fall. "That first song was just awesome, I couldn't believe it when the rain started falling, said Joseph Curtis. It's like it was too much for the sky to handle!"

The Brandywiners did indeed deliver on the iconic opening, arguably the best opening number of any musical ever, when a light drizzle came over the stage. The actors bravely kept on through the next scene until the authorities announce a 10 minute delay, which then turned into 20 minutes. Then everyone was temporarily fooled when Mother Nature took a break, and the audience was told the show would go on. But shortly thereafter the skies opened again and the night was over.

Said Henry Porreca, three-time Director of Brandywiners productions including last year's block buster Guys & Dolls, " The silver lining to these clouds is that tomorrows audience is in for the treat of their lives. After missing our dress rehearsal due to rain and now this, we have 68 performers who are just going to explode all over that giant stage tomorrow. I can't wait!"

The Brandywiners have rescheduled Thursday night to performance to Monday day, August 1. All July 28 tickets will be honored.

Tickets can be purchased at www.brandywiners.org or by calling (800) 338 6965. Tickets include free all-day admission to Longwood Gardens.

Tickets for reviewers for the postponed opening on Friday July 29th are available upon request. Curtain time is 8:30 pm.

About the Kiss Me, Kate and About the Brandywiners

Kiss Me, Kate! is The Brandywiners 80th consecutive production, and considered to be Cole Porter's masterpiece of American musical theater. It ran for over 1,000 performances on Broadway and 400 more in London. Over the years, the show has been nominated for 17 Tonys and has won 7 including Best Musical, Best Composer and Best Actor. With a Hollywood movie version, four teleVision Productions, two revivals and countless productions by high schools and community theaters, Kiss Me, Kate! continues to earn its reputation for being one of the most popular shows ever written.

The Brandywiners, Ltd. is one of the largest nonprofit theatrical groups in the Delaware Valley, presenting high-quality musicals each summer in the spacious Open Air Theatre at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Proceeds from concerts and musical theater production benefit cultural, educational and civic causes throughout the Brandywine Valley.The Brandywiners have contributed over $600,000 to dozens of charitable and performing arts organizations since their founding.

Tickets can be purchased on line at www.brandywiners.org or by calling 800 338-6965.