David Quinn

Those spats usually bring Kiss Me, Kate some of its biggest laughs - and thankfully, that remains the same here. It helps that Amanda Green (Hands on a Hardbody, Bring It On The Musical) has provided some tweaks to Sam and Bella Spewack's book, which responsibly eliminate some of the nastier verbal insults to level the playing field a bit. The delightful Chase has embraced some of Fred's goofiness, too, and he and O'Hara play off one another perfectly.

Regrettably, the action in the play...is far too contrived to make much of an impact...Margulies, supposedly, was heavily influenced by Chekhov, cutting and pasting characters and situations from 'The Seagull' and 'Uncle Vanya' to craft 'The Country House.' Perhaps that explains why the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, of 'Dinner with Friends' and 'Time Stand Still,' is so muddled here. He seems bound by his device, not propelled by it...Despite a rocky structure, there are some winning performances. Danner is a treat as the steadfast and strong Anna, giving gravity and poise to a woman grieving the loss of her daughter and her youth. The venerable actress moves through much of the material here with ease, and you'll be glad she's leading the ship.