Just returned from a sneak peek at most of the first act dress rehearsal of McNeese’s production of Kiss me Kate! And it promises to be fabulous.
I didn’t get to hear everyone sing, but I was very pleased to hear the four leads and they were great. Strong clear voices which carried to the back of the theater and easy to understand. This last important because the lyrics are by the brilliantly witty Cole Porter and every syllable carries humor, great rhythm and occasionally pathos.
For those of you unfamiliar with the story, Kiss me Kate is a play within a play – kind of a play-ception if you will. A troupe of actors are bringing to Broadway their musical version of Taming of the Shrew. Faithful to both story and the Bard’s words during the play within the play, Shakespeare is enlivened with songs such as “I Hate Men” and “I’ve Come to Wive it Wealthily in Padua”. The portion of the play dealing with the antics of the actors putting on the musical Shakespeare includes the catchy and famous “Another Op’ning, Another Show”, “Wonder-bar”, and “Brush up Your Shakespeare”. For those of you too young to recognize the names Bob Fosse (who made his first film appearance and his film choreography debut in the 1953 movie version) or Cole Porter – rest assured I know you’ve heard these tunes….probably in the elevator. But you have NEVER heard them the way they are brought to life on stage at McNeese.
Taming of the Shrew is about a beautiful and rich but bullying Kate and the young man, Petruchio, who is determined to marry her. Taming is being put on by a troupe of actors who have their own problems. The leading man, Fred, and lady, Lilli, are going through a bitter divorce and the supporting cast have a variety of love lorning issues. And to complicate things, Fred’s friend has placed his name on a marker for $10,000 worth of gambling debt so two henchmen pursue the confused actors humorously on and off throughout the play.
The costuming is great. The staging features variety, a balcony and the occasional cagey reference to other Shakespeare plays. The direction by Walter Kiser and choreographed by Damien Thibodeaux makes best use of all the energy and broad comedy these talented college thespians can bring to stage.
Kiss me Kate will only play this week so DO NOT MISS – Kiss me Kate, running from Wednesday, April 5 through April 9. You can buy tickets at:
or search “McNeese Kiss me Kate” and click the button that reads “Buy tickets now”.