Overview
Synopsis
Egotistical leading man, director, and producer Fred Graham is reunited with his ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi, when the two are forced to play opposite one another in a new production of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. The battle of the sexes continues onstage and off, as it becomes clear that, as much as this couple profess to hate each other, they are also still in love. Alongside their bickering liaison, the show’s supporting actress, Lois Lane, supports her gambling boyfriend, Bill, as he attempts to evade the the clutches of local gangsters. Throw in a number of cases of mistaken identity, the mob, and comedic routines into the mix and you get Kiss Me, Kate -- a dazzling Broadway classic that earned the very first Tony award for Best Musical.
Show Information
Context
Kiss Me Kate was first produced on Broadway in 1948. Winning the first ever Tony award for Best Musical,the show was inspired by the real-life sparring between onstage/offstage couple Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. With music by Cole Porter, it was an immediate success, running on Broadway for 1,077 performances. It opened in London’s West End in 1951 at the Coliseum Theatre, running for 400 performances. It has since been revived in both New York and London, several times, most recently in
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Act One
In 1948, a theater company are preparing for the opening night of a new musical based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew at the Ford Theatre in Baltimore (“Another Op’nin’, Another Show”). They are led by impresario Fred Graham who is not only directing and producing the show, but also starring as the romantic lead Petruchio. Controversially he has hired his ex-wife Lilli Vanessi to perform opposite him as the ‘shrew’, Katherine. Both claim to have moved on--Fred is
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Showing 8 of 9 characters
Character Portrayals
See StageAgent members who have performed roles in Kiss Me, Kate.
Showing 8 of 21 portrayals
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Songs
Act One
- *Another Op’nin’, Another Show - Ensemble
- Why Can’t You Behave - Lois Lane, Bill Calhoun
- Wunderbar - Fred Graham, Lilli Vanessi
- So in Love - Lilli Vanessi
- *We Open in Venice - Fred Graham, Lilli Vanessi, Lois Lane, Bill Calhoun
- *Tom, Dick, or Harry - Lois Lane, Bill Calhoun, Ensemble
- I’ve Come to Wive it Wealthily in Padua - Fred Graham, Ensemble
- I Hate Men - Lilli Vanessi
- Were Thine That Special Face - Fred Graham
- We Sing of Love (Cantiamo D’Amore) - Lois Lane, Bill Calhoun, Ensemble
- Kiss Me, Kate - Fred Graham, Lilli Vanessi, Ensemble
Act Two
- *It's Too Darn Hot - Paul, Ensemble
- Where is the Life That Late I Led - Fred Graham
- *Always True To You In My Fashion - Lois Lane
- From This Moment On - General Harrison Howell, Lilli Vanessi
- *Bianca - Bill Calhoun, Ensemble
- So in Love [reprise] - Fred Graham
- *Brush Up Your Shakespeare - First Man, Second Man
- I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple - Lilli Vanessi
- Kiss Me Kate [reprise] - Ensemble
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Key Terms
The art of designing and arranging movement sequences for theatrical dance and physical storytelling.
A period of artistic flourishing, often referring to 1940s-60s Broadway or English Renaissance theatre. This term plays a vital role in understanding theatrical structure and is commonly encountered in stagecraft or performance settings.
The “Golden Age Musical” refers to Broadway shows written roughly between the 1940s and 1960s, a period known for integrating songs, story, and character development. These musicals often balanced romance, comedy, and social themes with memorable melodies and large ensembles. Classics from this era continue to shape the foundation of modern musical theatre.
A form of self-referential drama where the play draws attention to its own theatricality. This device challenges the audience’s suspension of disbelief and is used in Epic Theatre and postmodern works.
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher