In the constellation of musical comedy masterpieces, Kiss Me, Kate shines as perhaps Broadway's most sparkling achievement.
This is the winner of the first-ever Tony Award for Best Musical, alive with onstage romance, backstage passion, comedy high and low, a hilarious dash of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, and the songwriting genius of Cole Porter at his stylish, sexy, sophisticated best, including "Too Darn Hot," "So In Love" and "Always True To You In My Fashion." Once again, Roundabout catapults you to musical comedy heaven, with a brand-new Kiss Me, Kate.
Scott Ellis directs Kelli O'Hara, Will Chase, Corbin Bleu, and more - now thru June 2 only!
Without much in the way of energy or chemistry between them, the seams of this show's occasionally slipshod construction are more apparent than usual. The act two curtain raiser, the alternately breathy and breathless dance number 'Too Darn Hot,' is certainly arresting (the choreography here is by Warren Carlyle) - so much so that you start to dwell on the fact that, dramatically, the number has no real reason to exist within the story. Despite the visually impressive set (designed by David Rockwell), featuring a multi-tiered backstage where most of the action takes place, there's also no disguising that the story doesn't travel very far, physically or emotionally.
All of which feels just ... fine. What's interesting about this Kiss Me, Kate's context consciousness is that its adjustments are both good, arguably downright necessary ideas, and not really show-savers. I'm happy not to listen to O'Hara sing about placing her hand beneath her husband's foot, but the subtle level-up in gender politics at the show's conclusion doesn't actually stop the whole thing from feeling like an aesthetic time capsule. And aesthetics can usurp politics.
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