Originally produced in New York in 1948, Kiss Me, Kate is considered the high point of Cole Porter’s career in musical theater. The play recounts the backstage and on-stage antics and romantic intrigues of two feuding couples during an out-of-town tryout for a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. The couples’ offstage disputes entangle them with a pair of song and dance gangsters (leading to the classic musical theater number “Brush Up Your Shakespeare”) and a pompous Army General. The original production won five Tony Awards and was the longest running production (with 1,072 performances) of Cole Porter’s career.

The production includes 18 classic Cole Porter songs, including “Another Opening, Another Show,” “Too Darn Hot,” “So in Love,” “Always True to You in My Fashion” and “From This Moment On. The cast includes: Katie Allen as Lilli, Henry Wade as Fred, Amy Cocchiarella as Lois and Mike Devins as Bill. Brett Blonigen and Peter Heeringa portray the gangsters while William Broughton plays General Howell. Molly Shields plays Baptisa, Teresa Myhre plays Hattie, Devin Malone plays Paul/Hortensio and Ben Nebo plays Gremio. The chorus includes: Paul Engels, Nick Koivunen, Brady McCarragher, Michael Sayre, John Armstrong, John Engstrom, Nicole Robinson, Colleen Stewart, Kate Gross, Lisa Larson, Maureen Degnan, Christie Schmidt, Diane May and Kara Eliason.

Directing the production is Jo Ann Holonbek, the Musical Director is Angela Broeker and the Choreographer is Randy Winkler. Set and Lighting Design is by Gregory Morrissey, Costume Design is by Carol Ann Winther and the Speaking Coaching is Teresa Lyons. Troy Wilhelmson is Technical Director and Kendra Reynolds is Stage Manager.

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