Home About Us News Get Involved Shop Online Guest Book Help

Kiss Me Kate Look this subject up on Wikipedia


Kiss Me Kate will be performed at Round Hill Primary School between Monday 13th April and Saturday 18th April 2009.

The music and lyrics are by Cole Porter and the book by Sam & Bella Spewack. The great Cole Porter poured a huge amount of his best music into Kiss Me Kate. The score scintillates with hits like "Wunderbar", "Always True To You In My Fashion", "Why Can't You Behave", "Too Darned Hot" ..... a great stream of lovely melody allied to words by the wittiest lyricist America ever produced.

The Story of Kiss Me Kate

Actor/Manager Fred Graham and his ex-wife, movie star Lilli Vanessi, are to play the leads in a musical version of Shakespeare's The Taming of the shrew, which he is producing. Fred is currently attracted to his new protégée, cabaret artiste Lois Lane, making her Shakespearian debut as Bianca. Lilli is engaged to wealthy politician, Harrison Howell who she has persuaded to back the show to the tune of $200,000. Lilli feels snubbed by Fred's attentions to Lois at the curtain-calls rehearsal.

Lois Lane's long-term cabaret partner Bill Calhoun is to play the role of Lucentio. Bill, an inveterate gambler, has missed the final rehearsal because of a card-game at which he has signed a marker for $10,000 to cover his losses. Hard-up as usual he has used his new boss Fred Graham's name and not his own, hence confusion ensues when two gangsters arrive to see about collecting the debt.

Lilli received flowers from Fred, a replica of her wedding bouquet and for a while wonders whether their divorce had been a mistake. When she discovers from the card with the flowers that they were intended for Lois, she storms off to play the role of Katherine, the shrew, with more than usual zest.

The Story on Stage in Padua


Baptista Minola, a wealthy merchant, has two daughters, the fair Bianca and Katherine, known as Kate. Bianca is wooed by three ardent suitors: Gremio, Hortensio and Lucentio, but as the younger daughter, she cannot wed until a husband has been found for her sister. No easy task since Kate's reputation as a shrew is well known in Padua. Petruchio arrives from Verona with the express intention of finding a wealthy wife. He is warned of Kate's ill-temper by Lucentio but since Kate is rich the warning counts for naught!

Happy Endings...


In Petrucio's attempt to tame Kate, Fred finds that art holds up a mirror to life reflecting his stormy relationship with Lilli. With the two stories inextricably intertwined Lilli threatens to walk out of the show to marry Harrison. Surprisingly, it is the gangsters who help to save the day.

Synopsis of Show

Act 1

Scene 1 - Stage of Ford Theatre - Baltimore
Scene 2 - The Corridor - Back Stage
Scene 3 - Dressing Rooms of Lilli Vanessi & Fred Graham
Scene 4 - Padua
Scene 5 - Street Scene - Padua
Scene 6 - Backstage
Scene 7 - Dressing Room of Lilli Vanessi & Fred Graham
Scene 8 - The Church

Act 2

Scene 1 - The Stage Door Alley
Scene 2 - Before The Curtain
Scene 3 - In front of Petruchio's House
Scene 4 - The Corridor - Backstage
Scene 5 - Dressing Room of Lilli Vanessi & Fred Graham
Scene 6 - The Corridor - Backstage
Scene 7 - Before The Curtain
Scene 8 - Baptista's House

Musical Numbers

Act 1

Another Openin', Another Show (Hattie & Chorus)
Why Can't You Behave? (Lois & Bill)
Wunderbar (Lilli & Fred)
So In Love (Lilli)
We Open In Venice (Katharine, Petruchio, Bianca, Lucentio & Chorus)
Tom, Dick or Harry (Gremio, Lucentio, Hortensio & Bianca)
I've Come To Wive It Wealthily In Padua (Petruchio & Men)
I Hate Men (Katharine)
Where Thine That Special Face (Petruchio)
I Sing Of Love (Bianca, Lucentio & Chorus)
Finale Act 1 (Katharine, Petruchio & Chorus)

Act 2

Too Darn Hot (Paul, Men & Dancers)
Where Is The Life That Late I Lead?
Always True To You In My Fashion (Lois)
Bianca (Bill & Girls)
Reprise : So In Love Am I (Fred)
Brush Up Your Shakespeare (The Gangsters)
Women Are So Simple (Katharine)
Shrew Finale: So Kiss Me Kate (Full Company)
Grand Finale (Full Company)

Help Us With Advertising

If you'd like to help us advertise the show - whether handing out flyers to friends or putting a poster on a noticeboard - then please contact our publicity officer who can provide posters, flyers, etc.

If you own your own website and would like to help us advertise this show, then please visit our "Link To Us" page for banners and buttons.


"If a composer could say what he had to say in words he would not bother trying to say it in music." (Gustav Mahler)
This site is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence and is approved by Good Net Guide. It is owned and maintained by David Artiss (a UKWDA registered member) and is carbon neutral accredited.
BMTG is a registered charity (513607) and is affiliated to NODA (member 3799). Read our disclaimer notice.

Corsola / 1 / 38.103.63.17 / 0.028 / July 1 2008 @ 7:21 pm / kissmekate.php
Go to the top of the page