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!
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.
Without such changes, however, Kiss Me, Kate might not be revivable at all-and that would be a shame, since the Roundabout's production is often a delight. For one thing, it affords an opportunity to rehear Porter's score, which lists heavily toward witty-silly list songs but also includes the beautifully pining 'So in Love' and the acidic 'I Hate Men.' And whatever heat has been tamped down in the central couple flares up elsewhere-most exuberantly, and appropriately, in the second-act opener, 'Too Darn Hot,' a pull-out-the-stops ensemble dance number that all but burns down the house.
1948 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
1949 | US Tour |
National Tour US Tour |
1951 | West End |
London Production West End |
1952 | Broadway |
Return Engagement [Broadway] Broadway |
1965 | Off-Broadway |
City Center Revival Off-Broadway |
1987 | West End |
London Revival West End |
1999 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
2001 | West End |
London Production West End |
2012 | West End |
Old Vic Theatre Production West End |
2016 | New York |
Roundabout Theatre Company Benefit Concert New York |
2018 | West End |
Opera North Production West End |
2019 | Broadway |
Roundabout Theatre Company Revival Broadway |
2024 | West End |
West End |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Warren Carlyle |
2019 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Corbin Bleu |
2019 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Kiss Me, Kate |
2019 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Kelli O'Hara |
2019 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical | Kiss Me, Kate |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Kelli O'Hara |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreographer | Warren Carlyle |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Kiss Me, Kate |
2019 | Theatre World Awards | Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway Debut Performance | Stephanie Styles |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Warren Carlyle |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Orchestrations | Larry Hochman |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical | Kelli O'Hara |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Kiss Me, Kate |
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