‘Kiss Me, Kate’ is a musical written by Samuel and Bella Spewack, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. It won a Tony for Best Musical on Broadway in 1949, with successful UK revivals in 2001, 2012, and 2015. It is a ‘show within a show’ since the story involves the production of a musical version of William Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ and the conflict, on and off-stage, between Fred Graham the show's director, producer and star, and his leading lady, his ex-wife Lilli Vanessi. A secondary romance concerns Lois Lane, the actress playing Bianca, and her gambler boyfriend, Bill Calhoun, who runs afoul of some gangsters. Well known of the 20 musical numbers include “Another Op’nin’, Another Show”, “I Hate Men”, “Too Darn Hot”, “So in Love”, “From this Moment On”, “Wunderbar”, and “Brush up your Shakespeare”.
** ‘Kiss Me, Kate’ is a fully staged production with a 14-piece professional Orchestra. **
