Amazon.com: Cole Porter's masterwork Kiss Me, Kate was revived in a splashy production that played on Broadway in 1999 then in London, where this version was filmed in front of a live audience in 2002. Broadway veterans Brent Barrett and Rachel York play pompous Fred Graham and feisty Lilli Vanessi, respectively, the couple whose roles in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew mirror their offstage feud. The play-within-a-play format is reflected in a score that has both contemporary '50s songs ("Too Darn Hot") and Bard-inspired stage songs ("I've Come to Wive It Wealthily in Padua"). Other songs such as "Wunderbar," "So in Love," "Why Can't You Behave?," "Always True to You (In My Fashion)," and "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" are among Porter's best-loved melodies and wittiest lyrics. Nancy Anderson and Michael Berresse (the lone principal still remaining from the Broadway revival cast) sing and dance up a storm as the secondary couple Lois and Bill, and Teddy Kempner and Jack Chissick steal scenes as the gangsters. Recommended for fans of musicals, though it's not the most family-friendly choice due to gender conflicts and stereotyping. --David Horiuchi
Kiss Me Kate is Simply Great! As a high school musical pit director, I was fascinated by this show from early on, as I am big Cole Porter fan. Since we are planning to do this show with high school kids I was worried that this show was "over the top" for a "G" rated audience. Yes, it is bawdy but it is surely beautiful! The acting, singing and staging is fantastic; You feel like you are sitting in the Broadway audience in the third row center. The wide cuts of a huge audience giving applause was the only thing that was a bit silly- but otherwise it is a terrific production with great costumes, sets, lighting and music. The chamber orchestra made it sound more intimate and every singer was first rate. This is my 17 year old daughter's favorite movie musical show of all time. We highly recommend it to everyone!
Love Marin and Brian together! I had the good fortune to see the production on Broadway! Fabulous. Love the two of them together. You will love the performance. I also saw them in "Ragtime" together on Broadway. What extradinary voices they both have. Together they are dynamite!!!!
Kiss Me Kate" Broadway Revival This play is top rate. Although I didn't like the General he was too broad and the song he sang, I do not think was in the original score.
Another Opening, another show I remember seeing Alfred Drake ant Patrice Munsel in this show as a young child. I also have the Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson Movie version from 1953 and though I love that version, this one feels better to me. It is a well produced video of a live production of the latest revival of this delightful production. Brent Barrett plays Graham/Petruchio with just the right amount of acerbic wit, Rachel York is a delightful Lilli Vanessi/Kate and the chemistry betwen the two of them is fantastic. Teh rest of the cast is supurb.
Flat and mostly overacted I had higher expectations when I purchased this DVD. I was not disappointed technically but I was EXTREMELY disappointed with the acting as a whole and with the uneven singing of Rachel York. She couldn't seem to decide whether she wanted a pop, jazz, or traditional musical theatre sound. Her voice was all over the place. Furthermore, I found her character very annoying...she was screechy and not at all vunerable. I preferred Kathryn Grayson's performance in the movie as she managed to be vunerable, witty, and charming, as well as screechy, demanding, and somewhat tyrannical. Truly, I could barely watch this entire video and at the end I could have cared less if Fred and Lilli got together. I think that was the most powerful statement for me. The production was acted (or directed) with a lot of mugging and so much of it was over the top. Can today's directors PLEASE leave something for the audience to think about and figure out themselves? Everything need not be a commentary! I wish I had seen Marin Mazzie because I heard she was incredible. Rent this before buying it or better yet do what I did and buy it used. It hardly cost anything and that is what is it worth.
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