10/05/2010
The Broadway musical comedy “Kiss Me, Kate” will be presented by the Performing Arts Department for six performances in the Dowd Fine Arts Theatre beginning Oct. 22.
The popular Cole Porter musical is about the egotistical actor Fred Graham (Derek Mellor) and his ex-wife Lilli Vanessi (Katie Quigley) who are reunited for a musical version of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” the two of them quarreling on stage and off. The secondary couple of hoofer Bill Calhoun (Tim Fuchs) and ingenue Lois Lane (Amy Lamberti) also have their differences, while two gangsters (Skylar Winter and Joey Gugliemelli) get caught up in the action as well. Also featured in the cast are Paul Smith, Rasheem Ford, Annali Fuchs, Doug Robbins, Ricky Wenthen and Tom Fuchs.
“Kiss Me, Kate’ opened on Broadway in 1948 and was a major hit, running 1,070 performances. The 1953 film version with Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson was also a success and a 1999 Broadway revival ran 881 performances. The musical comedy boasts Cole Porter’s greatest score, with such hit songs as “Too Darn Hot,” “Brush Up Your Shakespeare,” “So in Love,” “Wunderbar,” and “Another Op’nin’, Another Show.”
The College production is directed and choreographed by Kevin Halpin with musical direction by Richard Montgomery, scenic design by Howard Lindh, lighting and sound by Joel Pape, costumes by Mark Reynolds, and technical direction by Preston Marye.
Performances are at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, Oct. 22-23, 29-30, with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. on Oct. 24 and 31. Tickets are $16 for the general public, $7 for all students and children, and $14 for senior citizens and SUNY faculty and staff. Tickets are on sale at Jodi’s Hallmark Shop on Main Street, Cortland, or at the door before each performance.
The production, which is appropriate for all ages, is partially funded by the Cortland College Foundation and the Cortland Fund.
For more information, call (607) 753-2811 or visit the website at www.cortland.edu/performingarts.