After yet another difficult weekend in the Twin Cities (ICE OUT NOW!), it was a welcome stress release to see a good old-fashioned musical comedy, full of classic Cole Porter songs performed by a gorgeous 14-piece onstage orchestra and fabulous dancing by a talented 12-person ensemble. With their production of the rarely done 1949 best musical
Kiss Me, Kate, Artistry continues their tradition of the last few years opening their season with a classic musical, staged in a way that puts the focus on the music and dancing, with minimal sets or costume changes. This was actually my first time seeing
Kiss Me, Kate, and while it may be a bit dated (and its source material problematic), this show is delightfully escapist entertainment. Even, or especially, with all the darkness in our world right now, it's good to be in community with audience and artists, to laugh and be entertained together.
See Kiss Me, Kate at the Bloomington Center for the Arts through February 15.
Kiss Me, Kate is a meta show-within-a-show story about a theater company doing a musical version of Shakespeare's
Taming of the Shrew, a problematic play that's rarely done anymore. And it's right there in the title - calling a woman a shrew and stating she needs to be tamed by a man in marriage does not sit well with 21st Century audiences (although I'd love to see someone like
Ten Thousand Things put their own spin on it). The musical is also a bit dated, focusing on a contentious relationship that does turn violent, although in a more comedic and two-sided way. Ex-spouses Lilli and Fred are starring in
Shrew, and hate each other so much that like any good romcom, you know they'll end up together. Throw in gambling debts, a wealthy General for a fiance, mobsters forcing the show to continue, and a bunch of dancers that are "Too Darn Hot," and you have a great recipe for musical comedy.
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Aliya Grace, Nate Turcotte, John-Michael Zuerlein,
and Erin Capello (photo by Alyssa Kristine Photography) |
Kelli Foster Warder directs the piece with energy and precision, keeping the momentum going through the two-and-a-half-hour runtime. Joey Miller choreographs the show and has created some really fun and energetic dance numbers that are so much fun to watch, flawlessly executed by the ensemble, all of whom play both the Shakespearean character within the show, and the actor playing in the show, for delightfully layered performances, especially as things start to go wrong in the show. After playing several dramatic roles (
for which she just won a TCTB Award), it's a lot of fun to see Erin Capello in a comedy. She's hilarious as Lilli, and an expert at singing comedically - her voice still sounds gorgeous but is also used for comedic effect on songs like "I Hate Men." She's well-matched in John-Michael Zuerlein, who plays Fred as a lovable scoundrel. Other highlights in this talented cast include Marley Ritchie and Jon Michael Stiff in hilarious performances as the mobsters-turned-actors, Aliya Grace (the memorable ponytail dancer in last year's
Sweet Charity) as Lois with fantastic performances of the songs "Tom, Dick, or Harry" and "Always True to You in My Fashion," Nate Turcotte as her gambling boyfriend, and Chris Owusu leading the ensemble in the Act II opener "Too Darn Hot."
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Elijah Leer conducts the orchestra
(photo by Alyssa Kristine Photography ) |
Music Director Elijah Leer is fun to watch as he conducts the 14-piece orchestra seated towards the back of the stage, sometimes behind a scrim, and even has a few lines; since this is a musical about making a musical, we can acknowledge that the musicians are there. It's so rare to have an orchestra this size these days, and they sound so wonderful and lush. And even though I had never seen or listened to this show before, many of the songs were familiar. As a former band geek I always love watching the musicians, when I can look away from the dancing happening at the front of the stage.
The minimal set design includes dressing room furniture rolled on and off when needed, and platforms on either side of the stage. Some scenes also take place behind the orchestra, dramatic entrances or exits, or cool shadow effects, and the cast occasionally comes out into the audience. They're dressed like mid-century dancers at a rehearsal, with colorful Shakespearean costumes added for the show scenes. (Costume coordinator Britt Hilton, props design by Katie Phillips, lighting design by Jim Eishchen, sound design by Bailey Fenn.)
