The classic Cole Porter musical Kiss Me Kate is coming to Shawano Mielke Theater this week and next week. Passions run high as leading lady Lilli Vanessi and her ex-husband, actor/director Fred Graham, battle onstage and off in a production of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. With romance, comedy, sophistication, and behind-the-scenes high jinks, Kiss Me, Kate combines the irreverent humor of four brilliant writers: Sam and Bella Spewack, Cole Porter and William Shakespeare. Musical numbers include “So In Love,” “Wunderbar,” “Tom, Dick or Harry,” “Too Darn Hot,” “Brush Up Your Shakespeare,” “I Hate Men,” “Always True to You (In My Fashion)” and “Another Op’nin, Another Show.”
“It’s a show within a show,” said lead actor Brandon Byng. Byng plays the role of Fred Graham, “One of the biggest challenges in the Shakespearean sonnets and that has been a big a challenge for me.”
Maggie Saperstein plays the role of Lilli Vanessi “It has been a lot of fun. She is larger than life and I love leaning into that.” Many of the actors, including Saperstein will be performing for the first time at the Box In the Wood. Some of the actors have experience in High School Theater and other community theaters. “Even on the worse rehearsal days, it is still the highlight of my day.”
The show is directed by Evelyn Smoot.
Byng says in this show, people have two roles, the role in the actual musical and the role that they play in the show within the show.
The show is Thursday July 13, Friday July 14 and Saturday July 15 at 7:00pm and Sunday July 16 at 2pm. The show returns next week Thursday July 20, Friday July 21 and Saturday July 22 at 7:00pm and Sunday July 23 at 2pm.
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