Synopsis of Kiss Me, Kate
- Creators: Music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Samuel and Bella Spewack.
- Setting: Broadway (present day) and Renaissance Padua, Italy (in the play-within-a-play).
- Plot Overview:
“Kiss Me, Kate” is a musical that cleverly interweaves two stories: the tumultuous relationship of a divorced acting couple, Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi, who are starring in a musical adaptation of Shakespeare‘s “The Taming of the Shrew,” and the story of the play itself.Fred Graham is playing Petruchio, and Lilli Vanessi is playing Katherina. Their real-life animosity and lingering attraction spill over into their roles, creating chaos and comedy both on and off stage.Adding to the mayhem, two gangsters mistake Lilli for a gambler who owes them money and force her to stay for the show’s run, leading to further complications and romantic misunderstandings.Meanwhile, the play-within-a-play, “The Taming of the Shrew,” mirrors the modern-day drama, with Petruchio “taming” the shrewish Katherina, while the characters of Lucentio and Bianca also have their own romantic subplots. - Themes: Love, marriage, gender roles, the nature of performance, and the blurred lines between art and life.
- Genre: Musical comedy.
- Notable Songs: “So in Love,” “Too Darn Hot,” “Brush Up Your Shakespeare,” and “Always True to You (In My Fashion).”