Kiss Me Kate
at The Madeira School

Reviewed on February 20, 2016

Katie Pruitt
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Fairfax

As the Bard once said, "The course of true love never did run smooth." This adage couldn't be truer in the Madeira School's production of Kiss Me Kate. A traveling production of The Taming of the Shrew features feisty spouses Katherine and Petruchio, who fire Shakespearian insults at each other with gusto. Backstage, the lead actors (and former lovers) trade barbs with as much bile as their on-stage counterparts. Can true love survive?

Kiss Me Kate premiered on Broadway in 1948 to critical acclaim. With a score and a libretto by theatre legend Cole Porter and a book by husband and wife team Samuel and Bella Spewack (with a little help from a certain William Shakespeare), the musical went on to win five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Kiss Me Kate tells the story of egotistical actor Fred Graham and his tempestuous ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi, who must work with each other on a production of The Taming of the Shrew. Once the show is over, Fred can run away with his bawdy cabaret costar, while Lilli can elope with her army general boyfriend. On-stage, Fred's character Petruchio attempts to rein in Lilli's fiery Katherine to make her a suitable wife. Backstage, the true test is if Fred and Lilli can make it to the closing bows without tearing the other's head off.

Kiss Me Kate is a demanding show; its performers must take on two distinct roles, as characters in The Taming of Shrew and as the actors in the show-within-the-show. Madeira's all-female cast brought its own unique challenges as well, and for the most part, the performers rose to the occasion. Emily Barré was delightful as the swaggering Fred and his counterpart Petruchio. She employed careful mannerisms and a clear alto voice to become the cocky leading man. As Petruchio, she handled the Shakespearean dialogue effortlessly, imbuing humor and gravitas into the centuries-old text. Faith Slaughter executed her double roles with skill. As Lilli, she was more sensitive; as Katherine, brasher. She also brought a great deal of range, emotionally and vocally, to her beautifully performed solos. She was forlorn and wistful in "So In Love," enraged and hilarious in "I Hate Men." When they appeared on stage together, Lilli and Fred were classic screwball comedy perfection, hurling insults at each other like Hepburn and Tracy in their prime.

The supporting cast of performers contributed to the madcap feel of the musical. Kamagana Ngaiza was delightfully slimy off-stage as a gambling-addicted actor trying to reconcile his relationship with new actress Lois (Katie King), and convincingly earnest on-stage as a young man in pursuit of Katherine's sister, also played by King. Mary Kate Gould and Kerstin Shimkin brought laugh after laugh as two buffoonish gangsters thrust into the world of Shakespeare. Though some ensemble numbers were a little under-cooked, they were largely overshadowed by explosive songs, like the second-act opener "Too Darn Hot."

Director Krista Cowan chose to set the play in the 80's, which was reflected in the bright athletic wear the actors wore when not in Elizabethan garb. The sets were effectively minimalist. Sharp lines and rectangles evoked dressing rooms and costume closets. Large painted wood panels successfully mimicked stage sets in a traveling production. Though occasionally the supporting actors were difficult to understand, the sound was usually flawless.

To quote Shakespeare again, "all's well that ends well," and Madeira's production ended well. Madeira tackled both the best of Shakespeare and of ruthless behind-the-scenes comedy, and walked off with an excellent performance of Kiss Me Kate.

Lydia Gompper
George Mason High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Fairfax

The world of theater has certainly changed considerably since the days of Shakespeare, but there is one thing that will never disappear from the stage: love. Whether we're speaking of fiery passion or sweet romance, audiences everywhere continue to celebrate a good love story. Even the most predictable of happily-ever-afters can have viewers feeling giddy. The Madeira School's production of "Kiss Me, Kate" had that effect and more.

"Kiss Me, Kate," written by Bella and Samuel Spewack with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, premiered in 1948, following the then-new trend of "integrated" musicals (musicals in which the songs are directly connected to the script). The show follows the tumultuous relationship between the formerly married actors Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi, as they come together to perform in their first production since their divorce, a musical version of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." The pair constantly hover between hate and love, with their anger and bitterness threatening to destroy not only their show, but also any chance of a reunion for the two of them. Meanwhile, gambler Bill Calhoun gets Fred in trouble with local gangsters after signing an IOU for $10,000 in his name.

The all-girl Madeira School faced the unusual necessity of having ladies perform male roles, but they handled this challenge with impressive poise. In fact, the entirely female cast created an interesting, thought-provoking dynamic, given that "Kiss Me, Kate," as a product of the first half of the 20th century, is often criticized for its sexist, "shrew taming" content.

Much of the success of this performance rested on the shoulders of leading actresses Faith Slaughter (Lilli Vanessi) and Emily Barré (Fred Graham). Both ladies rose to the occasion wonderfully. Slaughter showed off an impressive soprano in such numbers as "So In Love" and "I Hate Men," proving that she could move easily between moments of poignancy and comedy. Barré, taking on the challenge of performing a traditionally male role, was comfortable and charming on the stage, with a stance and physicality that transformed her into a convincing romantic lead. However, despite both of their individual successes, Slaughter and Barré were most captivating as a pair, with an intense, volatile chemistry in every one of their interactions. In a show that relies hugely on the believability of the relationship between the two leads, this passion was fantastic to see.

Lilli and Fred may have an angst-riddled relationship, but "Kiss Me, Kate" is definitely a lighthearted show. One of the most fun moments of Madeira's production, at the opening of the second act, was the wild musical number "Too Darn Hot." Led by the remarkable dancer Nicole Schwartz in the role of Paul, this ensemble scene kicked off the second half of the show with a jolt of energy. Throughout the production, the gangsters Man One and Man Two (Mary Kate Gould and Kerstin Shimkin, respectively) were also a constant source of hilarity.

The show's sets were delightful, particularly during the Shakespearean show-within-the-show, "The Taming of the Shrew." Briana Harrington designed the truly exquisite paint treatment of the Padua scenery, giving it a soft, warm quality that contrasted nicely with the darker, dingier sets of the backstage.

The girls of The Madeira School delivered an outstanding production of a Broadway classic. After residing in the hearts of theater lovers for nearly 70 years, "Kiss Me, Kate" comes with high expectations, but this production managed to not only meet those expectations, but to leave its own unique imprint. With a talented main cast and a dedicated ensemble, this show was a pleasing success.

Sarah Santoro
Stone Bridge High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - Fairfax

Art imitates life; it's been said so often that it's almost a cliché. But in their engaging and creative production of Kiss Me, Kate, the all-female cast and crew of the Madeira School told the story of what happens when the tables are turned and life begins imitating art a little too closely for comfort.

Written by Samuel and Bella Spewack with music by Cole Porter, Kiss Me, Kate holds an important place in the country's artistic heritage. After opening on Broadway in 1948, the production won a number of Tony Awards, including the first ever award for Best Musical. In 2015, the Library of Congress announced that the original cast recordings were to be included in the National Recording Registry because of the show's cultural significance in American society.

The musical is centered around a production of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew in which tensions are running high between producer and male lead Fred (Emily Barré) and his ex-wife Lilli (Faith Slaughter) who is playing opposite him in the role of Kate. As if that weren't enough drama, Fred is also being threatened by gangsters (Mary Gould, Kerstin Shimkin) who think he owes a debt because of a signature forged by Bill (Kamagana Ngaiza), the ill-behaved boyfriend of the show's other star, Lois (Kathryn King). Personal entanglements test the limits of the cast's professionalism and the show dissolves into mayhem as the lines between reality and theatricality begin to disappear.

As both the egotistical, but charming Fred, and the dramatic, fortune-seeking Petruchio, Barré inhabited her characters with believability despite the challenges of acting across genders. Carefully tailoring her mannerisms and idiosyncrasies to the role, Barré convincingly transformed herself without coming across as forced or falling into parody. Rather, her performance was rooted in an authenticity and comedic talent that created one of the show's strongest characters.

In songs like "I Hate Men" and "So in Love," Slaughter stood out as one of the cast's most talented vocalists. Her depictions of both vain, headstrong Lilli and capricious Kate heightened the show's humor and her amusingly hostile rapport with Barré's Fred made their exchanges some of the production's most entertaining scenes.

Although Paul, Fred's dresser, didn't have as much stage time as other characters, Nicole Schwartz elevated the role, making the song "Too Darn Hot" a stand-out. Her confident swagger revealed a chameleon-like ability to portray the male character and her smoky, sultry voice and talent as a dancer created a performance that oozed charisma and personality.

Gould and Shimkin won laughs as threatening gangsters with a surprising reverence for the dramatic arts. Though the characters are caricatures with classic mobster accents and a habit of talking with their hands, the actresses' comedic talent made the stereotype charming and entertaining rather than stale.

Although some of the stage fighting lacked believability, a cast-wide talent for reacting to the absurd with credibility and humor kept the scenes entertaining.

Though some of the scene changes dragged, the lapses proved worth the wait as the changing sets were cleverly designed and well-executed. The understated, ingenious backstage set and quaint, picturesque streets of Padua created a charming backdrop for the production.

In contrast to the dysfunctional theatre company they portrayed, the cast and crew of the Madeira School's Kiss Me, Kate displayed both the cohesion and notable vocal, comedic, and technical talent needed to deliver a winning and thoroughly entertaining production.

Gillian Wright
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

Throughout history, men and women have mystified one another. Men are bewildered by women's wild emotions and women cannot comprehend men's strange pastimes, yet mutual attraction persists, compelling men and women in their efforts to appeal to the opposite sex. The Madeira School's production of "Kiss Me Kate" explored the timeless issue of gender relations through the lenses of three separate time periods.

Written by Sam and Bella Spewack with lyrics and music by Cole Porter, the musical opened on Broadway in 1948 and was revived in 1999. The show follows Lilli and Fred, a divorced couple co-starring in a production of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." As rehearsals progress, the couple's history becomes increasingly problematic, creating heated tension onstage and behind the scenes. Personalities in the cast and crew of the play-within-a-play cleverly reflect the behaviors of Shakespeare's characters, updating Shakespeare's message with references to mid-20th century American culture and values. The Madeira School set this production in the 1980's, adding another level of depth evident in several technical elements.

Lilli (Faith Slaughter) shared the strong personality and willful independence of Kate, whom she portrayed in "The Taming of the Shrew." Slaughter expertly distinguished her voice and mannerisms between the two characters she portrayed, developing similar yet distinct personalities for each woman. Best showcasing Slaughter's lovely voice was her solo number, "I Hate Men," in which expressive dancing and emotional inflections complemented her singing. Opposite Slaughter first as Fred, Lilli's ex-husband, then as Petruchio, suitor of Kate, was Emily Barré, whose authoritative physicality and carefully lowered vocal register developed a strikingly genuine air of masculinity. Remnants of a since-extinguished flame between the two flickered bright in "Wunderbar," foretelling the pair's amorous outcome.

Cast as Bianca, Lois (Kathryn King) displayed an equivalently cloying personality as she vied for male attention with constant flirtation and consistent body language. Adding a layer of comedy to the show were Men One and Two (Mary Gould and Kerstin Shimkin), gangsters pursuing first Fred then Lilli. The two men had fantastic chemistry, playing off each other with telling facial expressions, hilarious vocal intonations, and embellished accents. Paul (Nicole Schwartz), a member of the technical crew, was showcased in "Too Darn Hot," in which Schwartz's sultry jazz vocals and impressive dance moves thoroughly entertained the audience.

Designing a set for "The Taming of the Shrew" is a surmountable task, made more challenging in this show by the necessity of a modernized backstage setting for scenes between cast and crew members; the Madeira School's set exceeded expectations with masterful painting and creative structures guiding actors' movements. A skillful stage crew helped move the large set in a timely manner. Bold costumes made clear the time period, with women in colorful dancewear and men wearing the t-shirts of then-prominent bands.

As in real life, relationship dynamics are never stationary in the show, but as Petruchio pacifies fiery Kate, Fred's emotional appeals win over Lilli, and as the stage production comes to a close, the two once-lovers are reunited with touching affection. The Madeira School's buoyant production of "Kiss Me Kate" reminded the audience that though honey does not alway catch the most flies, when trying to woo another, it can never hurt to brush up your Shakespeare.

Kelsey Franklin
Thomas S. Wootton High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

Taking the themes of Shakespeare and putting them into an upbeat, lively show, the Madeira School's performance of Kiss Me Kate was truly "Wunderbar"!

Kiss Me Kate was written by Samuel and Bella Spewack in 1948, with music by Cole Porter. This play-within-a-play follows the on and offstage drama of a musical production of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. This particular production sets the show in the 1980s. Fred Graham stars as Petruchio alongside his ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi, who plays Katherine. Lois Lane and her gambling beau, Bill, play Bianca and Lucentio. Unfortunately, Bill's bad gambling habit causes a couple of gangsters to come into the scene. Chaos ensues.

With great humor, songs, and dance numbers, this show was very entertaining. Everyone, even many in the ensemble, had a great energy. There is some Shakespearian language in the show, but most actors were able to portray the meaning through body language and facial expression. The first number started out a bit rough, but after that, the show found it's rhythm.

Emily Barré was particularly impressive as Fred. Her performance was energetic and she owned the egotistical character while tackling a traditionally baritone role. Faith Slaughter was equally as captivating as Lili with a melodious singing voice and incredible ability to distinguish between her two characters, Lilli and Katherine, even though they're quite similar.

The group numbers were a joy to watch, particularly "Too Darn Hot", which featured Nicole Schwartz as Paul, along with the other actors and stagehands of Shrew. Schwartz's masculine mannerisms and voice made the scene very fun and upbeat. Although the ensemble was difficult to hear at some points, the dancing was excellent and lively. One of the more comedic elements of the show were the two mobsters, played by Mary Kate Gould and Kerstin Shimkin. Their wit was quick paced and their quips were well-timed.

As for the technical aspects of the show, everything was done well. While not entirely consistent, the scene changes were fairly smooth, especially with the use of a fly system. The costumes for the Padua scenes were beautiful and vibrant. The the set was quite impressive. It was well built and the painting was bright and detailed.

The Madeira School did a superb job with Kiss Me Kate. You'd be "So In Love" with this show!

Sierra Hoffman
Fairfax High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

A theatre-goer is often fooled by the magic of the theatre. Rarely do they got to see the world exists behind the curtain, where each actor and actress lives a stunningly different life full of love, hate, and jealousy. Audiences at the Madeira School's production of "Kiss Me, Kate" this weekend were exposed to the behind the scenes view of what goes into producing a musical.

"Kiss Me, Kate" follows a divorced couple, Fred and Lilli, as they star as Petruchio and Katharine in a musical production of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew", and their love/hate relationship offstage that mirrors their characters onstage. A secondary plot follows another troubled couple, Lois and Bill who also play love interests. Because of their history of Cole Porter musicals, The Madeira School chose to set the musical in the 1980's, opposed to the 40's, where it is usually set.

Lilli Vanessi, the divorced star, was played by Faith Slaughter. Slaughter displayed an excellent vocal range in songs such as "I Hate Men" and "So In Love", which were both standout songs in act one. She made strong choices which made a clear distinction between Lilli and Katharine, her onstage character. These choices made it easy to tell when Lilli's personality was shining through Katherine's, giving the character more believable dimension. Kathryn King played Lois Lane, the young, beautiful supporting actress who sleeps around, causing a troubled relationship with her gambling boyfriend. King gave a solid performance and created a clear character immediately.

The potential challenge involved with producing shows at an all girls school is clear, but The Madeira School's cast did an excellent job of embodying the male characters. Emily Barré gave an excellent performance as Fred, Lilli's ex husband. Barré's physicality and mannerisms were believable and honest, which made her performance easy to watch and enjoyable, especially when matched with her excellent low range. Another standout performance were Mary Kate Gould and Kerstin Shimkin as Man 1 and 2, the gangsters who join the show to keep an eye on Lilli. The two actresses had great comedic timing and gave a strong performance with solid accents and delivery.

The set design and execution were well thought out and fit well in the space and in relation to the show. The costumes for the offstage portion of the show were bright and colorful, staying true to the 80's theme, and the onstage Shakespearean costumes were true to "The Taming of the Shrew". The subtle changes in lighting between the locations made the scenes very clear, and the cues were precise. The orchestra created a great sound and volume that worked well with the actress' voices.

"Kiss Me, Kate" is an enjoyable classic that tells a charming love story. No matter what time period this beautiful musical is set in, it's sure to make an audience happy. The Madeira School's production was a heartwarming portrayal and did an excellent job of just that.