The story
involves the production of a musical version of William Shakespeare's The
Taming of the Shrew and the conflict on and off-stage between Fred Graham,
the show's director, producer, and star, and his leading lady, his ex-wife
Lilli Vanessi. A secondary romance concerns Lois Lane, the actress playing
Bianca, and her gambler boyfriend, Bill, who runs afoul of some gangsters. The
original production starred Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison, Lisa Kirk and
Harold Lang and won the Tony Award.
Kiss Me, Kate was Porter's response to Rodgers and
Hammerstein's Oklahoma! and other integrated musicals; it was the first
show he wrote in which the music and lyrics were firmly connected to the
script, and it proved to be his biggest hit and the only one of his shows to
run for more than 1,000 performances on Broadway. In 1949, it won the first
Tony Award presented for Best Musical.
Act I
The cast of a
musical version of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew is
rehearsing for the opening of the show that evening ("Another Op'nin',
Another Show"). Egotistical Fred Graham is the director and producer and
is starring as Petruchio, and his movie-star ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi, is playing
Katherine. The two seem to be constantly arguing, and Lilli is particularly
angry that Fred is pursuing the sexy young actress Lois Lane, who is playing
Bianca. After the rehearsal, Lois's boyfriend Bill appears; he is playing
Lucentio, but he missed the rehearsal because he was gambling. He tells her
that he signed a $10,000 IOU in Fred's name, and Lois reprimands him ("Why
Can't You Behave?").
Before the
opening, Fred and Lilli meet backstage, and Lilli shows off her engagement ring
from Washington insider Harrison Howell, reminding Fred that it's the
anniversary of their divorce. They recall the operetta in which they met, which
included "Wunderbar", a Viennese waltz; they end up fondly
reminiscing and singing and dancing. Two gangsters show up to collect the
$10,000 IOU, and Fred replies that he never signed it. The gangsters obligingly
say they will give him time to remember it and will return later. In her
dressing room, Lilli receives flowers from Fred, and she declares that she is
still "So In Love" with him. Fred tries to keep Lilli from reading
the card that came with the flowers, which reveals that he really intended them
for Lois. However, Lilli takes the card with her onstage, saying she will read
it later.
The show begins
("We Open in Venice"). Baptista, Katherine and Bianca's father, will
not allow his younger daughter Bianca to marry until his older daughter
Katherine is married. However, she is shrewish and ill-tempered, and no man
desires to marry her. Three suitors - Lucentio, Hortensio, and Gremio - try to
woo Bianca, and she says that she would marry any of them ("Tom, Dick, or
Harry"). Petruchio, a friend of Lucentio, expresses a desire to marry into
wealth ("I've Come to Wive it Wealthily in Padua”). The suitors hatch a
plan for him to marry Kate, as Baptista is rich. Kate, however, has no
intentions of getting married ("I Hate Men"). Petruchio attempts to
woo her ("Were Thine That Special Face"). Offstage, Lilli has an opportunity
to read the card. She walks on stage off-cue and begins hitting Fred, who,
along with the other actors, tries to remain in character as Baptista gives
Petruchio permission to marry Kate. Lilli continues to strike Fred, and he ends
up spanking her. Offstage, Lilli furiously declares she is leaving the show.
However, the gangsters have reappeared, and Fred tells them that if Lilli
quits, he will have to close the show and will not be able to pay them the
$10,000. The gangsters force her to stay at gunpoint. Back onstage, Bianca and
Lucentio dance while the chorus performs "We Sing of Love", covering
a scene change. The curtain opens, revealing the exterior of a church;
Petruchio and Kate have just been married, and they exit the church; the
gangsters, dressed in Shakespearean costume, are onstage to make sure that
Lilli stays. Petruchio implores for Kate to kiss him, and she refuses. He lifts
her over his shoulder and carries her offstage while she pummels his shoulder
with her fists ("Kiss Me Kate").
Act II
During the show's
intermission, the cast and crew relax in the alley behind the theater. Paul
(Fred's assistant), along with a couple other crew members, lament that it's
"Too Darn Hot" to meet their lovers that night. The play continues,
and Petruchio tries to 'tame' Katherine and mourns for his now-lost bachelor
life ("Where Is the Life That Late I Led?"). Off-stage, Lilli's
fiancé Harrison Howell is looking for Lilli. He runs into Lois, and she
recognizes him as a former lover but promises not to tell Lilli. Bill is
shocked to overhear this, but Lois tells him that even if she is involved with
other men, she is faithful to him in her own way ("Always True to You in
My Fashion”). Lilli tries to explain to Howell that she is being forced to stay
at the theatre by the gangsters, but Howell does not believe her and wants to
discuss wedding plans. Fred insidiously points out how boring Lilli's life with
Howell will be compared to the theatre. Bill sings a love song he has written
for Lois ("Bianca").
The gangsters
discover that their boss has been killed, so the IOU is no longer valid. Lilli
leaves—without Howell—as Fred unsuccessfully tries to convince her to stay
("So in Love" (Reprise)). The gangsters get caught on stage and
improvise a tribute to Shakespeare in which they explain that knowing
Shakespeare is the key to romance ("Brush Up Your Shakespeare"). The
company prepares for the conclusion of the play, the wedding of Bianca and
Lucentio, even though they are now missing one of the main characters. However,
just in time for Katherine's final speech, Lilli arrives onstage ("I Am
Ashamed That Women Are So Simple"). Fred and Lilli wordlessly reconcile on
stage, and the play ends ("Kiss Me Kate" (Finale)) with them, as well
as Bill and Lois, kissing passionately.
