‘But for my bonny Kate, she must with me.’

Set in Baltimore, love and show business collide in more ways than one in the Cole Porter musical, Kiss Me Kate.  A Shakespeare play within a musical with plenty of backstage drama, David Daly as Fred/Petruchio and Sara Daly as Lilli/Katherine shine portraying exes onstage, but they are married in real life.

Well timed shortly after Shakespeare’s birthday and shrewdly directed by Steve Dooner, Hingham Civic Music Theatre continues the Cole Porter romantic comedy musical, Kiss Me Kate live and in person at the Sanborn Auditorium at the Hingham Town Hall in Hingham, Massachusetts through Sunday, May 4.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Musically directed by Sandee Brayton with exuberant choreography by Diana Byrne Gossard, this enchanting musical is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission.  Hingham Civic Music Theatre has dedicated their season to the memory of Violet (Vi) Villani.

When a literary and music genius join forces, a Golden Age musical is born.  Kiss Me Kate boasts memorable Cole Porter classic tunes such as So in Love, Too Damn Hot, Wunderbar and Brush Up Your Shakespeare while infusing elements of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew to create a romantic comedy for the ages.  Cole Porter’s music often reflects a jazz and bluesy feel as demonstrated in this play within a play’s self aware opening number, Another Opening/Another Show.

Playful, charming, and imaginative, Kiss Me Kate tells the story of director, producer and star of Taming of the Shrew Fred, portrayed by David Daly, who is working with ex-wife Lilli, depicted by Sara Daly, a fading Hollywood star reluctantly turning to theatre and co-starring in his production.  Lilli is engaged to systematic and orderly General Harrison Howell, portrayed by Andy Gossard who seems to relish the role.  I’ve always considered Katherine in Taming of the Shrew a woman ahead of her time and Sara impressively takes on this dual role as Lilli and Katherine as headstrong and fearless women with minds of their own.  David brings lots of charm and earnestness to his dual role as Fred and Petruchio.  Boasting soaring vocals, it is delightful to watch David and Sara who share great chemistry onstage.  They perform a lovely and intense duet of Wunderbar and deliver sweet renditions of So in Love.

Another adorable couple who make melodious harmony together is Justin Maloney as Bill/Lucentio and Emily Crosta as Lois Lane/Bianca. Maloney as Bill and Crosta as Lois make a captivating pair delivering a couple of coy and lighthearted duets including Why Can’t You Behave and Always True to You in My Fashion, the latter especially flirty and entertaining.  Fred, Lilli, Bill and Lois collaborate for a humorous rendition of the upbeat classic, We Open in Venice.

Also offering some scene stealing comic relief are Brendan Smith and Connor O’Brien as the Two Men.  Tough and goofy with a hilarious strut in top hats and canes, these sharply dressed men perform a knowing Brush Up Your Shakespeare, advising the audience how to use Shakespeare to woo women.

Costume designer Ashley Buckeridge skillfully blends period pieces such as classic Juliet and romantic Renaissance attire in delicate patterns to the iconic post World War II era making a splash in coordinated polka dots, lace, silk, button down trousers and brimmed hats.

From tap to traditional renaissance to swing dancing, Diane Byrne Gossard’s joyful and lively choreography is a particular highlight as John Crampton as smooth Paul leads a playful rendition with this enthusiastic cast in a whistling and horn-infused number, Too Damn Hot.   

Kiss Me Kate delves into a number of romantic high jinks including the war of the sexes and it is fascinating to see this topic resonate from the Renaissance to Post War II era to today with spirited flair.

Hingham Civic Music Theatre continues the Cole Porter romantic comedy musical, Kiss Me Kate live and in person at Hingham Town Hall in Hingham, Massachusetts through Sunday, May 4.  Click here for more information and for tickets.