Kiss Me, Kate
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:54:55 PM Wikipedia source
Kiss Me, Kate is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Bella and Samuel Spewack. 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. 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. The musical premiered in 1948 and proved to be Porter's only show to run for more than 1,000 performances on Broadway. In 1949, it won the first Tony Award for Best Musical.
Infobox
Tables
| Character | Original Broadway cast (1948) | Original West End cast (1951) | 1999 Broadway revival | 2019 Broadway revival |
| Fred Graham/Petruchio | Alfred Drake | Bill Johnson | Brian Stokes Mitchell | Will Chase |
| Lilli Vanessi/Katharine | Patricia Morison | Marin Mazzie | Kelli O'Hara | |
| Bill Calhoun/Lucentio | Harold Lang | Walter Long | Michael Berresse | Corbin Bleu |
| Lois Lane/Bianca | Lisa Kirk | Julie Wilson | Amy Spanger | Stephanie Styles |
| First Man | Harry Clark | Danny Green | Lee Wilkof | John Pankow |
| Second Man | Jack Diamond | Sidney James | Michael Mulheren | Lance Coadie Williams |
| Harrison Howell | Denis Green | Austin Trevor | Ron Holgate | Terence Archie |
| Henry Trevor/Baptista | Thomas Holer | Daniel Wherry | John Horton | Mel Johnson, Jr. |
| Hattie | Annabelle Hill | Adelaide Hall | Adriane Lenox | Adrienne Walker |
| Paul | Lorenzo Fuller | Archie Savage | Stanley Wayne Mathis | James T. Lane |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 1949 | Tony Award | Best Musical | Won | |
| Best Author (Musical) | Samuel and Bella Spewack | Won | ||
| Best Original Score | Cole Porter | Won | ||
| Best Costume Design | Lemuel Ayers | Won | ||
| Best Producer of a Musical | Saint Subber and Lemuel Ayers | Won | ||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 1987 | Laurence Olivier Award | Best Musical Revival | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actor in a Musical | John Bardon and Emil Wolk | Won | ||
| Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actress in a Musical | Nichola McAuliffe | Won | ||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 2000 | Tony Award | Best Revival of a Musical | Won | |
| Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical | Brian Stokes Mitchell | Won | ||
| Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical | Marin Mazzie | Nominated | ||
| Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical | Michael Berresse | Nominated | ||
| Lee Wilkof | Nominated | |||
| Michael Mulheren | Nominated | |||
| Best Direction of a Musical | Michael Blakemore | Won | ||
| Best Choreography | Kathleen Marshall | Nominated | ||
| Best Orchestrations | Don Sebesky | Won | ||
| Best Scenic Design | Robin Wagner | Nominated | ||
| Best Costume Design | Martin Pakledinaz | Won | ||
| Best Lighting Design | Peter Kaczorowski | Nominated | ||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Won | ||
| Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Brian Stokes Mitchell | Won | ||
| Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Marin Mazzie | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Michael Mulheren | Nominated | ||
| Lee Wilkof | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Director of a Musical | Michael Blakemore | Won | ||
| Outstanding Choreography | Hanya Holm | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Orchestrations | Don Sebesky | Won | ||
| Outstanding Set Design | Robin Wagner | Won | ||
| Outstanding Costume Design | Martin Pakledinaz | Won | ||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 2002 | Laurence Olivier Award | Best Musical Revival | Nominated | |
| Best Actor in a Musical | Brent Barrett | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress in a Musical | Marin Mazzie | Nominated | ||
| Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical | Nancy Anderson | Nominated | ||
| Michael Berresse | Nominated | |||
| Best Director of a Musical | Michael Blakemore | Nominated | ||
| Best Theatre Choreographer | Kathleen Marshall | Nominated | ||
| Best Set Design | Robin Wagner | Nominated | ||
| Best Costume Design | Martin Pakledinaz | Nominated | ||
| Evening Standard Award | Best Musical | Won | ||
| Critics Circle Award | Best Musical | Won | ||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 2013 | Laurence Olivier Award | Best Musical Revival | Nominated | |
| Best Actor in a Musical | Alex Bourne | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress in a Musical | Hannah Waddingham | Nominated | ||
| Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical | Adam Garcia | Nominated | ||
| Best Theatre Choreographer | Stephen Mear | Nominated | ||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 2019 | Tony Award | Best Revival of a Musical | Nominated | |
| Best Actress in a Musical | Kelli O'Hara | Nominated | ||
| Best Choreography | Warren Carlyle | Nominated | ||
| Best Orchestrations | Larry Hochman | Nominated | ||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Corbin Bleu | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Choreography | Warren Carlyle | Won | ||
| Drama League Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical | Won | ||
| Distinguished Performance Award | Kelli O’Hara | Nominated | ||
| Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Choreographer | Warren Carlyle | Won | ||
| Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Kelli O'Hara | Nominated | ||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 2024 | WhatsOnStage Awards | Best Musical Revival | Nominated | |
| Best Choreography | Anthony Van Laast | Nominated | ||
References
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