KISS ME, KATEBook by Samuel and Bella SpewackMusic and Lyrics by Cole PorterDirected by Victoria Bussert

CONTENTS2 The 4113 A/S/L4 FYI5 HTH6 F2F9 RBTL & RMAI

10 IRL12 SWDYT?

2007—2008 SEASON

MISSOURI ARTS COUNCIL

10. TBA Ushers will seat your school or class as a group,so even if you are dying to mingle with the group from theall girls school that just walked in the door, stick with yourfriends until you have been shown your section in thetheatre.

9. SITD The house lights will dim immediately before theperformance begins and then go dark. Fight off that oh-so-immature urge to whisper, giggle like a grade schooler, oryell at this time and during any other blackouts in the show.

8. SED Before the performance begins, turn off all cellphones, pagers, beepers and watch alarms. If you need totext, talk or dial back during intermission, please make sureto click off before the show resumes.

7. TMI Not to sound like your mom, but “if you need togo now, you needed to go then.” Leaving the theatre duringthe performance is disruptive, so take care of any personalneeds before the show starts.

6. RTM When you arrive at the theatre, read theproduction program. It’s like a deluxe version of liner notesand a free souvenir, all in one.

5. P-ZA? NW! Though your ability to eat ten slices at onesitting may impress your friends, no one wants to listen toyou chew, slurp or smack, so please leave all food, drink andgum outside the theatre.

4. TLK-2U-L8R We know that you will be dying to discuss what you see onstage with your friends, but pleasewait until intermission. Any talking—even whispering—isvery distracting for both the actors onstage and the audienceseated around you.

3. LOL Without you, we really wouldn’t have a show. It’syour job to laugh when a scene is funny or maybe even sheda tear or two in a tender moment. However, since you arenot the audience at The Jerry Springer Show please refrainfrom inappropriate responses such as talking, whistling,making catcalls or singing along with the performers.

2. SOP While it’s great that you want a celeb picture ofyour day at The Rep, the theatre is off-limits to thepaparazzi. Flash photography interrupts the performance andalong with videorecording is prohibited by Actors Equityrules. You can sneak a peek at production photos on ourwebsite, www.repstl.org.

1. LLTA Let the actors know that you respect their workby remaining for the curtain call at the end of theperformance. Show your appreciation through applause.

MIHYAP: TOP TEN WAYS TOSTAY CONNECTED AT THE REP

At The Rep, we knowthat life movesfast—okay, reallyfast. But we alsoknow that some

things are worth slowing down for. We believe that livetheatre is one of those pit stops worth making and areexcited that you are going to stop by for a show. To helpyou get the most bang for your buck, we have put together WU? @ THE REP—an IM guide that will give youeverything you need to know to get at the top of yourtheatergoing game—fast. You’ll find character descriptions(A/S/L), a plot summary (FYI), biographical informationon the playwright (F2F), historical context (B4U), andother bits and pieces (HTH). Most importantly, we’ll havesome ideas about what this all means IRL, anyway.

The Teacher’sLounge

In an effort to make our educational materials more

accessible to students and easier for educators to incorporate into the class-

room, our study guide is written in a student-orientedformat. We hope that you will circulate this guideamong your students in the weeks preceding your visitto The Rep, encouraging them to browse it before andafter class and as time allows, using it as a launch pointfor both pre- and post-performance discussions.You may also want to visit our website, www.repstl.org,for additional information including educational games,activity suggestions and behind-the-scenes information.

Any materials, either from this guide or fromour website may be reproduced for use in the classroom. As always, we

appreciate your making live theatre apart of your classroom experience and

welcome your feedback and questions.

Show Me Standards: CA 2, 3, 5, 6, 7; FA 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and Illinois Learning Standards: 1, 2, 5, 25, 27.

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A veteran of the theatre, POPS is the stagedoorman.

HATTIE is Lilli’s personal dresser, just asPAUL is for Fred.

The stage manager, RALPH tries to keeporder in a production that is turning into afiasco.

Young and beautiful nightclub performerLOIS LANE is making her stage debut withhopes that she will become a Broadway star.

Also in the show is BILL CALHOUN, Lois’troublemaking gambler of a boyfriend.

LILLI VANESSI is the star of the show andrecent ex-wife of Fred.

Writer, producer, actor and director, FREDGRAHAM is putting it all on the line bothprofessionally and personally for his newmusical, Shrew.

HARRY TREVOR is a veteran characteractor whose role gets him caught in themiddle of the battling leads.

The two GANGSTERS are employed tocollect on Bill’s gambling debt, but they areafter the wrong man.

GENERAL HARRISON HOWELL is Lilli’swealthy and politically connected newfiancé.

Members of the ENSEMBLE playstagehands, assistants and other variousparts in both Kiss Me, Kate and Shrew.

Shrew Players:

Pops Padua PriestLois Lane BiancaBill Calhoun LucentioLilli Vanessi KatharineFred Graham PetruchioHarry Trevor BaptistaGangsters Servants, donkey

WITH A BOOK by Samuel and BellaSpewack, and a score that is oftenconsidered one of Cole Porter’s crowningachievements, Kiss Me, Kate has long beenone of Broadway’s musical gems. The showbegins in the 1940s at Baltimore’s VictoriaTheatre, where Fred Graham is about to openShrew, his new musical version of The Tamingof the Shrew. Finishing up the final rehearsal,we meet the stars of the show: Lilli Vanessi,Fred’s ex-wife and currently the biggestname in the show, and Lois Lane, Fred’s newinfatuation and stage novice.

AS THE CAST WORKS the curtain call wenotice that Bill Calhoun, Lois’ current mainsqueeze, is absent. Lois informs an agitatedFred that Bill is at the doctor’s office, but weare soon to discover that Bill is actually outfeeding one of his bad habits—gambling.Upon his return, we find out that he hasjust lost $10,000 and he doesn’t even haveenough money to pay his two dollar cabfare. Stage doorman, Pops, shells out yetanother loan for the rascal, but what’s worseis that Bill has given Fred’s name on the IOU he took out for his loss. Lois is horrifiedthat Bill would do such a thing, notnecessarily because it’s wrong, but becauseshe is afraid something will happen to Fredbefore he’s able to jump-start her actingcareer.

ON OPENING NIGHT, the cast gets readybackstage. From his dressing room, Fred canhear Lilli talking on the phone to her fiancé,military man and politician General HarrisonHowell. Suddenly jealous, Fred squabbleswith his ex, but the tiff soon turns intoreminiscing about their time together asyoung lovers. It is clear that the two stillhave feelings for each other, though neitheris willing to admit it.

AS THE SHOW is about to begin, two burlygangsters arrive to collect on Bill’s gamblingdebt. Since he gave Fred’s name instead ofhis, the two are after the wrong man and noone seems to know quite what is going on.Fred insists he knows nothing about the debt,

but intent on collecting, the gangsters decideto stick around during the show and makesure their mark doesn’t skip out on them.

MEANWHILE, as Fred is distracted, someflowers that he bought for Lois are deliveredto Lilli by mistake. Recognizing her favoriteflowers, Lilli is touched by the gesture. Fredrushes to Lilli’s dressing room to explain themistake, but she is so flattered by the giftthat he can’t bring himself to hurt her withthe truth. She doesn’t have time to read thenote accompanying the bouquet before shetakes the stage, so she tucks it into herbosom to keep it close to her heart duringthe show.

THE PLAY BEGINS WELL, until during abrief offstage moment Lilli has time to readthe note. Realizing the flowers weren’t forher, she takes her anger out on Fred, biting,kicking and slapping him onstage while incharacter. Fred attempts to carry on withthe scene, but is finally angered enoughthat he responds to Lilli’s attacks by turning her over his knee and spankingher—onstage! Horrified and embarrassed,Lilli calls her fiancé and lets him know shewants to leave the show and marry himimmediately. Seeing that Lilli is trying toleave, Fred tells the two gangsters that hewon’t be able to pay his debt if his starleaves and the show closes. The two aremore than happy to act as a barrier, eventaking parts in the show to keep Ms. Vanessiin the building for the time being.

WHEN THE GENERAL finally arrives torescue his fiancée, he shows his true colorsas a domineering cad and paints a grimpicture of what life will be like once theyare married. Meanwhile, the gangsterscontact their Boss to assure him that theyare going to collect his money, only to findout that he has been “disposed” of, therebynullifying the debt. Fred realizes thatwithout their help he will never be able tokeep Lilli at the theatre. Will she leave himhigh and dry without his leading lady, orwill she give love a second chance?

OVERTURE: an orchestral piece at thebeginning of an opera or musical

SIGNOR: Italian term of address or title ofrespect for a male

NOTES: specific points of feedback for aperformer to work on

PRINCIPALS: primary or main characters ina play, musical or film

HOOFER: a professional dancer

CHIROPODIST: medical professional thattreats foot ailments

LOUSE: to spoil or ruin

MAGNUM OPUS: the most important workof an artist

MERDE: a mild, generally humorousexclamation

ELOCUTIONARY: clear and expressive inspeech, especially in pronunciation andarticulation

VIRILE: manly

FELICITATIONS: good wishes

CONNOISSEUR: an expert judge on tastein a specific field

BOTANY: scientific study of plants

ORDNANCE: mounted guns; artillery

AFFABILITY: friendliness; tendency to begood-natured

PEREMPTORY: insisting on immediateattention or obedience

AD LIBBING: making it up as you go along

UNCTION: expression arising from deepemotion

ARDENT: enthusiastic or passionate

CHATTELS: personal possessions or a slave

FAMISH: to starve

FARTHINGALE: a hooped petticoat orcircular pad of fabric around the hips

PORRINGER: a small bowl, typically with ahandle, used for soup, stew or similar dishes

HABILIMENTS: clothing

CAPRICE: a sudden and unaccountablechange of mood or behavior

LIBEL: a false statement aimed at defamingan individual

MOROSE: sullen and ill-tempered

BEGUINE: a popular dance of West Indianorigin, similar to the fox trot

TAWDRY: showy but cheap and of poorquality

MORATORIUM: a temporary prohibition ofactivity

FORSOOTH: indeed

THE REINVENTION of WilliamShakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew in Kiss Me, Kate is only one of Cole Porter’smany musical triumphs. As an innovativeand engaging composer and songwriter, hehelped change the landscape of Americanmusic with his often daring, always witty,and ever brilliant brand of composing andsongwriting.

AS ONE OF the most celebrated musicaltalents of his time, Cole Porter came ontothe musical scene at a time when formuladominated popular music. His brilliantwielding of clever lyrics and complex formsbrought a creative flair and sophistication topopular songwriting. Noted for his sense ofrebellion and boldness for taking on suchtaboo subjects as sexuality, Cole helpedredefine the way songs where written. Hisbody of work still bears strong influence onthe popular music of today.

COLE PORTER was born in Peru, Indianaon June 9, 1891. As the son of a druggistand wealthy matron, Cole was born into awealth and privilege that helped pave theway to realizing his artistic talents. Cole wasintroduced to musical training at a youngage, taking violin lessons as early as age six,piano at age eight, and even wrote his firstoperetta (a short opera) at age ten. Cole was also immersed in the theatrical from a young age; as one story recalls when a 14-year-old Cole entered prep school hismother purposely told the school he was 12.

EARLY ON it seemed that Cole had foundhis calling, and from his teen years atWorcester Academy up to his graduation at Yale University, he was active as asongwriter for theatrical productions. Oddlyenough though, Cole never spent anyextensive amount of time in formal musicaltraining, as he could never seem to stickwith it. All of his innovation and talentseemed to spring entirely from instinct.

COLE’S LOVE FOR his art often made itseem as though he was always playinginstead of working. His cynical and satiricalstyle exuded a wink and a smile, and hisvery methods of creation often stuck othersaround him as less than serious. He wasknown to arbitrarily call out “Title!” afterhearing a catchy word or phrase, and thenwrite an entire song around the phrase.

COLE WAS A prolific composer/songwriterwhose career often ebbed and flowed as itwent from smash hit to startlingdisappointment. His ingenuity and boldstyle as often put him at risk to be criticizedas it did to be praised. No matter how lowthe failure, however, Cole had a talent forreturning as bold and original as before, andhe always found a way to make a hit.

COLE PORTER’S fearless ingenuity andunyielding perseverance along with hiscreative flair continue to inspire modern daysongwriting and composing. Cole’s workcontinues to be celebrated today throughsuccessful productions and tributes fromvarious artists around the globe.

WHILE COLE PORTER’S Kiss Me, Kate holdsa brilliance and artistic flair that only Colecould bring to a musical, he didn’t startfrom scratch in writing the show. Kiss Me,Kate is rooted in the brilliance of the playit’s adapted from—William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. And while we’ve all read his plays in school, seen his work in production, and hear about himconstantly, do we really know who William Shakespeare was?

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE is often held tobe the greatest English writer of all time,and certainly one of the greatest (if not thegreatest) playwrights ever. The total sum ofhis work includes 38 plays, two longnarrative poems and 154 sonnets. Otherthan his body of work, Shakespeare did notleave much behind for historians to study.Consequently, much of Shakespeare’s life isshrouded in mystery and folklore.

IT IS KNOWN that William Shakespeare wasborn to John Shakespeare and Mary Ardenin April 1564 (it’s often speculated that hisdate of birth was April 23, based on hisrecorded christening on April 26). His placeof birth is known as Stratford-upon-Avon,and John Shakespeare’s house (the believedbirthplace of his famous son) still standstoday and serves as the home ofShakespeare’s Birthplace Trust.

THE THIRD AMONG eight children, it ispresumed that Shakespeare attended KingEdward VI Grammar School. Being the son ofa prominent town official (his father was analderman and a glover, his mother from anupper class family) he probably attended theschool at no cost. While there, he more thanlikely would have been educated intensivelyin literature and Latin grammar.

AT AGE 18, Shakespeare married 26-year-old Anne Hathaway. Together they wouldhave three children—Susanna and twinsHamnet and Judith. Hamnet would die atage 11 of bubonic plague, while the others

would eventually all find themselves movingwith the family to London.

BY 1592, Shakespeare was a well-knownplaywright in London. By 1594, he was anactor, writer and part-owner of the companyLord Chamberlain’s Men (named for itssponsor), which would later become theKing’s Men under King James I. While knownto have acted in his own work from time totime, Shakespeare was also known to haveacted in several other productions, mostnotably work of one of his greatestcontemporaries and rivals, Ben Johnson.

WHILE SHAKESPEARE’S work is oftenbased on plays and stories belonging toothers, he brought innovative andinvigorating new dimensions to drama. His ability to tightly intertwine engagingplot lines, meld unlikely genres together andexplore the inner workings of characterstook the theatre to new heights, the effectsof which are still felt today. His work standsas some of the most widely produced andadapted of any dramatist.

THE BARD’S WORK is widely known in thetheatre, but his influence doesn’t stop there.His work slips into our everyday speechsince his poetic writing holds many wittysayings. Many expressions we use today like“with baited breath” or “a foregoneconclusion” come from Shakespeare’s work.Shakespeare even coined hundreds of newwords including “moonbeam,” “shudder” and“puke.” Have you ever heard (or said) any ofthe following?

“TO BE OR NOT TO BE,THAT IS THE QUESTION.”

“ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE.”

“WHAT’S IN A NAME?”“ALL THAT GLITTERS IS

NOT GOLD.”“ET TU, BRUTE?”

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COLE PORTER’S cleverly adapted Kiss Me,Kate takes one of William Shakespeare’sclassic plays, The Taming of the Shrew, andimbues a whimsical quality thatreinvigorates the text in a way that onlymusic can. While this idea may have its ownsense of novelty, the magic andenchantment of music in performance hasbeen delighting audiences as far back asrecorded history takes us.

MUSIC AND STORYTELLING have a richhistory, rooted in the ancients’ use of song,dance and chanting to tell stories onstage.In fact, historians believe that many ancientGreek plays were actually partially orentirely chanted or sung as opposed to ourmodern naturalistic delivery of lines onstage.Musical theatre itself also finds its roots notonly in “unsung” plays, but also instorytelling ballads (stories told through

song form) that have been passed downorally across time and cultures.

MUSICAL THEATRE celebrates theatricalityin ways that many other forms ofentertainment simply cannot match, and thekey word behind nearly every successfulmusical is “BIG.” That is to say—big sets,big productions, big stars, big dancenumbers—everything in its oversized,opulent glory. While in the early days thisoften called into question the integrity ofthe art, musical theatre has evolved overtime to not only revel in its spectacle, butalso explore intriguing and memorable plotlines, epic characters and lend insight intothe human condition as strongly as anyother form of art.

AS CLEVER AS Cole Porter’s adaptation ofThe Taming the Shrew may be, the idea ofadapting a play for musical theatre isn’tactually a new one. Musical theatre sets agrand stage for the adaptation of many artforms, most commonly plays and movies.The first production to solidify the musicalas a legitimate American art form,Oklahoma!, was actually adapted from NativeAmerican playwright Lynn Riggs’ poeticplay, Green Grow the Lilacs.

IN FACT, many of the most celebratedmusicals today are adaptations of priorworks. West Side Story is an adaptation ofRomeo and Juliet. The Wiz is an adaptation ofThe Wizard of Oz. The Lion King, Beauty andBeast and Sunset Boulevard are all popularadaptations of films with the same name.

KISS ME, KATE follows in the greattradition of musicals by bringing a time-tested story to the stage in a new andinnovative way, accentuating the classic playbefore it while engaging today’s audience inits own magical, musical way.

www.geocities.com/porterguide/ The Cole Porter Reference Guide gives a

chronological tour of all of his works.

www.coleporter.orgThis official Cole Porter website features a

biography, CD and book guide as well as adiscussion forum for Porter fans.

Kiss Me, Kate, 109 minutes, MGM, 1953, DVD.This DVD features Howard Keel and Kathryn Graysonas the battling lovers.

Bloom, Ken. Broadway Musicals: The 101Greatest Shows of All Time. Black Dog &Leventhal, 2004. Interested in musical theatre?This book covers Broadway’s most influential,popular and enduring shows of all time.

Broadway – The Golden Age by the LegendsWho Were There. 111 minutes, RCA, 2004,DVD. Interviews with Marlon Brando, CarolChanning, Jerry Herman and more discuss everythingfrom performance, Broadway culture and taking ashow on the road to thoughts on the currentgeneration.

Kantor, Michael and Laurence Maslon. B’Way:The American Musical. Bulfinch, 2004.This companion book to the PBS series of the samename talks about key musicals, historical context andimportant trends.

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STEREOTYPES KISS ME, KATE often utilizes humor basedon stereotypes of women. The entire premiseof the play it is adapted from centers around“taming” a woman. A specific moment ofthis in the musical is when the General saysto Fred, “We both know women need a firmhand from time to time. In fact, betweenyou and me, they like it!” The two men havebeen speaking on what they believe to bethe capricious nature of women, and thatit’s a man’s responsibility to keep women incheck. Katharine herself sings, “I amashamed that women are so simple.” Whilethe play give us a good laugh, it alsochallenges us to question the stereotypesthat we hold, and think about what’s atstake for others when we cling to suchstereotypes.

SELF-AWARENESS COLE PORTER’S musical cleverly engagesin the meta-theatrical, when a play ormusical is aware of itself, often initiatingcontact with the audience or putting on a

play within a play. In this case, Kiss Me, Kateseems to play with both addressing theaudience directly and putting up a musicalproduction at the same time. The play oftengives us a glimpse of what can happenbehind the scenes, and it encourages us tolaugh along with it at itself. Because KissMe, Kate is so self-aware, it begs us to beaware of ourselves. To be able to stepoutside of ourselves and objectively look atwho we are, even be able to laugh atourselves when necessary.

COOPERATIONThrough all of the taming going on, Kiss Me, Kate reveals the necessity ofcooperation. As the musical helps illustrate,any theatrical production demands the workand cooperation of many individuals—stage hands, designers, stage managers,directors and actors. When any one of theseindividuals decides not to be a part of theteam, things can go very wrong (as seen inmoments throughout the musical). Kiss Me,Kate encourages us to cooperate with othersand help our team put forth the best workpossible.

READ MORE ABOUT IT

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IDEA: This is where itall begins—thefoundation for

everything a play ormusical will become.

Without this, no one has a job.

LIBRETTIST: Creates thestructure, the building

blocks for a musical andwrites all spoken

dialogue.

COMPOSER: It’s a musicalright? So we need music.This person creates thesongs, the tunes for thesoundtrack you’ll want to

buy later.

DIRECTOR: Moves the play from the page

to the stage. Makes decisions aboutstaging and tells theactors what to do.

DESIGN: (Set, Costume,Sound, Lights…) This team

of specialists creates theworld of the play in following

with the Director’s vision.

PRODUCING THEATRE: Loves thescript! Purchases the rights toproduce the piece, raises themoney and hires all the folks

who will bring the show to life.

GENERAL MANAGER:Supervises the businessand (cha-ching!) the

money to make sure theshow is successful.

HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

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LYRICIST: Writes thewords to the composer’ssongs, those wonderful

lyrics you’ll have stuck inyour head for the rest of

the day.

CHOREOGRAPHER: Thosespunky dance numberswould be nothing but a

mess without this personwho makes sure everyone

steps together.

CONDUCTOR: Leads theorchestra at every

performance, keeping thecomposer’s vision.

MUSICIANS: Down in thepit their keys, drums andhorns create live music

every night.

CASTING: Conductsauditions all around theworld to find the perfect

face to fit the role.

ACTORS: Onstage theybecome someone else and

bring the play to life.

STAGE MANAGER: Theirwork behind the scenes

keeps everything runningsmoothly out front.

TECHNICIANS: Whetherit’s electric, scenery orsound, they make sure

every piece worksperfectly.

MARKETING: See thisshow! See this show!

See this show...You get the picture.

AUDIENCE: The final piece of the puzzle. You let us know whether all this hard work was worth it.

Come again—and next time bring friends!

EDUCATION: Gotquestions about what’s

happening onstage?Here’s the people to ask.

HOUSE MANAGER: In chargeof the theatre building onthe day of shows. Makes

sure the soda’s stocked, theaudience is happy and any

emergencies are undercontrol.

BOX OFFICE/USHERS:They sell you a ticket

and put you in your seat(literally).

In Kiss Me, Kate you see some of the backstage happenings that make a musical come together,but there’s a lot more that goes into producing a show than just what happens backstage. Here’show shows like the one you’re attending make it from a mere idea in someone’s head to the glitzand glamour of a full stage production.

“Four weeks, you rehearse and rehearse,Three weeks, and it couldn’t be worse,One week, will it ever be right?Then out o’ the hat, it’s that big firstnight!”

➤ Hattie seems to paint a bleak picture oflife in the theatre. Have you ever beeninvolved in a stage production? Was yourexperience anything like this?

“I’ll never forgive you if anything happens to Mr. Graham before I’m a staron Broadway.”

➤ Lois certainly doesn’t seem to be tooconcerned about Fred, just about herown star rising. Have you known anyonewho pretended to care about someone inorder to get something out of them?Have you ever felt used like this? Whatdid you do?

“Deceive me, desert me,I’m yours ‘til I die,So in love,So in love,So in love with you, my love, am I.”

➤ Lilli admits that love can be painful. Sheand Fred have both been hurt by love,yet their feelings remain, even afterdivorce. What is so powerful about lovethat it makes you willing to be hurt?When is the pain too much to bear? Howcan you make the decision about whento let someone go if they are hurtingyou?

“I hate men. I can’t abide ‘em even now and then. Than ever marry one of them, I’d rest a

virgin rather,For husbands are a boring lot and only

give you bother.”

➤ Katharine certainly has a low opinion ofthe opposite sex. Why do you think sheis so against men? What has colored heropinion? Do you know anyone who isthis prejudiced against another group?Why, and what can be done to changehis or her mind?

“Now see here Graham. You’re a man ofthe world. We both know women need afirm hand from time to time. In fact,between you and me, they like it!”

➤ What do you think of the General’s viewof relationships? He seems to think thathe is in control of his wife and that shewill enjoy being commanded. What doyou think Lilli would say about this?