Show Tunes S4 EP 22 KISS ME KATE (1948)

By Kate Botello

Published February 4, 2022 at 10:00 AM EST

Original Cast Album: KISS ME KATE (1948)

Cole Porter takes on Shakespeare - and wins a Tony!

In 1935, legendary Broadway couple Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne had a smash hit with Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." Theatre lore has it that stagehand Arnold Saint Subber witnessed the two of them fighting just as much backstage as onstage, and that conflict sparked the inspiration for "Kiss Me Kate."

The story may or may not be true, but Saint Subber went on to produce "Kiss Me Kate" and won a Tony as Best Producer of a Musical (as a matter of fact, not just "a" Tony, but "the" Tony - the Tony Awards were first held in 1949).

The show-within-a-show features a production of "The Taming of the Shrew" starring warring exes Lilli Vanessi (Kate) and Fred Graham (Petruchio). The side plot involves the will-they-or-won't-they settle down story of another couple in the show, Lois Lane (Bianca) and Bill Calhoun (Lucentio).

The show has been revived many times and made into a movie; most versions change very little of Cole Porter's original score (with the exception of the 2019 Broadway Revival - see info on our Bonus Material).

Tony Awards (1949 - first ever Tony Award Ceremony!)

Best Musical
Best Author (Musical) for Samuel and Bella Spewack
Best Original Score for Cole Porter
Best Costume Design for Lemuel Ayers
Best Producer of a Musical for Saint Subber and Lemuel Ayers

Biggest Hits

So In Love
Wunderbar
Too Darn Hot - this recording features Eddie Sledge, father of the group Sister Sledge!

Honorable Mentions

Another Op'nin', Another Show
Why Can't You Behave?
Brush Up Your Shakespeare

Cringe Alert (but hey - blame Shakespeare, not Cole Porter - and check out the new version in our Bonus Material this week!)

I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple

Bonus Material

Act I Finale (2019 Revival)
I Am Ashamed That People Are So Simple (2019 Revival)

Musical Numbers