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By Alessandra Djurklou - Staff Writer
PRESS
TELEGRAM PREVIEW
Lyricist and composer Cole Porter is in the Hollywood spotlight just now, subject of the biographical movie "De-Lovely," his well-loved songs covered by every rock star from Sheryl Crow to Elvis Costello.
But even icons have their icons, and Porter paid tribute to Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare in 1948's "Kiss Me Kate," a musical play-within-a-play that is framed around Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew." '
Musical Theatre West is producing "Kiss Me Kate" ' starting Saturday at the Carpenter Center, thus paying a tribute of its own to both Porter and Shakespeare.
The show includes some of Porter's best songs, including "Too Darn Hot" ' and "So in Love," ' as well as jazz and Elizabethan dance.
The company also tackles a subject that never goes out of style -- the battle of the sexes.
"The Taming of the Shrew" ' is set in Padua, Italy, and is about two sisters -- sweet Bianca, sought after by all the town's bachelors, and feisty Katharina, who scares them all to death. The sisters' father, Baptista refuses to let anyone marry Bianca until someone first marries Katharina. But what man would be brave enough to do that? Bianca's frustrated suitors manage to convince a visitor, Petruchio, to take on the challenge, promising him money if he succeeds in making Katharina a compliant wife. But Petruchio soon starts to forget the money as he becomes interested in actually making his marriage work.
Kiss Me Kate" ' is about a troupe of actors putting on a musical version of "Shrew" ' in Baltimore. Playing Petruchio and Katharina are Fred and Lilli, a divorced couple who may still have some feelings for each other, in spite of the fact that their marriage ended badly.
Lilli is engaged, though, to a wealthy man named Harrison, while Fred has an interest in Lois, the young woman who plays Bianca. But Lois has her own romantic troubles with her boyfriend Bill, a compulsive gambler. Will these relationships work out? And how are they mended or exacerbated by the tensions on "Taming of the Shrew?" '
In the MTW production, Lilli/Katharina is played by Elizabeth Ward Land. The Denver native has been in touring productions of "The Scarlet Pimpernel" ' and "Les Miserables." ' "Kate," ' however, has a special appeal.
"It" s a Valentine to the love of theater,'' Land said.
Land has never played the role before, and said the challenge of playing not just one, but two characters, was a welcome one. So was delivering the Shakespeare lines Porter and the musical's other authors, including Sam and Bella Spewack, sprinkled through the show. #####Though Land's theatrical career has been mostly spent on musicals, she did play Katharina in a college production of "Shrew." '
Did that help at all with "Kate" '?
"I don" t even remember it!'' she jokes.
But other cast members remember their Shrewish experiences.
Elna Binckes, who plays Lois/Bianca, got her first taste of musical theater in the chorus of a Downey Civic Light Opera production of "Kiss Me Kate" ' in 1991.
This show, the Long Beach native said, put her on a musical path which has included everything from "Peter Pan" ' (with Cathy Rigby) to "42nd Street" ' to "My Fair Lady." '
And now she's back in it, playing Lois, who she describes as "the showgirl, starry-eyed, who wants to make it in showbiz." '
This ambition makes Lois not above using sex appeal to get what she wants, Binckes said, so she turns on the charm with Fred, who also happens to be the show's producer. This causes plenty of tension between him and Lilli.
For all her love of musicals, though, Binckes would enjoy trying some actual Shakespeare.
"There's kind of a tempo to Shakespeare,'' she said. "It" s pretty straightforward.''
For the moment, however, she will have to make do with Porter mixed with dashes of the Bard. One can only worship so many icons at a time.
7/9/2004
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