Yes, it's another op'nin of another show, but the new revival of Cole Porter's splendid tuner, Kiss Me, Kate, is anything but ordinary. Staged with nothing less than pure extravagance and cast to perfection, it is a reminder that Broadway was once big and bold, and it steadfastly tries to inject that in every inch of its boundaries. Far too many years have passed since this delightful musical has been staged, and Sam and Bella Spewack's book is still fresh and funny, proving that old tricks sometimes are the best remedy for a sluggish season of musicals.
Taking its cue from Shakespeare's The Taming Of The Shrew, Kate centers around a production of that play, conceived, directed by and starring the vain Fred Graham (Brian Stokes Mitchell), a larger-than-life theatrical type who has fashioned a musical re-telling starring his ex-wife, failed film star Lilli Vanessi (Marin Mazzie), who is reluctant to work opposite her former beau, who is known to be a bit of a blusterer. Included in the company are Bill Calhoun (Michael Berresse) and Lois Lane (Amy Spanger), a pair of star-crossed lovers who are the polar opposite to the Fred/Lilli style of showmanship. Troubles occur when Fred is surprised by the arrival of two wordsmith hitmen (Lee Wilkof and Michael Mulheren, who steal this show on virtually every occasion) who have a surprising knack for the thespian side of things. And then there's the pesky matter of Lilli's engagement to Harrison Howell (Ron Holgate), a generallissimo who gives Fred a run for his money.
This production, while mostly thrilling and never a dull moment in its nearly three hours, does run a fairly uneven course. Two supporting characters, Paul (Stanley Wayne Mathis) and Hattie (Adriane Lenox), the assistants of Fred and Lilli, seem far too charismatic to have to basically blend in with Robin Wagner's sumptuous designs, though Mathis does have the lead in the show's one set-the-joint-on-fire dazzler "Too Darn Hot", which in the scheme of the evening, seems like an odd choice in a romantic comedy, since the number is a smoldering one that wouldn't be out of place in West Side Story. But the number builds and builds so excitingly, you never question it; you just bask in the glory of what Broadway does best.
As Fred and Lilli, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Marin Mazzie deliver the kind of large-scale performances that we too rarely get to see on stage anymore. Mitchell, perhaps the only Broadway leading man these days that can truly knock one out by his sheer presence, is a dynamo in this change-of-pace role that he excels in. His comedic skills are surprisingly nimble, and his vocals are often otherworldly, yet he never pushes his abilities past a suitable point. He has the mug of a shining star but never lays back on it. His generosity suits co-star Marin Mazzie like a silky glove. Sexy and playful, Mazzie also plays against type here, and her bravura number "I Hate Men" shows a bona-fide comedienne who can belt her way with a wink and a smile. She has glorious chemistry with Mitchell in every scene; watching these two at work is a beautiful sight.
The supporting cast is equally memorable, Amy Spanger sizzles in her slithery "Always True to You (In My Fashion)," and Michael Berresse redeems the show's one clunker (and always has been) "Bianca" with an eye-popping gymnastic fury that needs to be seen to be believed. Wilkof and Mulheren, as the resourceful palookas, give the kind of performances that slay audiences every time. Even their initial entry in Fred's dressing room is priceless.
Director Michael Blakemore stages with finesse, a factor missing from his limp The Life from a few years back. The show takes a little while to get rolling, the ho-hum opening number "Another Op'nin' Another Show" certainly doesn't hint at the uproarious and grand joys that will come later. But not to worry, because when they arrive, they arrive in a big way.
