Clear Space cancels ‘Kiss Me Kate’ remaining performances

Editor’s note: Clear Space has canceled all remaining performances of “Kiss Me Kate” from March 13-22. For more rescheduled events, go to www.capegazette.com/article/events-canceled-rescheduled-coronavirus-conc....

The stage of Clear Space Theater Company will come alive beginning Friday, March 6, with Cole Porter’s energetic, humorous, romantic, and unforgettable, Golden Age-musical “Kiss Me Kate.”

“’Kiss Me Kate’ is a classic that so many artists and audiences have fallen in love with over the years,” says David Button, Clear Space artistic director. “I am excited to bring a new focus to the story on the Clear Space stage.”

The musical is the story of a theater troupe staging a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's “The Taming of the Shrew.”  It highlights the conflicted relationship between the production’s director and producer Fred Graham and his ex-wife Lilli Vanessi, both of whom star in “The Taming of the Shrew.”

Jacob Waldron, who appeared last year as Cinderella’s Prince in Clear Space’s “Into the Woods,” returns from New York City to play the lead role of Frederick Graham/Petruchio.

“It’s an excellent piece of theater,” Jacob says of the musical, written in 1948 by Bella and Samuel Spewack with music and lyrics by Cole Porter.  In 1949, it won the first Tony Award for Best Musical, and has been performed on New York and London stages throughout the decades. “The script is well done. I let the material do the work so that the audience can sit back and enjoy it.”

Waldron, a baritone, performs breathtaking solos, as well as duets with mezzo soprano and leading lady Autumn Schneider, who plays Lilli Vanessi (Fred’s ex-wife)/Kate.

“’Kiss Me Kate’ is complex,” says Schneider. “You’ve got the story of Fred and Lilli, and you have the Shakespeare production their company is performing. ‘Kiss Me Kate’ brings out humor and love, and so many of the lines are hysterical.”

Schneider, who played Donna in “Mamma Ma!” in Clear Space’s summer repertory last year, says she identifies with her character Lilli, a strong and bold woman.  “I can relate to her. She is stubborn and doesn’t hold back her feelings.”

Waldron and Schneider are supported by a strong cast in a production that includes creatively choreographed dance numbers and some of Cole Porter’s best works, such as, “So in Love,” “Wunderbar,” “Too Darn Hot,” and “Another Op’nin, Another Show.”

Button adds, “It’s a very big piece that will be challenging to fit on our stage, but using inventive ways to stage scenes will draw the audience in and create the intimacy that we all know and love in Cole Porter’s music.”

Sponsored by WMDT 47abc, “Kiss Me Kate” runs weekends from Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 22.  Friday and Saturday performances are at 7 p.m., and Sunday performances are at 3 p.m. There also is one Thursday performance, at 11 a.m., March 12. Tickets for all shows are $17 to $32. For more information about performing arts education or for show tickets, please visit  www.ClearSpaceTheatre.org or call 302-227-2270.

Clear Space Theatre is a nonprofit regional theatre serving residents and visitors to Southern Delaware since 2004.  Clear Space performs 13 shows during its season and has year-round performing arts education classes for children and adults. Clear Space is located at 20 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach.