The student-run theater group Off the Lake will perform the award-winning Broadway musical “Kiss Me, Kate” for charity beginning tomorrow.
Produced as a play within a play, “Kiss Me, Kate,” follows the backstage drama behind a production of “The Taming of the Shrew.” The major storyline focuses on the lives of Fred Graham and Lili Vanessi, whose bickering mimics that of their Shakespearean counterparts, Petruccio and Katherine.
Designed to heighten the confusion and chaos of a dramatic production, “Kiss Me, Kate” is a challenging piece on many levels, and its success relies on the abilities of its actors to play multiple parts with poise.
Sarah Santilli, a senior in music, plays Lili Vanessi and Kate. For her, the student actors make the show, and their surprising abilities are responsible for any success which greets the production.
“The leads are top-notch and perfect for their characters. We constantly talk about how lucky we are to be able to work with one another,” she said.
If the acting makes the show, much of the praise must fall on Santilli. She has among the most challenging roles, playing two equally cantankerous characters in “Kate,” Shakespeare’s eponymous “Shrew,” and Lili, a “capricious stage diva,” as she is described in the press release.
Because of the necessity of a strong cast, production of the show with a student theater group can be hit-or-miss. Returning for her second Off the Lake show, the troupe’s spokeswoman, Joan Bryant, is invaluable to the production. Although a self-described “measly chorus member,” Bryant has a unique perspective from working on last year’s production of “Annie.”
“It is a lot of fun being part of a student-run theatrical group,” she said. “You really get to take a huge role in putting the show together – no matter what your part in the actual play.”
Beyond an excellent libretto, “Kiss Me, Kate,” offers an outstanding musical score written by Cole Porter. The challenging musical parts were often more of an obstacle than the chaotic dialogue.
“The part requires someone who can belt out a comedy song, have a lounge singer lower-range for love songs and still be able to bust out high B-flats in her cadenza at the finale to act one,” Santilli said of her double role. “I worked hard developing my range, and it paid off.”
Because of the challenges intrinsic in this type of musical, a large cast is necessary.
Like “The Taming of the Shrew,” “Kiss Me, Kate” is an uproarious comedy that offers glimpses at serious issues like gender in order to highlight their sometimes ridiculous nature.
“Lili’s relationship with Fred (her divorced husband) is hysterical, and I had, and still have, a very difficult time restraining my laughter, even when jokes are made at my expense,” Santilli said.
The content of the play has contributed to a remarkable closeness of cast that Bryant and Santilli both recognize. That sense of community is augmented by the key tenet of the Off the Lake group: a commitment to the spirit of volunteerism.
To this end, admission costs for the shows will be one canned good per attendee. Additionally, each member of the 25 person cast and 15 part orchestra will spend a day volunteering locally. The shows will start at 8 p.m. tomorrow through Saturday at Hitchcock Hall.
