Kiss Me Kate (2007)

Lower Dauphin High School was proud to present the musical comedy “Kiss Me, Kate” March 15, 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m.

The show featured 50 cast members in grades 9-12. The cast was led by seniors Aaron Magaro, playing Fred Graham/Petruchio; Becky Wreski, playing Lilli Vanessi/Katherine; Mary Katerman, playing Lois Lane/Biance; and Erik Dulick, playing Bill Calhoun/Lucentio.

The musical was a Broadway smash in 1948 and enjoyed an even more successful revival in 1999. The show features such songs as “Too Darn Hot,” “So In Love” and “Always True to You in My Fashion.”

Inspired by William Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” the musical tells the tale of two once-married, now-divorced musical theater actors, Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi, who are performing opposite each other in the roles of Petruchio and Katharina in a Broadway-bound musical version of Shakespeare’s play. Already on poor terms, the pair begin an all-out emotional war mid-performance that threatens the production’s success. The only thing keeping the show together are threats from a pair of gangsters, who have come to collect a gambling debt from the show’s Lucentio, Bill Calhoun. In classic musical comedy fashion, slapstick madness ensues before everything is resolved..

“Kiss Me, Kate” was be the 11th spring musical directed by Lower Dauphin graduate Kevin Strawser. The show was produced for the eighth time by Lower Dauphin graduate Debbie Heary.

In addition to evening performances, there was a free preview dress rehearsal for senior citizens on Wednesday, March 14, at 9 a.m. It was preceded by a complimentary breakfast in the high school cafeteria at 8 a.m. This year marked the 11th time Lower Dauphin has offered the breakfast to honor the Lower Dauphin senior citizen community.