What was the Kiss me Kate "scandal" Patti mentioned at 54 Below?
What was the Kiss me Kate "scandal" Patti mentioned at 54 Below?
Balcony Bill
Chorus Member Joined: 3/20/17
#1What was the Kiss me Kate "scandal" Patti mentioned at 54 Below?
Posted: 1/3/23 at 7:46pm
Forgive my ignorance if this was discussed here at the time of the revival, but I watched Patti's 54 Below concert live streamed. She did a song from Kiss Me Kate and before singing, made a reference, if I caught it correctly, to the last time it was revived and said there was a major scandal. She said SCANDAL it as if it was all capitalized, her eyes wide, but then said she wasn't going to explain what she was referring to, but would just sing the tune. So of course was naturally curious if anyone here knows what she was referring to? Multiple people asked on the scroll during the live stream, but nobody had an answer!
#2What was the Kiss me Kate "scandal" Patti mentioned at 54 Below?
Posted: 1/3/23 at 8:10pm
I was wondering too. Perhaps she’s referring to how the show was edited and updated by Amanda Green to make it less misogynistic?
I could use a prince to save me from my prince.
Yessica Haircut
Swing Joined: 7/30/21
#3What was the Kiss me Kate
Posted: 1/3/23 at 8:18pm
This was asked and discussed recently on ATC. I'll leave a link to the third post of the discussion, which seems to be the consensus, but basically: A production of Kiss Me, Kate was planned for the Delacorte in 1994 - which would have then transferred to Broadway - with a revised book by Christopher Durang, starring Kevin Kline and either Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio or Patti; it fell apart due to legal reasons. This was all news to me, and I recently found an archived NY Times article announcing the cancellation (link below, as well, though maybe with a paywall).
https://www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat_new/d.php?id=2560537
https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/24/theater/kiss-me-kate-is-canceled.html
#4What was the Kiss me Kate
Posted: 1/3/23 at 9:08pm
Wow. The Durang Kiss Me Kate has to be up there in “what could have been” along with the RAS “comics tribute version” of It’s Superman that gets rid of the copyright-friendly characters and puts the real ones back in.
#5What was the Kiss me Kate
Posted: 1/4/23 at 7:59am
Agree. Kline in Kate would have been heaven. I happen to think Patti would have also been great in it, but Kline alone is a shame.
#6What was the Kiss me Kate
Posted: 1/4/23 at 11:17am
WHAT?? There was going to be a Kline/Mastrantonio production?? God, I’d give anything to hear her sing the score. It’s a crime her voice hasn’t been heard in a new show in over twenty years.
Owen22
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/11
#7What was the Kiss me Kate
Posted: 1/4/23 at 6:27pm
Jordan Catalano said: "WHAT?? There was going to be a Kline/Mastrantonio production?? God, I’d give anything to hear her sing the score. It’s a crime her voice hasn’t been heard in a new show in over twenty years."
Well Grand Hotel at the Donmar Warehouse in London was 2004. Or did you mean a non-revival?
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