Pennsylvania Playhouse presents an amiable “Kiss Me Kate,”elevated by strong leads, through Aug. 11 at Pennsylvania Playhouse, 390 Illick’s Mill Road, Bethlehem.
The musical comedy inspired by Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew” is a play within a play that showcases sparring lovers, familiar songs and extended dance sequences.
Leading the cast is Armand Reiser and Alexis Smith who play both the estranged lovers Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi, as well as Shakespeare’s characters Petruchio and Katherine.
Reiser has a very classically trained presence on stage and is perfectly suited to the role of an actor playing Shakespeare. His Fred is a sympathetic character despite some of the misogynistic elements in the story. Reiser does well particularly in his comedic songs like “I’ve Come To Wive it Wealthily in Padua” and “Where is the Life That Late I Led.”
Alexis Smith is well cast as the tempestuous Lilli and Katherine. Smith brings a fiery passion to the dual roles of the two defiant women. She displays a superb operatic voice in songs like “Kiss Me Kate” and is delightfully furious in “I Hate Men.”
She and Reiser also have good on-stage chemistry in their scenes together.
A secondary romance involves Lois Lane, the actress playing Bianca, who is played with spunk by Deanna Mogianesi.
Mogianesi has a lovely voice that does well in songs like “Why Can’t You Behave?” and the comedic “Tom, Dick or Harry.”
As her gambler boyfriend, Bill, (who also plays Lucentio) Michael J. Sheridan is appealing and is in fine voice on “Bianca.”
The set by Brett Oliveira is extremely minimal, opening with a bare stage and a ghost light.
A nine-piece orchestra led by Vincent Trovato tackles the challenging chords of the Cole Porter-penned jazz-infused score.
The cast also includes Shaun Hayes, Caitlin McDermott, Joseph Mowad, Cameron Kunsman, Danny Carroll, Caleb Flannery, Evan Heger, Johnny Bertone, Andrew Galindez, Lauryn Littlejohn, Daniel VanArsdale, Sydney Sniezek, Gabrielle Bleice, Olivia Bell, Nico Rodriguez, Sara Woodring, Ella St. Pierre, Rose Fortkamp, Bethany Wentling and Lucy Moore.
First-time director London Griffith embraces the self-referential elements of the show by highlighting the back-stage theater community.
A bit overlong at three hours, the show could use some tightening.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and $15 for students.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. July 26, 27, Aug. 2. 3, 9 and 10; and 6 p.m. July 28 and Aug. 11.
For information, call 610-865-6665, or go to www.paplayhouse.org