The musical, Kiss Me, Kate, that we attended as a class this past weekend was one that I did not know what to expect of. I had never heard much about the play so I wasn’t sure what it was really even about other than it was a musical. I love musicals and I love to go see them being performed live, however I must admit that Kiss Me, Kate was not one of my favorites.
I do not wish to say that it was a “bad” musical or unentertaining, but rather it just did not fit my tastes as well as others I have seen. It did not capture my attention in the ways that others have. I enjoyed it as an assignment but I would not wish to see it on my own time again. I did however enjoy the idea of the play within a play. It was a little confusing at first to distinguish between what the characters were supposed to be portraying in The Taming of the Shrew and the actors themselves in Kiss Me, Kate. It became more evident as the show went on and we became identified with the different roles of the characters. I did enjoy the beautiful voices and dancing especially. The musical had a lot of humor and made for an enjoyable experience but I became bored and found myself anxiously checking the program to see how many songs were left, perhaps the 3 hours seemed like a stretch, like overkill.
Other musicals that I have had the pleasure of seeing live are Wicked, twice on Broadway in New York City, The Lion King, Annie, and In the Heights, all three of which were on tour for Broadway in surround cities. I have seen numerous other musicals put on by smaller companies or schools, such as Fiddler on the Roof, Arabian Nights, etc. I have seen many Disney classic musicals performed in Disney World including The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast. Musicals have always been something I’m drawn too, I love everything about them, the acting, singing, dancing, the sets, plots and storylines, everything! I have watched them on video as well, such as Rent.
I love the musical-theatre genre and most of the ones I named above are my favorites, especially Wicked and The Lion King. Both are phenomenal and I would definitely see them again and again if I could. I also love the atmosphere of seeing a show on Broadway in NYC. It is an unforgettable experience that everyone interested in the arts should have. More than just the show, the entire city adds a feeling that makes the entire trip feel worthwhile. I will definitely be pursuing my goal to see even more Broadway shows in the future, hopefully sooner rather than later.
With a widening knowledge of musicals and a high interest in them, I was very excited to see Kiss Me, Kate. Comparing to the previously mentioned shows, Kiss Me, Kate lacked greatly for me. The talent was great, but to me, the play just lacked in holding my interest and creating the “awe” that I usually experience in musicals. Most likely, I assume, it just wasn’t exactly for me. Part of this reason may be that I have never read or seen Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. It was easy to follow without that background knowledge but perhaps it would have been more interesting and captivating of an audience who identified more with that part of the musical. I’m not sure exactly why, but it was not a play that I am apt to pursue more about or see again. I would not discourage others from seeing it because it is most likely just personal preference that kept me from really liking it. That being said, I would still encourage others to explore their tastes in musicals and see it and broaden their musical experiences as I am, it’s a fascinating form of entertainment. Even without much interest I am thankful to the English department for purchasing my ticket and am glad I attended.
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