Point Park University’s production of “Kiss Me Kate” kicked off The Conservatory Theatre Company’s final season at The Pittsburgh Playhouse in Oakland. The company will be moving to a new theater Downtown in the fall.

The musical incorporates the work of Shakespeare and Cole Porter into one exciting evening of theatre. “Kiss Me Kate” was the only Porter show to run for over one thousand performances on Broadway, and in 1949, it was the winner of the first-ever Tony Award for Best Musical.

Considering the show’s impressive history and the multitude of famous songs that emerged from it (“Too Darn Hot”, “Tom, Dick, or Harry”, “Always True To You in My Fashion”, etc.) this is a strong choice for a conservatory program to work on.

“Kiss Me Kate” is essentially a musical within a musical. The show opens as the cast rehearses for their musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.” There is obvious tension immediately between Fred Graham, the leading man/director/producer (Jeremy Spoljarick) and his ex-wife playing the leading lady, Lilli Vanessi (Katie Weinstein). However, the audience quickly realizes that the two still feel an undeniable, deeply rooted love for one another.

Supporting man Bill Calhoun (Kurt Kemper) is late to rehearsal after gambling and losing ten grand. In order to leave the game, he needs to sign in Fred’s name. Right as the opening night is about to begin, two gangsters (Kevin Gilmond and Beau Bradshaw) arrive to retrieve their money. In the meantime, Fred has sent a bouquet of flowers to the young and beautiful Lois Lane (Hailie Lucille), but they are accidently delivered to Lilli’s dressing room.

Lilli is at first in awe that her ex-husband has remembered her wedding bouquet, until she reads the card and discovers who the flowers were intended for. She sends for her fiance, General Harrison Howell (Pierre Mballa) who promises to take her away from a life of fame. On stage, the story of The Taming of the Shrew is well under way, drawing parallels to the drama offstage. The eldest daughter, Katherine (played by Lilli) must get married before her younger sister, Bianca (played by Lois) can. Petruchio (played by Fred) is determined to marry Katherine.

As always, Point Park University presented a clean and polished production under the direction and choreography of Zeva Barzell. The most exceptional part of this production was the music, directed by Camille Rolla. The vocal harmonies were exquisite, and the orchestra accompanied them brilliantly. In addition, there were live musical performances by two actors, Michael Krut appearing as Cole Porter at the top of the show playing piano, and a brilliant saxophone solo by Gabe Reed.

The show demanded multiple areas of talent between the difficult Shakespearean acting, the acrobatics and dance movement and the intense musical elements. The performance presented is testament to the training Point Park’s conservatory students receive in a variety of areas.

This being said, in an effort to give a clean performance, I felt that some of the ensemble choreography was too safe. After seeing a few glimpses of difficult choreography, it became very evident that the ensemble was full of professional-level dancers. I would have liked to see them utilized far more throughout, as I left wanting more in that regard.

Furthermore, there is no denying that the show is just too long. These excessive reprises and lengthy ballads may have been desired in 1948, but I am disappointed that the 1999 Broadway revival did not choose to do more trimming. The conservatory, of course, does not have the freedom to make changes to the libretto, however, I do feel the pacing could have been adjusted in selected moments to keep the show moving faster.

This production was taken to a new level due to the absolutely brilliant scenic and costume designs. Scenic designer Johnmichael Bohach created two entirely separate worlds (the backstage design, and the “Taming of the Shrew” design) that were able to transition seamlessly.

The use of levels, backdrops and flying curtains was incredible. I particularly loved the use of bright colors on “The Taming of the Shrew” set. I felt entirely transported into another world.

The costume design by Cathleen Crocker-Perry was stunning. Every detail was attended to, all the way down to the actor’s socks. Again, the contrast from what each actor wore backstage to what they wore during the “Shrew” production took me on a journey to that new world with the actor, while still allowing me to recognize each character. These design elements are something I would expect to see in a Broadway level performance, but to see them in a conservatory production on an old stage that cannot move set pieces electronically, I was blown away.

The hard work of the cast, crew, and created team has paid off. I anticipate the remainder of the season to be just as impressive.