Egotistical leading man, director, and producer Fred Graham is reunited with his ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi, when the two are forced to play opposite one another in a new production of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. The battle of the sexes continues onstage and off, as it becomes clear that, as much as this couple profess to hate each other, they are also still in love. Alongside their bickering liaison, the show’s supporting actress, Lois Lane, supports her gambling boyfriend, Bill, as he attempts to evade the the clutches of local gangsters. Throw in a number of cases of mistaken identity, the mob, and comedic routines into the mix and you get Kiss Me, Kate — a dazzling Broadway classic that earned the very first Tony award for Best Musical.
The DMTC archive 1984
Durham Musical Theatre Company
Kiss Me Kate
19849th – 14th April 1984The Garland Theatre
Explore the programme Back in the spotlight
About the show.
Behind the scenes
The production team.
View the full production credits
- Stage Manager
- Dave Foxall
- House Manager
- Harry Cottle
- Lighting
- Geoff Foxall
- Properties
- Dorothy Stead · Greta Calver · Ann Suddes · Ann Barrie · Sarah Graham · Denise Brooksbank
- Pianist
- Christine Shinn · Evelyn Hamilton · Barbara Stacey · Hilary Parker
- Wardrobe
- Janis Sarsfield · Alice Wise
- Wardrobe Assistant
- Glynis Fishburn
- Make-up
- Margaret Chapman · Audrey Fiddian · Debora Sokell · Greta Kitchen
- Prompter
- Joan Mary Harland
- Assistant Prompter
- Enid Johnson · Kevin Graham
- Programme Cover
- Steve Dales
- Halifax Building Society Window Display
- Mary Hetherington
- Library Display
- Mary Hetherington
- Poster
- Steve Dales · Peter Burdess
- Town Hall Banner
- Alastair Franks
- Foyer Display
- Mike Dixon
- Costumes
- W.A. Homburg Ltd, Leeds
- Scenery
- Clifford & Brown
- Wigs
- Transformations, Newcastle
- Publicity Officer
- Mary Hetherington
- Window Display Venue
- Halifax Building Society
- Photograph Assistance
- New College Light Opera Group
- Programme Production
- A.C. Publications
- Ticket Sales
- Clarke’s Bookshop
- Scenery Storage
- Bramwells
- Loan of Photographs and Programmes
- Evelyn Blyth
- Gift of Photographs
- Florence Holmes
- Acknowledgement
- Little Theatre, Gateshead · Duke of Wellington · Rushworth & Storey
On stage
Cast & company.
Principals / cast
- Frederick Graham
- Maurice Carr
- Lilli Vanessi
- Eileen Glenton
- Harry Trevor
- Harry Dallard
- Lois Lane
- Val Shield
- Bill Calhoun
- Anthony Smith
- Harrison Howell
- Peter Clapham
- First Gangster
- Alwyn Burton
- Second Gangster
- John Holt
- Hattie, Dresser at the Ford Theatre
- Mary Hetherington
- Ralph, Stage Manager
- Norman Sarsfield
- Stage Doorman
- Ted Wise
- Kate (Lilli Vanessi)
- Eileen Glenton
- Petruchio (Fred Graham)
- Maurice Carr
- Bianca (Lois Lane)
- Val Shield
- Lucentio (Bill Calhoun)
- Anthony Smith
- Baptista (Harry Trevor)
- Harry Dallard
- Gremio
- Jim Pennington
- Hortensio
- Leslie Cleckner
The company
- Maureen AndersonLadies’ Chorus
- Linda BalmerLadies’ Chorus
- Shiela CottleLadies’ Chorus
- Joan DallardLadies’ Chorus
- Christine DobbieLadies’ Chorus
- Mary GordonLadies’ Chorus
- Barbara GrayLadies’ Chorus
- Kaye HendersonLadies’ Chorus
- Mollie HughesLadies’ Chorus
- Ann HuntLadies’ Chorus
- Mary HamiltonLadies’ Chorus
- Gillian LukeLadies’ Chorus
- Melanie MorganLadies’ Chorus
- Mary RobinsonLadies’ Chorus
- Audrey RobsonLadies’ Chorus
- Val SmithLadies’ Chorus
- Margaret SuttonLadies’ Chorus
- Eunice SneddonLadies’ Chorus
- Valenda TaylorLadies’ Chorus
- Dorothea WilsonLadies’ Chorus
- Hansi WheatleyLadies’ Chorus
- Susan WighamLadies’ Chorus
- Wilf AndersonMen’s Chorus
- Jim ChapmanMen’s Chorus
- Peter ClaphamMen’s Chorus
- Mike DixonMen’s Chorus
- Roger de RungaryMen’s Chorus
- Alastair FranksMen’s Chorus
- Bill HarlandMen’s Chorus
- Peter KempMen’s Chorus
- Norman SarsfieldMen’s Chorus
- Richard SmithMen’s Chorus
- Kevin ShieldMen’s Chorus
- John SuttonMen’s Chorus
- John TaylorMen’s Chorus
- Ted WiseMen’s Chorus
Dancers
- Janet DixonDancer
- Sonia DixonDancer
- Pauline CherryDancer
- Josephine ArcherDancer
- Angela DochertyDancer
- Lynn RossiterDancer
- Rebecca TaylorDancer
- Beverley VartyDancer
- Beverley TaylorDancer
- Anthony SmithDancer
- Leslie ClecknerDancer
- Jim PenningtonDancer
Turn back the pages
The original programme.
Meet the people, revisit the production and explore the programme as it appeared at the time.