Somehow, I just couldn't help but think Kelli O'Hara was channeling a bit of Carrol Channing in "Hello Dolly" when I saw her in the Roundabout's production of Kiss Me Kate last night at Studio 54.
The show was a delight in every way, and featured some of the best dancing I've seen in a Broadway musical in years. Corbin Bleu infused every scene he's in with delight and sparkling footwork. At the beginning of the second act, James T. Lane leads a sublime ensemble performance of "Too Darn Hot," which got the biggest applause of the evening. The whole cast was fantastic.
But how cannot you not land the spotlight on Kelli O'Hara? She seems to have been born to sing Cole Porter songs. Parts of the book seem, well, a little dated after all these decades, though I still admire this mash up of The Taming of the Shrew with a modern show business drama. And the laugh lines are genuine and still fresh. But the songs...pure delight. A highly recommended show for anyone in NYC during its limited run.
