(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – Cole Porter’s musical “Kiss Me, Kate,” based on William Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew,” opens the mainstage season at Barrington Stage Company – celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year — now through Saturday, July 12, 2014. The production stars Elizabeth Stanley, Paul Anthony Stewart, Mara Davi and Tyler Hanes.

“Kiss Me, Kate” features music and lyrics by Cole Porter and book by Sam and Bella Spewack.  Taking its inspiration from Shakespeare, “Kiss Me, Kate” recounts the backstage and onstage antics of two feuding couples during a touring musical production of “The Taming of the Shrew.” The 18 Cole Porter songs in the musical include “Another Op’nin’, Another Show,” “So in Love,” “Always True to You in My Fashion,” “Too Darn Hot,” and “Brush Up Your Shakespeare”.

Cole Porter’s most successful musical, the original production of “Kiss Me, Kate” opened on Broadway at the New Century Theatre on December 30, 1948, and ran for 1,077 performances. Starring Alfred Drake and Patricia Morrison, “Kiss Me, Kate” was the first musical to win the Tony Award for Best Musical. MGM’s 1953 movie version, filmed in 3-D, starred Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel and Ann Miller. The production received its first Broadway revival in 1999 – starring Brian Stokes Mitchell and Marin Mazzie – winning five Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival.

“Kiss Me, Kate” has a Berkshires connection to composer/lyricist Cole Porter, who in 1940 purchased “Buxton Hill” with his wife Linda in Williamstown.

The musical, which takes place on the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage (30 Union Street), is directed by Joe Calarco, who previously directed the Musical Theatre Lab premieres of The Burnt Part Boys (also at Playwrights Horizons), The Mysteries of Harris Burdick and The Memory Show (also at The Transport Group). Calarco recently directed Gypsy at VA’s Signature Theatre and directed Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol Off-Broadway at St. Clement’s (Drama Desk nomination). Calarco is the adaptor/director of Shakespeare’s R&J, which earned him a Lortel Award. Calarco will be in residence at Barrington Stage this summer directing Breaking the Code on the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage starring BSC Associate Artist Mark H. Dold and the Musical Theatre Lab workshop of William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin’s Romance in Hard Times.

Performances of Kiss Me, Kate are Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm, Thursday through Saturday at 8pm, Wednesday and Friday matinees at 2pm (excluding June 11 and June 13), Sunday at 5pm. Added Saturday matinees July 5 and July 12 at 2pm. Please note Friday, July 4 there is no 8pm evening performance; there will be a 2pm matinee. Press Opening: Sunday, June 15 at 5pm. Tickets start at $20. Low priced previews June 11-13 are $15/$20. Youth ages 6-18, tickets $15/$20 all performances (subject to availability). For more information, call the Barrington Stage Box Office at 413-236-8888 (or toll-free at 855-TIX-2BSC) or visit Barrington Stage Company

About Barrington Stage Company

Barrington Stage Company, a professional award-winning Equity regional theatre located in the heart of the Berkshires, in Pittsfield, MA, was co-founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Julianne Boyd. Barrington Stage’s mission is three-fold: to present top-notch, compelling work; to develop new plays and musicals; and to find fresh, bold ways to bringing new audiences into the theatre—especially young people. Barrington Stage garnered national attention in 2004 when it workshopped, and premiered William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin’s musical hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which later transferred to Broadway, where it won two Tony Awards. In 2009/2010 Barrington Stage produced the world premiere of Mark St. Germain’s Freud’s Last Session, which later moved Off-Broadway and played for two years. St. Germain’s Becoming Dr. Ruth (which premiered at BSC as Dr. Ruth, All the Way in 2012) played Off-Broadway at the Westside Theatre in fall 2013. Barrington Stage was voted “Best Live Theatre” by The Berkshire Eagle readers and was named “Best Theatre Company” in Metroland’s Best of the Capital Region.