"Kiss Me Kate" Press Release

'Kiss Me Kate' curtain goes up soon

The Lake Country Players are readying their presentation of "Kiss Me Kate," set for Nov. 7th, 8th and 9th at the Watkins Glen High School auditorium. Director Tim Benjamin reports on its progress.

By Tim Benjamin

Here it is mid October, and the Lake Country Players production of "Kiss Me Kate" is 11 rehearsals from show week. Though the production is behind on a few backstage tasks, the action on stage is coming along quite nicely.

Steve Hovis -- whose credits include the Russian Dancer in the Keuka Lake Players' "Fiddler on the Roof," and roles in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and "The Full Monty" for Elmira Little Theater -- is a new talent to the LCP and one of the strongest male leads I’ve had the pleasure of directing. In portraying Frederick C. Graham, not only does Steve have the strong, dominant voice necessary to do justice to a Cole Porter song, his approach to acting is open and intelligent. His portrayal will be a most enjoyable experience.

Holly Campbell -- who played Belle in the Players' "Beauty and the Beast" in 2006, and Tup Tim in "The King & I" in 2004 -- returns to the LCP stage as Lilli Vanessi, the headstrong star of stage and film. While I was duly impressed with Holly’s ability as a singer and an actor in "Beauty," I’m blown away by her voice and how well it fits Cole Porter's musical style. Her rendition of the song "So in Love" is, even at this early stage, one of the finest things I’ve heard in a long time. As the romantic leads in the show, Steve and Holly’s chemistry on stage is strong and clearly demonstrates the strength of their characters' feelings for each other, as they stray from one side to the other side of the fine line between love and hate.

The supporting roles of Lois Lane and Bill Calhoun are played by Kelsey Olafson -- who portrayed Queen Aggravaine in "Once upon a Mattress" for WGHS’ 2006 Spring Musical -- and Robert Cornelius, a WGHS grad in 2005. Robert is back on stage after playing "Moonface Martin" in "Anything Goes" as a Watkins Glen High School senior. Kelsey’s Lois Lane is a vivacious night club dancer pursuing a dubiously obtained opportunity for her and her beau (Bill Calhoun) to break away from the night club scene in order to become legitimate stage actors. Robert’s street-wise hoofer, although not in any way nefarious, is as adept at getting into trouble as he at getting out of trouble. Kelsey and Robert’s long-time friendship helps these two talented actors pull the best out of their characters and makes the fractious, dysfunctional relationship sparkle with humor and sincerity, or as much sincerity as the street fighting Lois and Bill can manage at any one time.

Robert’s father, Chef William Cornelius, who played Fagin in the LCP production "Oliver," and Andy Parker, Evil Eye Fleagle in "Li’l Abner," play Man 1 and 2 -- the quiet, unassuming, oddly sophisticated mob muscle out to collect on an IOU for a gambling debt Bill Calhoun signed with Fred Graham’s name. Unfortunately, Fred was never made aware of the arrangement. William and Andy’s long history of doing everything from cooking demonstrations on TV and at the NYS Fair to innumerable dinner theaters together dovetails nicely with their natural sense of comic timing to create a comic duo capable of drawing out all of the nuances of their quirky characters.

Although a small cast, from top to bottom it is loaded with the right kind of talent to make this production jump off the stage and into your memory.

The Lake Country Players will present "Kiss Me Kate" on November 7th & 8th at 8 p.m. and on November 9th at 2:30 p.m. in the Watkins Glen High School Auditorium. Ticket prices for adults are $12 at the door and $10 in advance. Seniors and students will pay $10 at the door and $8 for advanced sale tickets, available from cast members. Questions concerning tickets or the performance can be directed to Tim Benjamin at 607-351-9260 or to lakecountryplayers@gmail.com