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Inside the High-Flying, Tap-Filled Choreography of Broadway鈥檚 Kiss Me, Kate
From 鈥淭om, Dick, and Harry鈥� to a new, epic take on 鈥淭oo Darn Hot,鈥� choreographer Warren Carlyle kicks Broadway dance up a notch.
鈥淣o one tells stories through movement like Warren Carlyle,鈥� says Kiss Me, Kate star Stephanie Styles.
Indeed, you鈥檇 be hard-pressed to find dancing as athletic (鈥淭oo Darn Hot鈥� is a 10-minute, 45-second endurance test, not to mention a technical feat) and tap-filled as the latest revival of the show-within-a-show musical from Roundabout Theatre Company.
From the illusion of backstage chaos in Kate鈥檚 opening number 鈥淎nother Op鈥檔in鈥� Another Show鈥� to the final curtain, Carlyle manages to consistently one up himself with each number. 鈥淭he choreography is extremely fresh also with some respect to past movement during that time,鈥� says Adrienne Walker. 鈥淭hings in the late 鈥�40s were edgier than we realize. There's a good amount of fresh for today and a great amount of respect for yesterday.鈥�
READ: How Kiss Me, Kate鈥檚 Corbin Bleu Wound Up Tap-Dancing on the Ceiling and More Reveals From Opening Night
Of course, 鈥淭oo Darn Hot鈥� has always been the highlight of any incarnation of the show鈥攊ncluding Stanley Wayne Mathis鈥� rendition in the 1999 revival, showcased at that year鈥檚 Tony Awards. Carlyle knew he had to do something distinct. 鈥淚 wanted to add Bill Calhoun into that,鈥� Carlyle explains. 鈥淚n the script he's referred to as a hoofer. So I thought how fun that tap dance would be his language. I inserted him into 鈥楾oo Darn Hot,鈥� I thought it would be a fun way of giving it a lift, giving it a gear change, having a new idea, making that number uniquely ours for this generation and then also I get to have James T. Lane who comes in and matches Corbin [Bleu] and we get to see the two of them blow the roof off together.鈥�
鈥淚n the studio you knew this is the best choreography of anything I've ever seen and then it stops the show,鈥� says star Will Chase of the number.
READ: How 2019's Kiss Me, Kate Broadway Revival Pays Homage to Marin Mazzie in the 1999 Revival
A self-taught tapper, Carlyle鈥檚 鈥渞hythms are unconventional鈥� and he uses sounds and movement vocabulary to deepen character and to wow his audiences鈥攁nd cast members鈥攖o tears.
Watch the full video above for more, plus a look at the dance performed onstage at Studio 54.
Kiss Me, Kate currently plays Broadway鈥檚 Studio 54 in a limited engagement through June 30, 2019. Click here for discounted tickets.
