Lake Worth Playhouse’s “Kiss Me, Kate” and its Glossy Chaos

Lake Worth Playhouse’s current production of ‘Kiss Me, Kate’ arrives with the polish and ambition of a company that clearly loves musical theatre, even as it wrestles with the inherent contradictions of this particular show. Framed through the lens of a 1990s revival, the production attempts to sand down some of the sharper, more dated edges of Cole Porter’s backstage romp, nudging it toward something that feels more self aware and contemporary. The effort is evident and often admirable, but even with its modernization, Kiss Me, Kate remains, at heart, a cheesy musical. In this staging, it plays like a glossy B movie, entertaining in flashes, impressive in parts, but never quite convincing as a unified whole.

The concept of updating Kiss Me, Kate through a 90s revival aesthetic is a smart one on paper. That decade’s fondness for theatrical excess, irony, and heightened style should theoretically complement a show that already thrives on artifice, mistaken identities, and meta theatrical jokes. At moments, this approach works. The production leans into the silliness of the material rather than apologizing for it, allowing the audience to laugh with the show instead of at it. When the tone slips, and it does often, the result is a kind of tonal confusion.

What makes this especially frustrating is just how strong the individual elements of the production are. The set is genuinely impressive, making dynamic use of space and evoking the backstage chaos that defines the show’s world. It provides visual interest without overwhelming the performers, and it supports the action fluidly as the play within the play unfolds. The carpenters MA Knoke & co. have been extraordinarily good. The sound design is equally commendable.

The choreography is another highlight, by Kassie Meiler. Energetic and well rehearsed, it brings momentum to the evening and injects life into numbers that might otherwise feel like relics. There is a confidence in the movement that suggests a cast capable of handling both the physical demands and the stylistic flair. And then there are the costumes, easily the strongest component of the entire production; shouts to Jill Williams and Joanne DePrizio. Vibrant, thoughtfully designed, and consistently engaging, they do much of the heavy lifting. The costumes understand the heightened reality of Kiss Me, Kate better than anything else on stage.

And yet, for all these strengths, the production never quite coalesces. Rather than building toward a cohesive vision, the parts seem to exist alongside one another, impressive but disconnected. At all times, I could see the cracks in the facade. The set suggested one kind of show, the choreography another, the costumes yet another. Instead of complementing each other, these elements occasionally competed, inhibiting a shared tone. The result is a production that feels perpetually on the verge of clicking into place, but never quite does.

This lack of cohesion is most apparent in the central performance of Kate by Aurora Jenkins. Jenkins is decent, with a solid grasp of the character’s blade-like demeanor, and that vocal presence. Kiss Me, Kate hinges on the volatile, magnetic energy between its leads, but when Jenkins lacks command, the entire structure wobbles. Rather than anchoring the show, her performance often blended into the surrounding spectacle, leaving the narrative without a clear emotional center.

Still, there is plenty here to admire, and audiences inclined toward classic musicals will likely find much to enjoy. Lake Worth Playhouse continues to demonstrate a willingness to take creative risks, even when the results are uneven. Looking ahead, the company’s next production will be Biloxi Blues, the second installment following last season’s Brighton Beach Memoirs. Neil Simon’s semi-autobiographical trilogy will conclude with its final chapter during the Playhouse’s 2026–2027 season; an ambitious commitment that I’m personally thrilled to see.