[Porter, Cole. (1891–1964)] Spewack, Bela. (1899–1990)
"Kiss Me Kate," SIGNED
New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 1953. First edition. Hardback edition of Kiss Me Kate - A Musical Play, by Samuel and Bella Spewack with lyrics by Cole Porter. The illustrated volume features the cast list for the original Broadway production and has been signed and inscribed to the front free endpaper by Bella Spewack to Baltimore Sun theater and film critic, Hal Gardner (1919 - 1995): "For: Hal Gardner - Please check that line in Kate 'we'll be shooting deer in the balcony / you know Baltimore' / Bela Spewack - Baltimore - Feb. 3, 1954."In Good condition with staining across the top of the cloth and jacket, jacket with some water stains and generally worn, staining along the upper edge of pages through the Introduction.
Structured as a play within a play, where the interior play is a musical version of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, "Kiss Me, Kate" was Porter's biggest hit and the only one of his shows to run for more than 1,000 performances on Broadway. It won the first Tony Award presented for Best Musical, in 1949. (8666)
Signed Document/Item Song