`st. Nick' Delivers Coins In Praise Of Commissioners 
Charles Karazia, Dressed As Santa, Brought Them Coal Seven Years Ago, But This
Year He Thanked County's Leaders For Their Actions.

1 Clinic To Close, Another To Cut Back

By BOB NOCEK Times Leader Staff Writer
 Monday, December 06, 1999 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 9C 





NEW YORK - It's hard to believe that ``Kiss Me, Kate'' is more than a
half-century old, given the bubbly, exciting revival that opened Nov. 18 at
the Martin Beck Theatre. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It's fresh, it's funny, and the dazzling combination of Brian Stokes
Mitchell and Marin Mazzie is truly magical. Director Michael Blakemore has
given ``Kiss Me, Kate'' such resounding energy that even Cole Porter's score
isn't the best of it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This is the first time ``Kiss Me, Kate'' has been on Broadway since its
1948 opening. It's hard to imagine that the pairing of Mitchell and Mazzie as
the broken-up show business couple Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi could have
been any sweeter. This delightful couple starred in ``Ragtime,'' but that was
just a tease because their stage time together was limited. ``Kiss Me, Kate''
is all about Mitchell and Mazzie, and the audience is truly blessed for that. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Fred and Lilli have obviously forsaken better judgment to co-star in a
musical version of Shakespeare's ``The Taming of the Shrew,'' in which Fred is
starring and directing. Not a wise choice for two people whose post-marriage
relationship is as stable as the Middle East. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It would be easy to reduce this to simple love-hate, but Mitchell and
Mazzie never do, and that's where they really succeed. By keeping Fred and
Lilli away from the obvious caricatures they could become, the stars make
``Kiss Me, Kate'' a fully-fleshed story. Mazzie plays ``I Hate Men'' to its
furious hilt. And ``So in Love,'' in Mitchell's hands, proves moving. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Beyond the leads, ``Kiss Me, Kate'' is full of fantastic performances. Amy
Spanger, as Lois Lane, runs away with ``Always True to You (In My Fashion),''
until the dim-witted gangsters played by Michael Mulheren and Lee Wilkof top
it with ``Brush Up Your Shakespeare.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Porter's score certainly has its glorious moments here. The aforementioned
songs are highlights. And ``Too Darn Hot,'' which doesn't have much of a place
in the story, has been given a wildly energetic treatment by choreographer
Kathleen Marshall. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The book, by Sam and Bella Spewack, isn't the strongest, and in lesser
hands, the whole production could surely show signs of age. But here, Fred and
Lilli are a couple with modern sensibilities who just happen to be in 1948.
And this ``Kiss Me, Kate'' is not merely a re-creation of a musical that once
was. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A kiss is just a kiss, they say. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But ``Kiss Me, Kate'' is something special. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 REVIEW: Stage &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 IF YOU GO &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 WHAT: ``Kiss Me, Kate'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 WHERE: The Martin Beck Theatre, 302 W. 45th St., New York. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 WHEN: Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., Wednesday and Saturday &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 at 2 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TICKETS: $80-$25 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 INFO: Telecharge at (800) 432-7250 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

`kiss Me, Kate' A Rousing Revival