82 Downers Grove South Actors to Perform 'Kiss Me, Kate'

Eighty-two members of the A Capella Choir will perform "Kiss Me, Kate" April 19 to 22. 

The musical centers on a production of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew," in which a divorced couple, Lilli Vanessi and Fred Gratham, play the leads. "Kiss Me, Kate," with music written by Cole Porter, combines Shakespearean text and Austrian Waltz with jazz and the 1940's. 

Unlike other productions, all 82 members of the choir are part of the production. DGS students will also play in the pit orchestra for the show and are working on a massive set project that will accommodate the play-within-a-play concept. 

Erin Christine Walsh, a familiar face to DGS' theater program and a 2012 double state Speech champion, plays Lilli Vanessi. Theater newbie Lars Feste plays Fred Graham. Walsh and Feste are both seniors. Walsh was also the female lead in last year's musical, "Crazy for You." 

Feste is a member of the Madrigal Singers and was selected for the 2012 IMEA All-State Choir, along with Walsh. He was part of the ensemble in last year's musical production of "Crazy for You" but has never had a featured acting part.

"(When the cast list went up) my first thought was, 'How are am I going to do this?'" Feste said. "Sometimes it's stressful because I was working on the ABC's around people who had been doing this for years."

Walsh said seeing Feste experience the theater process for the first time gave her a new perspective.

"At the first rehearsal Lars' face lit up and he said 'This is fun!'" Walsh said. "It's easy to forget how much fun this process can be when you're stressed out about homework and college applications. I hope that I've helped him as much as he's helped me." 

Tiffany Rubin, director of the musical, said Feste was chosen for his clear, strong voice and for his charming personality. 

"He excels in ballads," Rubin said. "We saw that there was a spark in him. He had good chemistry with Erin." 

Performing Shakespeare is new for most of the students in the production, as well as Feste. Playing a sometimes-arrogant character is also new for Feste. "He's had to work extra hard at being more pompous," Rubin said. 

From learning basic acting terms to two weeks away from opening night, Feste has come a long way, Rubin said. "It's scary how much better he's gotten," Rubin said. 

Why should you see the show? 

"It's so smart," Walsh said. "It's one of my favorites. It's a great comedy and a satire on gender and misogyny." 

"It's a brilliant show," Feste said. "The music is fantastic." 

Senior Alex Bahaveolos returns to the musical stage as a gangster in "Kiss Me Kate." He played Bela Zangler in "Crazy for You" last year. He said he likes that the whole choir gets to participate in the musical. "Everyone becomes very close-knit," he said. 

Bahaveolos said the experience has taught him a lot about running rehearsals, a skill he'll use as a music education major at Millikin University in the fall. 

Walsh plans to pursue theater in college but has yet to make her choice. Feste is attending Indiana University in the fall. 

See "Kiss Me, Kate" at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. 

Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for seniors and kids. Thursday's performance is free for senior citizens.