The College of the Desert Performing Arts Department has once again partnered with the McCallum Theatre to bring another stellar production to the McCallum stage. This spring’s show was the classic musical “Kiss Me, Kate.”
Directed and choreographed by Janet Miller, this two-hour production filled the theater with laughs and applause throughout the night. Set in 1948 Baltimore, the story centers on a theater company trying to stage a musical version of Shakespeare’s classic “The Taming of the Shrew.” As rehearsals continue, the actors’ messy love lives begin to blur with the wild romance they are performing onstage until it becomes difficult to tell where the show ends and real life begins.
The play opens with the musical number “Another Op’nin’, Another Show,” performed by Hattie & Company. The audience is then introduced to the main characters: Fred Graham, played by Issac Gaeta-Tollette, and Lilli Vanessi, played by Christina Marie Harrell. Their characters are former spouses but current co-stars, and their recent divorce has stirred fresh turmoil and tension among the cast and crew.
Another couple is later introduced: the troublesome Bill Calhoun, played by Julian Perez, and his promiscuous partner, Lois Lane, played by Samantha Simonds, whose personal drama creates even more problems for the production.
Bill, who owes money to mobsters, forges his co-star Fred’s signature on an IOU to avoid trouble. The gangsters later show up at the theater demanding the $10,000 they believe Fred owes and pressure him to keep the show going so they can stay close and ensure they will be paid.
Before the curtain falls, Fred, who has a flirtatious relationship with Lois, sends her a bouquet with a romantic note. The flowers are mistakenly delivered to his ex-wife, Lilli, and turn out to be the same ones from their wedding, arriving on the anniversary of their divorce. Though Lilli has been flaunting her new lover, the gesture stirs old feelings as she sings “So in Love.” When Fred realizes Lilli has the flowers, he asks her not to read the letter until after the show, and she reluctantly agrees.
The production of “The Taming of the Shrew” starts smoothly, with Fred and Lilli as Petruchio and Katherine, and Bill and Lois as Lucentio and Bianca. But Lilli breaks her promise, reads the letter midshow and realizes the flowers were not meant for her. Furious, she confronts Fred onstage, ending the first act in chaos.
In the second act, Lois becomes fed up and calls her mystery lover to come get her. Fred, knowing he needs Lilli to pay off the debt, asks the gangsters to “persuade” her to stay. The mobsters agree and join the show, adding to the onstage confusion as their antics, combined with Fred and Lilli’s tension, cause the production to unravel.
Lilli’s mystery lover is revealed as General Harrison Howell, who arrives to rescue her from the disaster unfolding onstage. Fred convinces the general to let her finish the performance, though Lilli still plans to leave.
Meanwhile, the gangsters discover their boss has been killed, making the IOU they were trying to collect meaningless. With the debt canceled, they back off, freeing Fred and the rest of the cast.
As Lilli is about to leave with the general, she imagines a life away from show business especially away from Fred. Realizing she still loves him, she returns to the stage to finish “The Taming of the Shrew.” She and Fred reconcile as the curtain closes on “Kiss Me, Kate.”
The cast of this production brought the show to life with vibrant singing and dynamic choreography.
Isaac Gaeta-Tollette’s assured turn as Fred Graham grounded the production, but it was his swaggering Petruchio—especially his crowd-pleasing “Wunderbar” duet with Christina Marie Harrell that truly commanded the stage.
Harrell also showcased impressive vocal power. Her three solo numbers rang through every corner of the McCallum.
Jason Ayestas and Darin MacLeod, who played the gangsters, delivered the strongest comedic moments of the night, leaving the McCallum crowd wanting more. From their strong‑armed tough‑guy banter to their show‑stopping duet of “Brush Up Your Shakespeare,” they kept the audience roaring with laughter. This is a comedic duo that the Coachella Valley will undoubtedly be eager to see share the spotlight again.
Even among such a strong ensemble, young Samantha Simonds managed to steal the spotlight vocally. Her rendition of “Always True to You in My Fashion” left the audience shocked.
Simonds spoke to The Chaparral about her preparation for her first big role, saying, “There’s a lot of just getting in the right mind space… And just, like, believing in myself.”
She also reflected on opening night and all of the work she and her cast put into the production.
“I’m just super proud of everyone … watching everything come together was just really nice.”
Alongside her was emerging talent Julian Perez, whose charismatic stage presence and nimble tap-dancing added an extra burst of energy to the show. His singing was equally impressive in musical numbers such as “Bianca” and “Tom, Dick or Harry.”
Perez spoke with The Chaparral about the differences between performing in front of a crowd and rehearsing.
“Having an audience is the best thing for us tonight. We’ve performed and practiced this since January. Having people react and actually give us feedback allows us to feed off that energy,” he said.
The McCallum Theatre, alongside the College of the Desert Performing Arts, has once again kept audiences wanting more. Their next partnership production, “South Pacific,” is set for May of 2027. To find more shows at the McCallum Theatre, visit McCallumTheatre.org
For more campus and community news, visit TheChaparral.net
