Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate found a radiant new home in the desert. Across May 15, 16, and 17, 2026, College of the Desert Performing Arts brought the beloved musical — music and lyrics by Porter, book by Sam and Bella Spewack — to the McCallum Theatre near Palm Springs, in a production that blurred every line between educational theater and the professional stage.
“I could not decide if it feels more Broadway or West End — this production was such a delight!” said theatre critic H.H. Dr. Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe. Disney enthusiast and entertainment professional Marti Bronne Kelley agreed: “Every moment was full of joy and action, superb!”
Seasoned hands, rising talent
Director and choreographer Janet Miller led a creative team with deep roots in theater education: musical director and production coordinator Julie Adams, associate choreographer Rebecca Schroeder, set and prop designer JW Layne of Palm Canyon Theatre, lighting designer Austin Womack, hair and makeup designer Lynda Shaeps, and stage manager Alejandra Martinez. The orchestra, conducted by Jerry Soria-Foust, brought keyboards, guitars, woodwinds, brass, and percussion to Porter’s sparkling score.
Isaac Gaeta-Tollette headlined as Fred Graham and Petruchio, bringing classical vocal training and credits including The Man of La Mancha, Così fan tutte, and La Bohème to Porter’s demanding music. Opposite him, Christina Marie Harrell played Lilli Vanessi and Katharine, lending operatic strength to one of musical theater’s great sparring partnerships. Julian Perez and Samantha Simonds completed the romantic quadrangle as Bill Calhoun/Lucentio and Lois Lane/Bianca.
The supporting company — Jason Ayestas, Darin MacLeod, Liz Holmes, Eduardo Javier, Lee Worthy, David Eilert Kennelly, and a large ensemble of students and community artists — reflected what makes regional theater special: performers balancing artistic lives with careers in education, healthcare, music, and nonprofit leadership, united by the work.
Porter’s score, desert-sized
From “Another Op’nin’, Another Show” through “Wunderbar,” “So In Love,” “Too Darn Hot,” and the peerless wordplay of “Brush Up Your Shakespeare,” the production honored a score that remains central to the American canon — witty, melodic, and theatrically exact.
“A magical show — we never disappoint our audience,” said Sara Lee of the theatre institution. The McCallum, a prestige venue in the Coachella Valley performing arts scene, gave student and community performers a major regional stage — and they filled it. For College of the Desert, the production was more than a revival: a public demonstration of what happens when mentorship, ambition, and community investment share a stage.
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- H.H.Dr. Princess Antonia zu Schaumburg-Lippe: Six years ago, God needed a new angel and called H.H. Dr.h.c. Prince Waldemar zu Schaumburg-Lippe into heaven!
Originally published on Times Square Chronicles.
