Bella and Samuel Spewak

Lengthily inscribed first printing of the book and lyrics to the beloved musical.

• Bella and Samuel Spewak (American).
• Lyrics by Cole Porter (American).
• New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1953.
• xix, 147, [1] pages.
• Inscribed by the Spewacks on front endpaper: "For Harold [-----] – If we had more space, we'd write more "Kates" – However this got written in the 'attic' at 9:30 – for which, much thanks – Sam and Bella Spewak / 1953".
• Illustrated with four black and white photographs.
• In original unclipped ($2.75) dust jacket.
• Bound in original blue and purple decorative paper-covered boards, purple topstain.

Complete text and lyrics of the smash hit 'musical play,' a Broadway success that was Cole Porter's longest-running show and won the first Tony Award for Best Musical. The plot, a grim business covered over with snappy dialogue and cheerfully suggestive songs, plays on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, with inspiration drawn from the marital drama between actors Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontaine in a 1935 production of that play. The book was written by another married couple, the Spewacks, for extra verisimilitude. Published with an introductory essay, "How to Write a Musical Comedy." Kiss Me Kate was revived on Broadway several times following its 1948 debut, and was filmed in 1953, with stars Howard Keel and Ann Miller, in stereoscopic 3-D.