Character guide
Lilli Vanessi
from Kiss Me, Kate
Lilli Vanessi is the fiery leading lady and Fred Graham's ex wife in Kiss Me, Kate, Cole Porter's 1948 musical.
- Show
- Kiss Me, Kate
- Broadway premiere
- 1948
- Role
- Lead
- Music by
- Cole Porter
Lilli Vanessi on stage vs screen
Broadway compared with the 1953 film
The screen Lilli has a different fiance. On stage she flaunts an engagement ring from Washington insider General Harrison Howell; in the 1953 film, Kathryn Grayson's Lilli is leaving to marry a rich Texas rancher, Tex Calloway, and at first turns the show down until Fred and Cole Porter offer her role to Lois.
Patricia Morison originated Lilli on Broadway in 1948 and played her again on television in 1958 and 1964. Her fury at discovering Fred's flowers were meant for Lois, and her onstage revenge during the Shrew performance, carries through both versions. Kelli O'Hara played Lilli in the 2019 Broadway revival.
Who is Lilli Vanessi?
Lilli is a celebrated actress starring opposite her ex husband Fred in a musical of The Taming of the Shrew, a role that requires her to play a shrewish character while her real feelings toward Fred remain raw and unresolved. She is proud and quick tempered, especially once she discovers Fred's continued interest in Lois Lane.
Her arc mirrors Kate's in the Shakespeare play, moving from open hostility toward Fred to a hard won, more honest reconciliation, without the show asking her to simply soften into submission.
Lilli Vanessi's role in Kiss Me, Kate
Lilli is the female lead and one of musical theatre's great comic and vocal showcases, with the ballad So in Love and the fierce comic number I Hate Men. The part requires a legitimate soprano with sharp comic timing, since Lilli must be genuinely funny and genuinely wounded within the same scene.
Patricia Morison originated the role in 1948, and it has become a coveted part for leading ladies, played on Broadway by Marin Mazzie in the 1999 revival among others.
Lilli Vanessi: frequently asked questions
What show is Lilli Vanessi from?
Lilli Vanessi is the lead female character in Kiss Me, Kate, which opened in 1948.
Is Lilli Vanessi a lead or supporting role?
Lilli Vanessi is a lead role opposite Fred Graham.
Who wrote the music for Kiss Me, Kate?
Cole Porter wrote the music and lyrics for Kiss Me, Kate.
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