A section of New York City's 45th Street will be designated as "Cole Porter Way" Nov. 17 in honor of the new revival of Porter's Kiss Me, Kate, opening Nov. 18 at the Martin Beck Theatre.

At 5:15 PM, Nov. 17, at the crossroads of 45th and Eighth Avenue, Kiss Me, Kate stars Marin Mazzie and Brian Stokes Mitchell will unveil the new street sign.

*

Previews began Oct. 25. Mitchell and Mazzie, vets of Ragtime, lead the company as former spouses who are performing -- and sparring -- in a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. Michael Blakemore (City of Angels, The Life) directs, Kathleen Marshall (Encores!) choreographs.

Roger Berlind and Roger Horchow are producing the musical, which hasn't seen a Broadway production since the original, in 1948. The classic score, considered Porter's finest and most dramatically integrated, is studded with now-standard tunes such as "So in Love," "Wunderbar," "Why Can't You Behave?," "Always True to You (in My Fashion)," "Too Darn Hot" and more. The musical has been slightly revised since 1948. The character of Harrison Howell, fashioned after political consultant Bernard Baruch, has been reconceived as a military officer, Gen. Harrison Howell. Ron Holgate (of the original 1776) plays the role, and gets to sing an interpolated song, "From This Moment On," with Mazzie.