On the opening night of a musical version of the taming of the shrew in 1940s baltimore the tempestuous love lives of actor manager fred graham and his leading lady and ex wife lilli vanessi are set to collide throw in freds current paramour lois lane and her gambler boyfriend bill plus a couple of gun toting gangsters who somehow get caught up in the show and the stage is set for a funny and farcical battle of the sexes