Reprieve for Kiss Me Kate

The cast sang God Bless America after Sunday's show

Broadway show Kiss Me Kate, which was due to close on Sunday, has been reprieved - thanks to an unusual move by its cast and crew.

One of six New York shows due to close at the weekend after a sharp drop in ticket sales, Kiss Me Kate has been saved after the show's staff decided to donate 25% of their salaries to buying tickets.

A lot will depend on what happens on Broadway as a whole

Roger Berlind, producer

Producer Roger Berlind ripped up the show's closure notice on stage on Sunday and told the audience: "The show will go on."

The scheme to save the show comes on top of a 25% pay cut over the next four weeks, already agreed with theatre unions.

The scheme was thought up by Joseph Maher, chief carpenter at the Martin Beck Theatre.

'Spirit'

The tickets bought by the cast and crew will be given away to disaster relief groups in the city, and the scheme will run for the next two weeks.

Carolee Carmello: "This company is a family"

The show's leading lady, Carolee Carmello, said: "I think it is a testament to the spirit of Broadway and New York.

"This company is a family, and it has risen to the occasion."

Mr Berlind described the move as "an extraordinary outpouring of generosity and good will of every member of the Kiss Me Kate family".

"We have been struggling to keep the show going and the economics of a simple 25% pay cut didn't work for this show," said Mr Berlind.

"Maybe we will be OK, but a lot will depend on what happens on Broadway as a whole."

The show, a musical written by Cole Porter and based on Shakespeare's The Taming Of The Shrew, was originally due to close on 30 December.

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber has come to the rescue of his musical By Jeeves, which had cancelled its Broadway debut after two major investors pulled out.

Lord Lloyd-Webber announced that he had put together a consortium with four others to raise the $800,000 (£550,000) needed for the show to open as planned on 28 October.