Westport Throws a "Hot ’n’ Cole" Party

Hot 'n' Cole: A Cole Porter Celebration

Words and music by Cole Porter; devised by David Armstrong, Mark Waldrop, and Bruce W. Coyle; musical arrangements by Bruce W. Coyle; scenic designer, Hugh Landwehr; costume designer, Laurie Churba Kohn; lighting designer, Clifton Taylor; sound designer, Dominic Sack; music direction by Mark Berman; choreography by Lisa Shriver; directed by James Naughton

Cast in alphabetical order:
Whitney Bashor, Donna Lynne Champlin, Lewis Cleale, Andrea Dora, Peter Reardon, and Shonn Wiley

Performances: Through June 28, Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, Westport, CT
Box Office: 203-227-4177 or www.westportplayhouse.org

If you enjoy cocktail parties where finger foods take the place of a hearty sit-down dinner, then the light and frothy musical revue Hot 'n' Cole running at the Westport Country Playhouse through June 28 may be just your sip of champagne. Serving up 42 – count 'em, 42 – Cole Porter ditties strung together loosely without any dialog in between, it's a tasty treat for the romantic heart if not a feast for the discerning soul.

The concert masquerading as a musical story examines the relationships of three contemporary urban couples as they enjoy a private party in a trendy Manhattan loft. Whose apartment it is we can't really tell, and how the couples know each other is also a mystery. But someone has ostensibly hired two accomplished piano players to make beautiful music on the front and center baby grands, so upscale co-op or downtown piano bar, it doesn't really matter – a sing-along is the blueprint for the evening.

The at times clever, at times contrived sequencing of Cole Porter's varied tunes takes the party from a fun-loving opening set through melancholy musings onto alcohol-induced dalliances and finally back to romantic couplings. Though some of Bruce W. Coyle's interpretive arrangements take some getting used to, musical director Mark Berman and director James Naughton ably lead their cast in fitting an array of exuberant, witty, jazzy, sexy, torchy and comic novelty songs into a cohesive modern context.

Whenever the sextet of Whitney Bashor, Donna Lynne Champlin, Lewis Cleale, Andrea Dora, Peter Reardon and Shonn Wiley put their voices together in rich harmony, the cork on this bit of musical bubbly really pops. They deliver particularly lush a capella renditions of "In the Still of the Night" and "I've Got You Under My Skin" that are reminiscent of The Manhattan Transfer. Solo outings are less consistently sparkling. Some manage to tickle the nose while others stay too long on the palate.

Lewis as the ardent suitor to Andrea is the standout of the ensemble. In his broadly enacted "Tale of the Oyster" about a mollusk's revenge on a hungry society matron he is funny, whimsical, and very entertaining. In his love duets with Andrea – "Let's Do It/Let's Not Talk About Love" and "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" – his warm baritone is so charming and his puppy-dog looks so utterly adorable that it's hard to understand how she can resist him even for a second. When he joins the other men in their buddy songs "I Happen to Like New York" and "At Long Last Love," he is so completely committed that he turns musical moments into character-revealing vignettes, giving the thin fabric of Hot 'n' Cole more complexity than it deserves.

All three men, in fact, are very well suited to the Cole Porter songbook. Shonn wraps his strong tenor seductively around "I'm a Gigolo" and "You Do Something to Me" and also taps up a storm with Donna Lynne in the Act One finale, "Now You Has Jazz." Peter sings a lovely lullaby called "Broth of a Boy" and he delivers a wistful "Miss Otis Regrets" that captures all the bluesy irony penned in Porter's surprising lyrics. When the men are in the spotlight, Hot 'n' Cole sizzles. When the women take over, however, the pace sometimes fizzles.

As the person around whom much of the story of the evening seems to spin, Donna Lynne creates a very full character and invests great energy into her role. She's a ball of dynamite when joining Mark Berman and Steven F. Silverstein on the keys during "I'm Throwin' a Ball Tonight," and she meets Shonn toe to toe in their joyous tap duet. But her voice isn't a comfortable fit for Porter's elegant score. She slides awkwardly at times from her lower to upper register, and she tries too hard in her solos "I'm Back in Circulation" and "Get out of Town." Instead of singing in the effortless style of a sophisticated swell she sounds like a down-home country-westerner trying to fit in with high society.

Andrea brings a strong alto belt to the party and Whitney has a sweet soprano. When they join Donna Lynne in "Love for Sale" and the medley of "I Hate Men/Cherry Pies #2/What Is This Thing Called Love?" their voices blend in pleasant harmony. But as a trio they lack the chemistry that the men have on stage. There are no knowing glances or playful gestures to suggest familiarity or friendship. This lack of spark makes their numbers – and the show – drag in places. Fewer songs and a zippier pace would keep Hot 'n' Cole from sometimes seeming mild and tepid.

Hugh Landwehr's black and silver painted set of brick walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, multi-tiered landing areas and Greek ionic columns create just the right urban flair for Porter's brand of smart, breezy, cynical romance. Clifton Taylor's lighting also suits the music's mercurial moods well. Costumes by Laurie Churba Kohn, however, have a harder time fitting, especially the women. Andrea's angular bright purple and black dress with a thigh-high slit seems more appropriate for a dance hall than a private party, and Donna Lynne's high-waisted black sailor slacks and short-sleeved, scoop-necked tie blouse give her a round-shouldered, hunchbacked look that adds years to her character. Whitney's bright pink cocktail dress draws attention to her every minute she's on stage, and the billowing pleats below the hip-hugging waist are strangely at odds with the spaghetti strap bodice. The men's dark suits accented by colorful shirts, handkerchiefs and ties are more comfortable and apt.

Performing so many Cole Porter tunes in one night certainly celebrates the man's unique genius. In that regard, Hot 'n' Cole is illuminating and entertaining. But the convention of forcing the songs into a makeshift story wears thin after a while. The drawn out melodrama turns what could have been a really swell party into a slightly swollen one.

PHOTOS: The company (clockwise from upper left): Shonn Wiley, Lewis Cleale,Donna Lynne Champlin, Peter Reardon, Andrea Dora, and Whitney Bashor; Andrea Dora and Lewis Cleale; Peter Reardon, Lewis Cleale, and Shonn Wiley