Tonight was a treat at the Quality Hill Playhouse in Kansas City - a celebration of Cole Porter songs called Let's Do It.
Porter's life followed a sad, disturbing arc - from sublime youth to tormented old age. His trials - living in pain after a horse-riding accident, struggling to come to terms with his sexuality, the loss of his wife and mother within two years - gave his music an edge no matter how witty his lyrics might have been. Porter was unmatched in his ability to write ingenious rhymes set to irresistible melodies and tonight's Quality Hill cast showcased some of Porter's best tunes including A Tale of the Oyster, Nobody's Chasing Me, and Brush Up Your Shakespeare.
The singers tonight were Melinda MacDonald, Cary Mock, and J. Kent Barnhart, who also played piano. Joining the singers were Julian Goff on drums and Steven Lembert on bass.
