Love, Linda: Cole Porter musical returns to Triad

Following its sold-out run last year, Love, Linda: The Life Of Mrs. Cole Porter - Stevie Holland's new one-woman musical about Linda Porter and her life with husband Cole Porter - returns for an open-ended run at The Triad Theater nbeginning 3 Mar 2010.

With music and lyrics by Cole Porter and book by Holland and Gary William Friedman, Love, Lindar stars Stevie Holland as Linda Lee Thomas, the Southern beauty who married, and was a driving force behind, legendary songwriter Cole Porter at the dawn of the roaring twenties. Though Cole Porter was gay, their companionship and love lasted through 35 years of marriage and together they lived a spectacular, glamour-filled life.

Love, Linda: A tall, slender beauty from a wealthy family in Kentucky, Linda Porter was a favorite of designers of couture clothing and opulent jewelry. She was also keenly intelligent and highly cultured, - and a driving force behind Cole Porter's success. Cole and Linda's dinner parties were graced with royalty and the literary and theatrical lights of their generation.

Their life together also had its darker sides; they briefly separated when Cole's indiscreet same-sex relationships in Hollywood became too much for Linda to bear. But after a horseback riding accident left Cole crippled, they reunited, and remained devoted to each other to the end.

The score for Love, Linda, includes such beloved Porter songs as 'So in Love,' 'In the Still of the Night,' 'Love for Sale' and 'Night and Day.' Woven through the narrative of Love, Linda, these songs, and lesser-known Porter tunes, unite to tell the story of Linda and Cole's unconventional relationship and great love for each other. Since its initial run, the book and musical numbers have been expanded and additional songs have been added.

Love, Linda, is directed by Ben West, who recently directied the musical 'How Now, Dow Jones' at the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival. West was the assitant director for the 2007 Broadway revival of 'Old Acquaintance.' Musical arrangements are by composer Gary William Friedman.

Stevie Holland is a critically-acclaimed jazz vocalist and lyricist. Her most recent CD 'Before Love Has Gone' was chosen by USA Today as a Top CD of 2008. Her previous CDs 'More Than Words Can Say' and 'Restless Willow' were included on a variety of top ten lists and played on jazz, smooth jazz and traditional pop and standards radio stations nationally. Ms. Holland has headlined at major New York City jazz venues, including Dizzy's Club Coca Cola and Iridium Jazz Club, in addition to concert halls and clubs around the country. The story of the wife of a composer is a subject close to Holland's heart, as she happens to be the wife of composer Gary William Friedman.

Gary William Friedman is the composer of the Tony nominated, Obie Award winning musical The Me Nobody Knows'. Other musical theater credits include the award winning 'Taking My Turn' (presented on PBS Television's Great Performance Series) and 'Platinum.'. In addition to the theatre, Friedman's music spans the genres of film soundtracks, symphonic works, and jazz. As Music Director for T.V.'s "The Electric Company", he wrote many songs including the popular "Spider Man Theme Song".

Love, Linda: The Life Of Mrs. Cole Porter is being produced by the theatrical enterprise, 150 Productions.