THEATER:Music runs ‘Hot & Cole’

Few popular music composers, from George M. Cohan to Stephen Sondheim, created so many recognized hit songs as did Cole Porter.

Just to scratch the surface, Porter was responsible for “Just One of Those Things,” “My Heart Belongs to Daddy,” “Night and Day,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” as well scores of Broadway hits such as “Anything Goes” and “Kiss Me, Kate,” along with the movie musical “High Society.”

Laguna Beach’s Gallimaufry Performing Arts group will be paying homage to Porter in a new revue entitled “Hot & Cole” (not to be confused with the existing “Red, Hot and Cole”), which will be presented for two evenings only, Feb. 9 and 10.

“Hot & Cole” was conceived and is being directed by Steve Josephson, Gallimaufry’s artistic director.

Musical director Arie Gonzales will be at the keyboard playing Cole Porter as the songwriter and his wife, Linda, entertain a group of friends at their country estate.

“The New York social set watches as Broadway and Hollywood performers converge for a fun-filled evening of song,” Josephson said. “With Cole at the piano, their lives are illuminated through witty, funny, poignant musical interludes as only he can produce.”

The show is an intricately woven story told entirely through song. The 37 songs from 24 different shows spanning 28 years of composition will include some of Porter’s most loved and often-recorded tunes.

“I have always been a Cole Porter fan and have done several revues of his material in the past,” Josephson noted. “In fact, the germination of ‘Hot & Cole’ began as a work called ‘Coleslaw’ that I created for USC about 20 years ago.”

With the renewed interest in Porter following the movie musical “De-Lovely,” Josephson decided to take that idea and turn it into a fully developed story told entirely through song.

“Anyone familiar with his work and his life will recognize certain characters and plot lines from his films, as well as historical figures and friends,” Josephson said.

Besides Gonzales, the cast will feature 17 additional performers, including Gallimaufry company members Amy Hitchcock, Tom Keyes, Pat Kollenda, Gary Krantz, Lisa Morrice, David Stoneman and Rich Wordes.

Also recognizable may be some favorite featured performers such as Pamela Burrus, Juliet Fischer, Meryll Jean Locquiao, Dion Mial, Margo Upham and Patty Zantos. Rounding out the cast will be company newcomers Eloise Coopersmith, Carla DeFraine, Darius Rose and Kathy Williams.

Josephson plans to intersperse Porter’s most famous songs with several unknown, never-recorded treasures from the composer’s archives.

“The show will feature an early comic work from his days in Paris, written for the Statue of Liberty to sing,” Josephson says, “a delightfully funny piece recorded by Marlene Dietrich and a comic look at Hollywood’s fascination with trendy fads.”

“Hot & Cole” will be presented in the Forum Theater on the Festival of Arts grounds.

Tickets are $20 and may be reserved by purchasing online at www.gallimaufry.info or by calling (949) 499-5060.