Have tea with Cole Porter

"Mrs. Edith Gould" has entertained many a musical luminary from the Gilded Age and beyond, but songwriter Cole Porter may be her brightest star yet.

A giant in the American musical lexicon, Cole Porter interwove his musical genius into the culture of the 20th century along with contemporaries George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Richard Rogers. Porter's melodies still haunt the American psyche with such unforgettable songs as "Night and Day," "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "I Get a Kick Out of You."

As a member of the audience, guests will join the original grand dame of the Georgian Court estate, Edith Gould, in her lavish mansion for an elegant tea party, complete with finger sandwiches and dainties. Join her and "Cole Porter" as he recounts his artistic triumphs and personal tragedies, punctuated by his musical renditions.

Cole Porter, born in 1891, attended Yale and, pressured by his family, went to Harvard Law School for a brief time. His love of composing, however, won out.

He left for New York where he had some initial Broadway failures. He then headed to World War I Europe, where he had a very socially successful stint as an American in Paris.

From the late 1920s to the late 1930s, Porter returned to America and had a string of Broadway hits and divided his time between New York and Hollywood.

"Mrs. Gould Welcomes Cole Porter" will be held at 11:30 a.m. on the following Saturdays: June 21, 28, July 5 and 12. Sunday performances at 3 p.m. are available on June 22, 29 and July 6 and 13. All performances take place in the Mansion on Georgian Court University's Lakewood campus.

The cost is $40 per person and includes performance and tea luncheon. Pre-purchase of tickets is required for all performances by calling 732-987- 2263 or e-mailing specialevents@georgian. edu. There are no refunds within 14 days of the performance. Special offers include a $5 discount per ticket for Saturday shows, and for groups of 20 or more; inquire about discount pricing.