Cole Porter splashes down at Walterdale Playhouse

There’s something about a Cole Porter song – the wit, the craftsmanship, the originality – that inspires performers to give their best.

It’s no wonder that Christina O’Dell automatically gravitates to the Broadway composer’s classic musicals.

“Cole Porter not only has wonderful catchy melodies with twists and turns in the song, but the lyrics are so sophisticated. While you’re singing a song, you realize it’s a social commentary and it’s completely tongue-in-cheek,” says O’Dell.

She is cast as Reno Sweeney, the lead role in Anything Goes scheduled to run at Walterdale Playhouse from July 3 to 13.

By day, the former St. Albert resident is a speech language pathologist at Hillview Elementary School in Millwoods. In the evening she is a novel triple-threat performer. This season alone, she has performed in six consecutive productions through local community theatres and Edmonton Opera.

“It’s a lot, but it’s cathartic. Some people play soccer, quilt or knit. I put my energy into shows. For three hours you’re not thinking of problems. You’re in the moment and it rests the brain,” she explains.

Growing up in St. Albert she was immersed in culture, studying tap at DanceCo for 18 years and developing a classically-trained lyric soprano voice at Alberta College.

All the ingredients to pursue a professional artistic career were in place.

“But I’ve always been a bit of a scientist. I finished my undergraduate degree, which by the way was in history, and I realized I was more interested in how the voice works. That brought me to pathology and my voice bloomed when I realized how it worked.”

In Anything Goes, she landed the role of Reno Sweeney, a formidable mix of sexy Prohibition-era entertainer and savvy businesswoman.

In this transatlantic love story aboard the ocean liner S.S. American, Reno is en route from New York to England. Her good friend Billy Crocker has stowed on board to be near Hope Harcourt, the love of his life. She returns his affections but also tells him she is engaged to the wealthy Lord Evelyn Oakleigh and must go through with the arrangement.

Also on board the luxury liner is Public Enemy #13 and his gangster moll. Throw in elaborate disguises, false passports and tap-dancing sailors, and the ills of the world dissipate in Porter’s champagne world.

“Much of the script doesn’t make sense. It’s mainly an excuse to sing Cole Porter songs,” chuckles director Barbara Mah.

A longtime Walterdale contributor, Mah last directed Sweet Charity and choreographed The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Mah also teaches musical theatre at the Citadel Theatre and has a well-developed choreographic background.

Part of the reason she accepted this directing challenge was the opportunity to both direct and choreograph the show.

“With each song, there’s a fair chunk dedicated to a dance break,” she said.

About 75 actors showed up for auditions.

“I was able to be picky and I have an amazing cast.”

In the cast are another two St. Albert Children’s Theatre trained actors – Veronica Masik and Meaghan McKinstry.

Masik is cast as Virtue, one of Sweeney’s supporting singing angels.

“Veronica’s stage presence is amazing. You can’t take your eyes off her. She’s really a very strong dancer,” notes Mah.

And as a graduate of the MacEwan University musical theatre program, McKinstry is one of the most technically-developed tappers in the bunch. As Chastity, she gets featured a little more, adds Mah.

For this musical Porter composed enduring standards that were rooted in vaudeville, whether the rhythm was a rumba or waltz. Tunes such as You’d Be So Easy to Love, It’s De-Lovely, Anything Goes and Let’s Misbehave are just a small sampling of compositions that found their way into the American songbook.

O’Dell’s favourite is Blow, Gabriel, Blow, a gospel chart with an energetic, evangelical essence.

“I feel so proud of this song. It gave me trouble in terms of vocal chops and the character I had to bring out. Reno is bigger than life. Not only did I have to play Reno big, but her showperson is even bigger. And I had to dig deep to find it.”

Mah invites everyone to partake in this goofy romp set in 1934.

“There’s no nudity, no swearing – none of that modern stuff. Just good old-fashioned fun.”