alphabetical author index

Love, Linda (The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter)

  • Love, Linda is one-woman musical about Linda Lee Thomas, the Southern beauty who married -- and was a driving force behind -- legendary songwriter Cole Porter. Though Cole Porter was gay, their companionship and love lasted through 35 years of marriage and a spectacular, glamour-filled life.

    With innovative arrangements, the timeless music and lyrics of Cole Porter weave through the compelling narrative of Love, Linda, examining the darker sides of their life, while also celebrating the deep love that blossomed through their unconventional relationship.
    • Full Length Musical
    • Drama, Biography

    • Target Audience: Adult

    • Performance Group:
    • Community Theatre, Blackbox / Second Stage /Fringe Groups, Professional Theatre
    In this tour-de-force one-woman show, Linda Lee Thomas (Mrs. Cole Porter), candidly recounts, through song and story, her life's journey with Cole Porter. From the first time she lays eyes on the very young Cole, she knows that he's the refreshing change of pace her life is crying out for, after an abusive marriage to an overbearing first husband.

    Cole's homosexuality is of no consequence to Linda, as long as she has his love. After a whirlwind honeymoon around the world, Linda and Cole settle in Paris, and begin to develop Cole's career. Linda introduces Cole to some of the greatest artists residing in Europe at the time, and with Cole's great talent and discipline, she enlists friends such as Irving Berlin, to open the doors that lead Cole to his first successes on Broadway.

    In the course of the show, Linda takes us behind the glitter of their sensational social life, sharing intimate, and at times heartbreaking moments, such as the dashed dreams of having a child, Cole's occasional hurtful sexual escapades, his crippling horse accident and her own failing health. To quote Linda from the show, their journey together was far from "a picture-perfect postcard," but by the end of her story, she has definitely made the case that "just because a love between two people may be difficult to define, that doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

    Musical numbers, cleverly taken out of their original context, include the hits So In Love, I Love Paris, My Heart Belongs to Daddy, Night and Day, and Wunderbar, plus lesser-known gems like When A Woman's In Love.

    Premiere Production: Love, Linda opened off-Broadway in 2013 at the York Theatre in New York City starring Stevie Holland and directed by Richard Maltby, Jr.
    • Casting: 1F
    • Casting Attributes: Strong Role for Leading Woman (Star Vehicle)

    LINDA LEE THOMAS (MRS. COLE PORTER) - The character is portrayed looking back at her life, after she has left this world. Therefore, the role is available to a wide range of actors, aged anywhere from thirty to mid-fifties.