VIDEO: Watch Stephen Cole, Ward Roberts, and Peter Filichia Discuss 'Cole Porter as a Gay Icon'

Chicago's Cole Porter Festival - A Celebration of the Man and his Music continues with the “Cole Porter as a Gay Icon,” notable Cole Porter fans, Stephen Cole, Ward Roberts and Peter Filichia, discuss Porter as a gay artist working in the 1920s-50s, hosted by Porchlight’s Producing Artistic Associate Frankie Leo Bennett.

Watch the discussion below!

"Anything Goes" is now playing through February 25, 2024, starring international sensation Meghan Murphy, directed by Weber, choreographed by Tammy Mader and music directed by Nick Sula, at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago. 

Stephen Cole is an award-winning musical theatre writer whose shows have been recorded, published and produced from New York City to London to the Middle East and Australia. His shows include “After The Fair” (music by Matthew Ward); “The Night of the Hunter” (Claibe Richardson); “Saturday Night at Grossinger’s” (music by Claibe Richardson and starring Gavin MacLeod); “Dodsworth” (Jeffrey Saver), “Time After Time” (Jeff Saver); “Merlin’s Apprentice,” “Rock Odyssey” and “Casper” (Matthew Ward, originally starring Chita Rivera) which has recently been revived in an acclaimed production at the Children's Theatre of Cincinnati. Stephen has written continuity, narration and special material for fifteen different Drama League Shows including all-star tributes to Kander and Ebb, Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera, Liz Smith, Peter Stone, Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone, Kristin Chenoweth, Audra McDonald and Neil Patrick Harris. Stephen’s most recent musical “Goin’ Hollywood” was produced in Dallas in July of 2023 and received rave reviews and sold out audiences. Stephen is the recipient of a Gilman-Gonzales Falla Commendation for musical theatre and the prestigious Edward Kleban Award.

WARD ROBERTS is an actor, filmmaker and podcaster living in Los Angeles. Born and raised in Peru, Indiana, (the same hometown as his cousin Cole Porter), Ward is currently producing a music album and documentary featuring modern artists recording contemporary takes on classic Porter tunes.

As a playwright, Peter Filichia ’s “God Shows Up” ran off-Broadway for six months in 2019. Additional works include: “Our Dead Classmate,” “Adam’s Gifts,” “The Whole World,” “Games,” “Old Comiskey Park,” “Restore, Me Please” and “Larry, the Big-Time Broadway Producer'' and his one-person show “A Personal History of the American Theater.” He has written eight books on the theater and served nearly two decades as a theater critic for a daily newspaper, “The Star-Ledger” as well as a columnist for TheaterWeek, Encore Monthly, Playbill and Theatermania. He was president of the Drama Desk Awards (1992-1996) and now serves on its current nominating committee, as well as on the nominating committees for The Chita Rivera Awards and The Theatre World Awards, for which he is chairperson and whose ceremony he annually writes and emcees. He has served three terms on the nominating committee of the Lucille Lortel Awards.

Video by Joe Gallagher

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