Cole Porter, Noel Coward-Themed Fundraiser a Success

It was billed as a “delightful, delovely” evening dubbed “Let’s Do It” when the Monmouth County branch of the English Speaking Union (ESU) celebrated the music and genius of Noel Coward and Cole Porter with a jazz age-themed fundraiser June 24 at .

Bruce Stephen Foster played the grand piano, featuring Coward and Porter renditions. True to the era of the theme, some members of the group dressed in Roaring Twenties costumes. Monmouth ESU members were joined by Princeton ESU Branch President Dulcie Bull and her husband Clive Muncaster as well as Dr. Wesley Brown and Alex Frederick. Frederick is a professional pianist who took a turn at the piano after Foster finished his performance.

Proceeds from the event go into the ESU’s scholarship fund, which is used to send local teachers to educational programs sponsored by the ESU both in the United Kingdom and United States.  

The 2011 scholar was Teresa Ciccone, an English teacher at Monmouth Regional High School, who studied at Edinburgh University. Funds are also used to support the group’s Shakespeare competition in which local students perform sonnets and monologues from Shakespeare annually and the winner is sent on a weekend in New York to participate in the National Shakespeare Competition against winners from the 70 ESU branches located all over the United States. The Grand Prize is a trip to England.

The Committee for “Let’s Do It” consisted of Ralph and Meta Wyndrum, Shirley Adler, Robin Blair, John Rathman and Roberta Van Anda.

Were you there? Do you have any other photos of the event? If so, either email them to elaine.develde@patch.com or upload them directly to this article.