You’re the Top delivers a “de-lovely” Valentine’s date with Cole Porter
Classic film scholar Michael van den Bos hosts evening that mixes vintage film clips with the jazz sounds of the Laura Crema Sextet
(Left to right) Michael van den Bos, Cole Porter, and Laura Crema.
Anvil Theatre presents You’re the Top on February 14 at 7:30 pm
IF VALENTINE’S DAY has you craving something more than dinner and a movie, You’re the Top: The Cole Porter Songbook on Film and Live With the Laura Crema Sextet offers a refreshingly romantic alternative—one steeped in wit, glamour, and the glow of classic Broadway and Hollywood.
Film scholar Michael van den Bos will host this one-night-only event, which will blend curated Hollywood film clips, live jazz performances, and expert commentary into an evening that celebrates the works of Cole Porter. Recognized as one of the most iconic composers and lyricists of the Great American Songbook, Porter wrote most of his pieces for Broadway musicals, including Anything Goes, Can-Can, and Kiss Me, Kate, all of which later received Hollywood film adaptations. However, it was the recording of his songs by such legends as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Billie Holiday that elevated Porter’s work into the stratosphere of timeless cultural treasures.
You’re the Top isn’t the first time van den Bos has put on this type of show. He has spent the past 12 years producing what he affectionately calls “movie clip show celebrations”. Drawing on his background in cinematic history, along with years of involvement in the local film scene, van den Bos brings both expertise and enthusiasm to the stage.
“I love the Great American Songbook so much, and I love cinema so much,” he says. “And I love jazz. So this was a great blending of all those.”
Throughout You’re the Top, van den Bos will guide audiences chronologically through Porter’s career while unpacking how his songs functioned onscreen—how they were staged, adapted, and sometimes transformed in the transition from Broadway to Hollywood.
“It’s a little bit biographical,” van den Bos notes. “I go into his career and then talk about his songs, the craft, and all of that. I also talk about the film adaptations from the Broadway shows—are they authentic or not—and offer interesting facts about the films.”
Interwoven throughout the evening are live performances by acclaimed Canadian jazz vocalist Laura Crema, accompanied by her sextet: Tilden Webb (piano), Alvin Brendan (guitar), Dave Say (saxophone), Conrad Good (bass), and Nino DiPasquale (drums). Crema’s interpretations offer a contemporary counterpoint to the vintage clips, proving that Porter’s songs remain as emotionally powerful today as they were in their cinematic and stage heyday.
“What makes the show unique,” van den Bos explains, “is that you hear how these songs were originally presented in film, and then you hear a live performer cover them today in 2026.”
That sense of magic feels especially fitting on Valentine’s Day. Love, in all its forms, is a central theme in Porter’s work—from swooning romance to playful innuendo—and the evening leans into that emotional spectrum. Ultimately, You’re the Top invites audiences to sink into Porter’s world of sophisticated lyrics, unforgettable melodies, and cinematic sparkle.
“I just want people to have a really magical night,” van den Bos says. “I want audiences to come out of this having experienced the glow of the glory of the Great American Songbook.”
And on a night dedicated to romance, that sounds “de-lovely”. 
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