Lilikoi Porter plays Judy Haynes in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
On stage this weekend at Fort Myers Theatre and next at Arts Center Theatre on Marco Island is Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Playing the role of Judy Haynes is Lilikoi Porter.
Porter is a fresh, new face in Southwest Florida. A South Carolina transplant, Lilikoi was just seen in the role of shy, demure and virginal Janet Weiss in Fort Myers Theatre’s production of The Rocky Horror Show. 
Prior to that, she was the rabbit in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, a show in which she also functioned as both swing and Stage Manager, and Sister Margaretta in The Sound of Music.
She’s a good choice for the role of Judy Haynes. In contradistinction to the scheming, calculating version of the character popularized by Vera Ellen in the 1954 movie, Lilikoi’s Judy is straightforward, vulnerable and wholesomely sexy. In fact, 
she replaces the jealousy and cattiness that typifies other portrayals of the character’s reaction to Phil Davis’ wandering eye with bewilderment and exasperation. If he’s got me, why in the world does he need to look anywhere else?
Porter doesn’t consider herself a dominant dancer. However, tall and statuesque, she attracts the eye and captivates the audience every time she’s on stage. She acquits herself well in each dance number with sharp lines, clean turns and stunning lifts. This is especially true in her two main song-and-dance numbers with Steven Reyes, “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing” and “I Love a Piano.”
Based upon her performance in both White Christmas and Rocky Horror, we’re watching a star in the making. Expect great things from Lilikoi Porter as she continues to develop and expand her already considerable skill set.
December 8, 2023.
About the Author
Tom Hall is both an amateur artist and aspiring novelist who writes art quest thrillers. He is in the final stages of completing his debut novel titled "Art Detective," a story that fictionalizes the discovery of the fabled billion-dollar Impressionist collection of Parisian art dealer Josse Bernheim-Jeune, thought by many to have perished during World War II when the collection's hiding place, Castle de Rastignac in southern France, was destroyed by the Wehrmacht in reprisal for attacks made by members of the Resistance operating in the area. A former tax attorney, Tom holds a bachelor's degree as well as both a juris doctorate and masters of laws in taxation from the University of Florida. Tom lives in Estero, Florida with his fiancee, Connie, and their four cats.