[NEohioPAL]Another Rave Review of NAT KING COLE at Actors' Summit

Mon Aug 7 06:49:55 PDT 2006

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Nat Cole `bio-revue' reveals music,  man 
The world premiere of Nat King Cole  & Friends at Actors' Summit offers a 
pleasant, entertaining evening of  well-loved tunes and interesting biographical 
information, an intimate look at  the man and his music. 
The homegrown show was created by  artistic director Neil Thackaberry and 
performer Kent LeMar, who portrays the  famous pop musician. They have asked 
audiences to help in the development of the  show by co-mmenting on its length, 
song selection, amount of monologue and sound  quality. 
This piece is far superior to the  Cleveland Play House cabaret last winter 
titled Walkin' My Baby Back  Home, which offered 26 tunes that Cole sang but 
left audiences with no  knowledge of the man himself. It didn't even include a 
biographical sketch of  Cole in its program. 
Actors' Summit both entertains and  informs with its piece, which it calls a 
``bio-revue.'' The story begins with  the family's move from Alabama to 
Chicago, just on the tail of the ``flight out  of Egypt'' -- a mass migration of 
black Americans from the rural South to the  North between 1916 and 1919. Nat, 
the son of a preacher/butcher father and a  mother who taught him to play the 
piano, lived from 1919 to 1965. (By the way,  the artist was born Nat Coles and 
later dropped the ``s.'') Cole excelled in  piano in his preteens, and his 
love for jazz was nurtured in Chicago's clubs.  Although he always sang, he 
thought of himself as a jazz pianist  first. 
LeMar, an Actors' Summit regular who  owns a dance studio in Cuyahoga Falls, 
creates a polished Cole who is ever  charming, mellow, gentlemanly and 
affable. His singing of 23 short tunes is  enjoyable, and his delivery of the 
biographical material is smooth and  easy. 
Thackaberry apparently has directed  LeMar to always smile, even when he is 
telling painful stories. Undoubtedly,  this serves to illustrate Cole's 
optimism. 
Anecdotes of racism include white  homeowners trying to force Cole out of the 
neighborhood after he has achieved  success, as well as a horrifying story 
about thugs attacking him onstage with  brass knuckles during a Southern tour. 
Cole was a pioneer, the first black  performer to have both his own network 
radio show and his own TV  show. 
Famous tunes in this stage show include  Route 66, Christmas Song and 
Unforgettable. The show even includes  the jingle Wild Root Cream Oil, which Cole 
performed on the radio.  Audiences get to sing along with Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of 
Summer, as well  as part of the opening, Ramblin' Rose. 
The show is staged simply, with music  director David Williams at the piano 
and LeMar using only a stool as a prop.  It's nice to see LeMar take brief 
breaks and have the spotlight on excellent  pianist Williams, who has performed 
with international musical tours and  everywhere locally from Cleveland Play 
House to Severance  Hall. 
LeMar also is a delight when he sits at  the piano to accompany himself. The 
show amply highlights his multiple  talents. 
In welcome news for Actors' Summit, the  theater was nearly sold out on a 
recent Saturday night, which attests to the  easy popularity of this material. 
Nat King Cole just may have legs to go  on the road, which is one of the 
creators' goals. 

____________________________________

Theater critic  Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or by e-mail at 
_kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com_ (mailto:kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com) .   

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<SPAN=20
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face=3DGeorgia>Nat Cole `bio-revue' reveals music,=20
man<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The world premiere of Nat Kin=
g Cole=20
& Friends at Actors' Summit offers a pleasant, entertaining evening=20=
of=20
well-loved tunes and interesting biographical information, an intimate look=20=
at=20
the man and his music.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The homegrown show was created b=
y=20
artistic director Neil Thackaberry and performer Kent LeMar, who portrays th=
e=20
famous pop musician. They have asked audiences to help in the development of=
 the=20
show by co-mmenting on its length, song selection, amount of monologue and s=
ound=20
quality.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">This piece is far superior to th=
e=20
Cleveland Play House cabaret last winter titled Walkin' My Baby Back=20
Home, which offered 26 tunes that Cole sang but left audiences with no=20
knowledge of the man himself. It didn't even include a biographical sketch o=
f=20
Cole in its program.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Actors' Summit both entertains a=
nd=20
informs with its piece, which it calls a ``bio-revue.'' The story begins wit=
h=20
the family's move from Alabama to Chicago, just on the tail of the ``flight=20=
out=20
of Egypt'' -- a mass migration of black Americans from the rural South to th=
e=20
North between 1916 and 1919. Nat, the son of a preacher/butcher father and a=
=20
mother who taught him to play the piano, lived from 1919 to 1965. (By the wa=
y,=20
the artist was born Nat Coles and later dropped the ``s.'') Cole excelled in=
=20
piano in his preteens, and his love for jazz was nurtured in Chicago's clubs=
.=20
Although he always sang, he thought of himself as a jazz pianist=20
first.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">LeMar, an Actors' Summit regular=
 who=20
owns a dance studio in Cuyahoga Falls, creates a polished Cole who is ever=20
charming, mellow, gentlemanly and affable. His singing of 23 short tunes is=20
enjoyable, and his delivery of the biographical material is smooth and=20
easy.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Thackaberry apparently has direc=
ted=20
LeMar to always smile, even when he is telling painful stories. Undoubtedly,=
=20
this serves to illustrate Cole's optimism.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Anecdotes of racism include whit=
e=20
homeowners trying to force Cole out of the neighborhood after he has achieve=
d=20
success, as well as a horrifying story about thugs attacking him onstage wit=
h=20
brass knuckles during a Southern tour.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Cole was a pioneer, the first bl=
ack=20
performer to have both his own network radio show and his own TV=20
show.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Famous tunes in this stage show=20=
include=20
Route 66, Christmas Song and Unforgettable. The show even incl=
udes=20
the jingle Wild Root Cream Oil, which Cole performed on the radio.=20
Audiences get to sing along with Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer, as w=
ell=20
as part of the opening, Ramblin' Rose.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The show is staged simply, with=20=
music=20
director David Williams at the piano and LeMar using only a stool as a prop.=
=20
It's nice to see LeMar take brief breaks and have the spotlight on excellent=
=20
pianist Williams, who has performed with international musical tours and=20
everywhere locally from Cleveland Play House to Severance=20
Hall.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">LeMar also is a delight when he=20=
sits at=20
the piano to accompany himself. The show amply highlights his multiple=20
talents.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">In welcome news for Actors' Summ=
it, the=20
theater was nearly sold out on a recent Saturday night, which attests to the=
=20
easy popularity of this material. Nat King Cole just may have legs to=
 go=20
on the road, which is one of the creators' goals.<o:p></o:p></=
P>
<DIV class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"=20
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<HR align=3Dcenter width=3D"100%" color=3D#cccccc noShade SIZE=3D1>
</DIV>
<SPAN=20
class=3Dtagline>Theater=
 critic=20
Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or by e-mail at <A=20
href=3D"mailto:kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com">kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com</A><FONT=20
size=3D3>.<FONT=20=
size=3D3>=20
<o:p></o:p>
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