Lights Out: Nat "King" Cole, the new biographical play with music from Colman Domingo and Patricia McGregor, officially opened February 13 at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. The production will play an extended run through March 24. McGregor also directs.
Dulé Hill (The West Wing; Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk) stars as Cole, with Daniel J. Watts (Hamilton,In the Heights) as Sammy Davis Jr., Gisela Adisa (Beautiful, Sister Act) as Eartha Kitt and others; Connor Amacio Matthews (In the Flow with Connor Amacio) as Billy Preston and others; Bryan Dobson (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Rocky Horror Show) as Producer and others; Ruby Lewis (Marilyn!,Jersey Boys) as Betty Hutton, Peggy Lee and others; Zonya Love (Emma and Max, The Color Purple) as Perlina and others; Marcia Rodd (Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Shelter) as Candy and others; and Brandon Ruiter (Sex with Strangers, A Picture of Dorian Gray) as Stage Manager and others.
Read reviews below:
The Hollywood Reporter (Deborah Wilker)
The Los Angeles Daily News (Dany Margolies)
The Los Angeles Times (Margaret Gray)
According to production notes, this "electrifying exploration into the soul of an American icon" imagines Cole "as he faces the final Christmastime broadcast of his groundbreaking variety show and weighs the advice of his friend Sammy Davis Jr. to “go out with a bang.” Cole’s hit songs, such as “Nature Boy,” “It’s a Good Day” and “Smile,” underscore this boldly original homage to the renowned performer who struggled to break through America’s color barrier in the early days of television."
