Channeling the spirit of Nat “King” Cole, Gregory Stewart perfectly captures the voice of the famed icon and music pioneer in “Just One of Those Things (And More)” at the Venus Cabaret Theater adjacent to the Mercury Theater in Chicago near Wrigley Field.
Stewart’s voice is warm and rich, with sultry undertones and a sweetness as luscious as the finest honey. Backed by a skilled three-piece orchestra consisting of Will Oats (piano), William O. Whitehead III (drums), and Isaiah Horne (bass), Stewart fully transforms into the legendary Cole. Close your eyes and you can easily imagine yourself in the 1940s listening to the real Nat “King” Cole – a testament to the vocal accuracy of Stewart and the talents of his band.
Although arguably far more handsome than Cole was in real life, Stewart has the hair, posture, and demeanor of the jazz legend down pat. Wearing the personality of Nat “King” Cole as his costume, Gregory Stewart is a masterful showman. His eyes dance and his smile captivates. He has an easy way of speaking and his singing stirs primal emotions of love, joy, happiness, and bliss. Just like Nat “King” Cole, Gregory Stewart is the full package.
Featuring such hits as “Get Your Kicks on Route 66”, “Mona Lisa”, “When I Fall in Love”, “Quizas Quizas Quizas”, “The Christmas Song”, and “Unforgettable”, the polished musical revue is thoroughly enjoyable. Stewart and his band display incredible talents bringing the songs of Cole to life. They have clearly rehearsed the songs endlessly to achieve such an indelible shine.
In addition to performing the music of Cole, Stewart embodies the persona of the singer to address the audience and give a fanciful background on his legendary career. Although not as polished and refined as the musical performances in “Just One of Those Things”, the character work by Stewart is enjoyable. He has the key elements of Cole’s personality down, and he has clearly studied the icon’s talking style.
While Stewart is very convincing as Nat “King” Cole, Stewart’s charm is at its optimum when he lets elements of himself slip subtly into the mix, such as lamenting with the audience over parking difficulties on opening night that had some patrons entering late. It is this affable humor and cheer that makes Stewart completely endearing. You can’t help but love him as you see the joy in his face doing what he loves to do – sing and entertain.
The production traces Cole’s development as an artist from a teenager playing piano in nightclubs to his illustrious recording career, primarily with Capitol Records. In fact, in many circles Cole is credited for putting Capitol Records on the map. Over the course of his career, he recorded over 100 songs that became hits on the pop charts.
Cole was also the host of “The Nat King Cole Show” on NBC beginning in 1956. He was one of the first African American television hosts. Unfortunately, racism reared its ugly head and the show was canceled after a year due to an inability to secure a national sponsor due to the host’s race. This is touched on in the tightly packed musical revue.
Stewart is the most magical when wanders the audience of the cabaret theatre, interacting with the patrons. He has the cool confidence to make just being in his presence electric.
The scripted dialogue of the show by Janine Stroemer and Aundria TraNay is informative, but could benefit from revisions. We touch on the subject of emotions without taking the next step to demonstrate them. While the musical numbers are breathtakingly accurate and thrilling, the overall production would achieve its ultimate entertainment goals with more detail-oriented direction and a refined script that digs a little more beyond the surface.
The creative staff of the revue includes Stroemer (direction), Ameer Roberts (creative direction and set design), and Jessica Taylor (hair and makeup). The production is produced by Stewart Music Emporium and has a lot of potential.
“Just One of Those Things (And More)”, depicting the life of Nat “King” Cole, is highly enjoyable thanks to the incredible vocal stylings of Gregory Stewart, who was previously nominated for a Joseph Jefferson Award for his performance as Philip Bailey in “Reasons: A Tribute to Earth, Wind, & Fire” at Black Ensemble Theatre.
Grab your tickets for an extraordinary night of music and entertainment with “Just One of Those Things” featuring Gregory Stewart in a masterful vocal performance backed by a phenomenal jazz trio. Performances are December 21-23 at 7 PM, January 5-6 at 7 PM, and January 7 at 2:30 PM in the Venus Cabaret Theater at 3741 N. Southport Avenue in Chicago. The cabaret is adjacent to the Mercury Theater and uses the same entrance and box office.
For tickets visit: www.MercuryTheaterChicago.com or call the box office at (773) 360-7365.
Photo credits Ashton Ty and Trey Colbert.
