Audiences Will L-O-V-E Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Newest Show

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Photo: Artists Lounge Live - artistsloungelive.com

John-Mark McGaha

John-Mark McGaha

The legacy of the legendary Nat King Cole will kick off the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s upcoming season. “Unforgettable” will feature his greatest hits as performed by the extraordinary John-Mark McGaha. Audiences are sure to fall in love with the rich, vocally stunning performance of timeless classics such as “Mona Lisa,” “Route 66” and “L-O-V-E.”

The performance of Nat King Cole’s music is not something that McGaha takes lightly. “Personally for me, Nat King Cole was an African American man who changed the narrative of what people thought about black men,” says McGaha. “What I love is that I get to share Nat King Cole’s story, share his impact on my life and share his music with the audience.  That way I allow his own story, his own music to embody his spirit.” The powerful implications of performing such universally adored songs is something McGaha approaches with reverence. He has an overwhelming respect for Cole’s music that has been carried through all aspects of the preparation for this performance.

McGaha shares many commonalities with the legend himself. “My background is oddly similar to Nat King Cole. We’re both from Alabama, we both are classically trained and played in church as young men. We both have a lot of similarities including being blessed with phenomenal teachers who prepared me to follow my passion, much like him,” says McGaha. “He pursued and achieved a level of excellence, with dignity and integrity in everything that he did, in a way that makes me want to make him proud. That personal passion and responsibility that I take goes deeper in me than in any project I’ve ever done before.”

McGaha’s background includes many performances, but with the exception of his Artist’s Lounge Live show about Stevie Wonder, nothing he’s done is quite like the show he’s about to embark on. “I get to bring all that I am to the table and not play a character but treat his music with the high level of respect and quality it deserves. In doing so, I get to pay tribute to the man himself.”

“There are certain songs that with only a few notes you already can feel the spirit of Nat King Cole. When you hear the beginning of the ‘Christmas Song,’ for example, before he even begins to sing, you feel him because his spirit is so powerful,” McGaha remarks. He wants audiences to truly experience the feel and spirit of Cole, the aching nostalgia and tender lyricism conveyed in all aspects of the performance. “I care not just about this project, but about Nat King Cole himself and the audience who trusted me to share his music. The gift of responsibility is a great reward that I cherish dearly, and I protect and pray I’m a good spirit over that responsibility.”

Working with director Angela Ingersoll to bring both John-Mark McGaha and Nat King Cole’s stories to life has been an exciting process for all. Storytelling through the music takes the forefront of the upcoming show. “We recognize we are all humans on this earth experiencing sunshine and rain, good days and bad alike and how the music as written is an expression of our hearts in various ways,” says McGaha. “I’m excited for the audience to be able to hear good music about love and truth. Is there anything better?”

“Unforgettable” will run Sept. 9-Nov. 6 at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Stackner Cabaret. For tickets and more information, visit Unforgettable: John-Mark McGaha Sings Nat King Cole | Milwaukee Rep.