The spotlight’s getting ready to shine on a soulful new production — and this one’s got some heavy hitters.
Dulé Hill and Daniel J. Watts are stepping into the shoes (and rhythm) of two legends in Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole, written by Colman Domingo and Patricia McGregor, and directed by McGregor herself. The production officially hits the stage at New York Theatre Workshop starting April 30, 2025, with opening night slated for May 19 and a limited run through June 15.
But they won’t be alone.
Joining Hill and Watts in this electric ensemble are Krystal Joy Brown, Kenita Miller, Kathy Fitzgerald, Christopher Ryan Grant, Ruby Lewis, Elliott Mattox, Mekhi Richardson, and Walter Russell III — a stacked cast ready to bring this musical drama to life.
So what’s Lights Out all about?
Picture this: it’s December 17, 1957, and The Nat ‘King’ Cole Show is airing its final episode. Despite being the velvet voice that helped build Capitol Records brick by brick (or note by note), Nat’s historic variety show struggled to secure sponsorship — simply because he was Black. In true poetic irony, the very man who sang “Unforgettable” was being forgotten by Madison Avenue.
The play zooms in on this pivotal night. As Nat prepares to take his final bow, he’s confronted by his alter ego and close friend, Sammy Davis Jr., who forces him to wrestle with the hard truths — about race, legacy, and whether to exit quietly or leave the stage ablaze.
Hill brings his signature cool and charm as Nat, while Watts channels the charisma and complexity of Sammy. Expect to hear classics like “Nature Boy,” “It’s a Good Day,” “Smile,” and of course, “Unforgettable,” with music direction, orchestrations, and arrangements by John McDaniel. Edgar Godineaux is handling the choreography, with tap choreography from the ever-talented Jared Grimes.
Lights Out is more than a jukebox musical — it’s a layered, emotional journey into the mind of a man who helped change the face of television a reminder that even icons had to fight to be seen—and heard.
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