AUDIENCES HAVE SPOKEN
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Background image is the childhood home of Nat King Cole in Montgomery, AL. Alabama State University purchased the house in 2000. Renovations on the exterior began in 2007 and were completed a couple of years later. Renovations to the inside of the building are still in the works. Once complete, the home will be featured as a museum - Photo courtesy of E.R. Shipp
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Production photos: www.TonyBMore.Zenfolio.com
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STORY
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PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY KNEW NAT KING COLE
Most people who remember Nat King Cole will likely tell you he had black satin hair, a smooth silky voice, and a piano key smile. But There Was a Boy, a stage musical, delves into the rich tapestry of Nat's life, capturing his profound journey in a broad scope. Featuring twenty-eight songs from Nat King Cole's musical legacy, this 2-act stroy unveils the extraordinary life of an ordinary man who became one of the greatest cultural icons in history. |
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BUT, DID THEY REALLY KNOW HIM?
Nat King Cole's music was the soundtrack to countless lives, fostering harmony in the 1940s, 1950s, and the 1960s. His music is timeless and it continues to resonate today. Did you know his 1960 recording of "The Christmas Song" still charts on the Billboard Hot 100? As the culmination of 30 years of thorough research and writing, 'There Was a Boy' seeks to pull back the curtain on the man behind the music. This show is a tribute to Nat King Cole, shedding light on his successes and failures as a performer, husband, father, and son. |
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CREATIVE TEAM
James Rich
Book
James's credits include touring with Harry Belafonte (Backup Singer), a lead role in the first national tour of Rent (Benny), 'Saturday Night Fever' on Broadway (Booth Singer), Off Broadway, extensive Regional Theatre credits, Tokyo Disney Resort (Lead Singer/Vocal Captain) lead roles in national commercials as well as guest star roles on 'Everybody Loves Raymond' and 'As the World Turns.'
Behind the scenes, James was an Assistant Costume Designer on the Emmy Award winning season 2 of 'Dancing With the Stars,' Artistic Director/Assistant for Randall Designs, Costume Designer for 'That's Dancing' (Crystal Cruises), and he designed costumes for numerous regional theater productions.
James has a unique perspective in the creative arts that gives him a strong ability to move easily between being out front and behind the scenes. More about James at www.james-rich.com
Book
James's credits include touring with Harry Belafonte (Backup Singer), a lead role in the first national tour of Rent (Benny), 'Saturday Night Fever' on Broadway (Booth Singer), Off Broadway, extensive Regional Theatre credits, Tokyo Disney Resort (Lead Singer/Vocal Captain) lead roles in national commercials as well as guest star roles on 'Everybody Loves Raymond' and 'As the World Turns.'
Behind the scenes, James was an Assistant Costume Designer on the Emmy Award winning season 2 of 'Dancing With the Stars,' Artistic Director/Assistant for Randall Designs, Costume Designer for 'That's Dancing' (Crystal Cruises), and he designed costumes for numerous regional theater productions.
James has a unique perspective in the creative arts that gives him a strong ability to move easily between being out front and behind the scenes. More about James at www.james-rich.com
Duane Boutté
Director
Duane Boutté is a New York based film and stage actor, director, and composer. He is best known as an actor in films 'Brother to Brother,' and 'Stonewall' (1996). In reaction to his creation of Bostonia in 'Stonewall,' Interview Magazine declared "a Stonewall star is born." His stage credits include the original Broadway companies of 'Parade,' and the 1994 TONY Award winning revival of 'Carousel.' Boutté has performed numerous leading roles in classical and contemporary plays Off-Broadway and throughout the country.
The world premiere of Neil LaBute’s 'Appomattox,' 'Beggars Rain,' 'Merry Wives of Windsor,' and 'Stalag 17' are among plays and musicals Duane has directed in regional theatres and universities. He collaborated as a composer on new musicals including 'Caravaggio Chiaroscuro' (LaMama Theatre, New York), 'Lyin' Up a Breeze' (Second Space, Fresno), and 'Thanks To The Lighthouse' (NY Parks). Duane studied at UCLA and the National Theatre Conservatory (MFA. More about Duane at www.duaneboutte.com
Director
Duane Boutté is a New York based film and stage actor, director, and composer. He is best known as an actor in films 'Brother to Brother,' and 'Stonewall' (1996). In reaction to his creation of Bostonia in 'Stonewall,' Interview Magazine declared "a Stonewall star is born." His stage credits include the original Broadway companies of 'Parade,' and the 1994 TONY Award winning revival of 'Carousel.' Boutté has performed numerous leading roles in classical and contemporary plays Off-Broadway and throughout the country.
The world premiere of Neil LaBute’s 'Appomattox,' 'Beggars Rain,' 'Merry Wives of Windsor,' and 'Stalag 17' are among plays and musicals Duane has directed in regional theatres and universities. He collaborated as a composer on new musicals including 'Caravaggio Chiaroscuro' (LaMama Theatre, New York), 'Lyin' Up a Breeze' (Second Space, Fresno), and 'Thanks To The Lighthouse' (NY Parks). Duane studied at UCLA and the National Theatre Conservatory (MFA. More about Duane at www.duaneboutte.com
Matt Falker
Music Supervisor-Arranger
Matt Falker is a jazz and gospel pianist, vocalist, and clinician. As a prominent jazz choir arranger, Matt now distributes his music through his publishing company, Anchor Music Publications, as well as the music of dozens of other arrangers and composers in the vocal jazz community.
Matt is also the executive director of the Vocal Jazz Academy: a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to training and supporting vocal jazz educators primarily through a series of one-day jazz workshops for teachers and students around North America, and hosts an Educator Support community for hundreds of educators on Facebook.
As a full-time professor at MiraCosta College since 2006, Matt directs the Downbeat award-winning Frequency vocal jazz program, and is founder and director of the Oceanside Jazz Festival, a non-competitive vocal jazz festival hosted at MiraCosta. He was selected as a quarterfinalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator of the Year award.
As a vocalist and pianist, Matt has presented featured sets at events such as the International Jazz Voice Conference in Helsinki, Finland and the Jazz Education Network Conference. He directed the Jazz Immersion Choir at the 2023 American Choral Directors Association National Conference, and also presented a clinic with Cedric Dent (formerly of Take 6). Matt has also served as the guest conductor for many All-State Vocal Jazz Ensembles, most recently in Indiana, California and North Dakota.
anchormusic.com / vocaljazzacademy.com / oceansidejazzfestival.com
Music Supervisor-Arranger
Matt Falker is a jazz and gospel pianist, vocalist, and clinician. As a prominent jazz choir arranger, Matt now distributes his music through his publishing company, Anchor Music Publications, as well as the music of dozens of other arrangers and composers in the vocal jazz community.
Matt is also the executive director of the Vocal Jazz Academy: a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to training and supporting vocal jazz educators primarily through a series of one-day jazz workshops for teachers and students around North America, and hosts an Educator Support community for hundreds of educators on Facebook.
As a full-time professor at MiraCosta College since 2006, Matt directs the Downbeat award-winning Frequency vocal jazz program, and is founder and director of the Oceanside Jazz Festival, a non-competitive vocal jazz festival hosted at MiraCosta. He was selected as a quarterfinalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator of the Year award.
As a vocalist and pianist, Matt has presented featured sets at events such as the International Jazz Voice Conference in Helsinki, Finland and the Jazz Education Network Conference. He directed the Jazz Immersion Choir at the 2023 American Choral Directors Association National Conference, and also presented a clinic with Cedric Dent (formerly of Take 6). Matt has also served as the guest conductor for many All-State Vocal Jazz Ensembles, most recently in Indiana, California and North Dakota.
anchormusic.com / vocaljazzacademy.com / oceansidejazzfestival.com
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CYCLE OF DEVELOPMENT
2016 marked a great milestone for me and my career. I got to see a workshop of 'There Was a Boy' I am incredibly appreciative of the fact that being able to do a full production of a musical I spent the better part of 30 years researching and writing is a rare event. Through that activity, I experienced tremendous growth both as an artist and a human being ~ James Rich, Book
These "woodshedding" opportunities have allowed There Was a Boy to be refined to the point where significant resources are now being sought to move the project forward to the next level. (Capitol Records Tower circa 1954) |
NOVEMBER 9, 2023 - Click Images Below for Reviews
November 9, 2023 - 54 Below - New York, NY - 9:30 pm, Doors 9:00 pm. $25 – $35 | VIP Seating: $45 |Premiums: $60 | Additional $6 If Purchased At Venue. Order Fees: 10% of ticket price, plus $1.50 facility fee. $25 Food & Beverage Minimum. After sold-out appearances in Connecticut, and Canada, James Rich (Rent, Saturday Night Fever) brings his unforgettable salute to Nat King Cole to the stage at 54 Below. Under the direction of Duane Boutté, James recounts unique and significant moments from his journey of researching, writing, and developing There Was a Boy – a new musical about Nat King Cole, the performer, husband, father, and son. From “Nature Boy” to “You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You,” Mr. Rich captures the essence of “The Nat King Cole Show” as if Mr. Cole was still one of the top-selling concert artists of his generation in today’s world… think Nat King Cole 2.0. Matt Falker (MD, piano), James Cammack (bass), Dave Tedeschi (drums).
APRIL 6, 2020
A staged reading of There Was a Boy - A Musical About Nat King Cole at Theatre 315, 315 W. 47th Street, New York, NY 10036. Presented by james-rich Entertainment, will bookend Nat King Cole's centennial celebration and follow Actors Equity Association guidelines. Admission is FREE but you must RSVP. SEPTEMBER 21, 2019 There Was a Boy: A Fundraising Concert is a campaign to raise money or an Actors Equity Association (AEA) staged reading of There Was a Boy - A Musical About Nat King Cole at The University of Hartford's Lincoln Theater in West Hartford, CT - CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS DECEMBER 16-17, 2016 This staged reading was commissioned by Mira Costa College in Oceanside, CA NOVEMBER 18-19, 2016 This full-scale student workshop was commissioned by Opera@Morgan, and presented at Turpin-Lamb Theater on the campus of Morgan State Universitiy in Baltimore, MD. Nat King Cole received an honorary degree of doctor of fine arts from Morgan (then college) in 1963. NOVEMBER 20-21, 2015 This staged reading was commissioned by Opera@Morgan on the campus of Morgan State Universitiy in Baltimore, MD. Nat King Cole received an honorary degree of doctor of fine arts from Morgan (then college) in 1963. MAY 12, 2014 This salon reading of was produced by James Rich at Shetler Studios in New York, NY. |
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PRESS ARCHIVE
11/27/2023 - JAMES RICH SALUTES Nat King Cole A Sweet and Swingin' Good Time at 54 Below
11/25/2023 - Nightlife Exchange - James Rich's Salute to Nat King Cole Brought the Iconic Singer to Life at 54 Below
11/14/2016 - The Baltimore Sun / Laurel Leader: Vincent Pallotti High's Arts Academy at Morgan State University
11/02/2016 - Indie Soul Magazine: Broadway Meets Jazz, Meets Nat King Cole in James Rich's There Was a Boy
11/19/2015 - MD Theater Guide: Interview with Writer and Actor playing Nat King Cole
11/18/2015 - The Spokesman: There Was A Boy Is Coming to Morgan State
11/04/2015 - The Marc Steiner Show: Theater Baltimore: There Was A Boy At The Murphy Fine Arts Center
11/25/2023 - Nightlife Exchange - James Rich's Salute to Nat King Cole Brought the Iconic Singer to Life at 54 Below
11/14/2016 - The Baltimore Sun / Laurel Leader: Vincent Pallotti High's Arts Academy at Morgan State University
11/02/2016 - Indie Soul Magazine: Broadway Meets Jazz, Meets Nat King Cole in James Rich's There Was a Boy
11/19/2015 - MD Theater Guide: Interview with Writer and Actor playing Nat King Cole
11/18/2015 - The Spokesman: There Was A Boy Is Coming to Morgan State
11/04/2015 - The Marc Steiner Show: Theater Baltimore: There Was A Boy At The Murphy Fine Arts Center
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PRODUCTION PORTFOLIO
Morgan State University, 2016
All production photos on this website courtesy of www.TonyBMore.Zenfolio.com unless otherwise noted
All production photos on this website courtesy of www.TonyBMore.Zenfolio.com unless otherwise noted
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There Was a Boy is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of There Was a Boy must be made payable to Fractured Atlas only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
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