A NAT KING COLE CHRISTMAS

A National Stage Company of Canada World Premiere Concert
Created & Produced By: Tony James

STARRING 

International Recording Artist & Actor

JAMES RICH

​

DIRECT FROM NEW YORK

​

 WITH SPECIAL GUEST ARTIST

​

SAMANTHA MADILL

​

AND FEATURING

THE SIX-PIECE 'NAT KING COLE' HOLIDAY BAND 

​

LIVE IN CONCERT

ABOUT

Under the creative direction of the National Stage Company of Canada comes an exciting west coast premiere holiday concert celebrating the iconic NAT KING COLE. 

​

Acclaimed New York Actor & Singer JAMES RICH, brings an exciting and festive concert to Vancouver Island for the first time. Featuring over 2 hours of holiday favorites 'HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS - A NAT KING COLE CHRISTMAS' will have you feeling the spirit of the season all through the evening.

​

With special guest vocalist, 13-year-old Vancouver Island emerging artist, SAMANTHA MADILL, and the electrifying musical talents of the 6-piece 'NAT KING COLE' holiday band led by Nanaimo's very own PIERRE KOMEN, this truly memorable evening of song and storytelling will leave audiences with a warm and nostalgic feeling this holiday season.

​

Featured musical selections include 'White Christmas', 'Toyland', 'My Favorite Things', 'Let It Snow', 'Sleigh Ride' and 'The Christmas Song', among countless others. 

​

Set amongst a stunning holiday background, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS - A NAT KING COLE CHRISTMAS, weaves together the musical songbook of the season in the style of this beloved superstar.  With his rich and velvety voice, natural charm and dynamic stage presence, JAMES RICH captures the tone, feel, style and beauty of the season and the man, as only he can.

​

As the most recognizable American voice since Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole won the love of millions with his musical prowess and down-to-earth personality. A man and an artist who transcended the boundaries of race, culture, and geography for generations. 

​

Join us this December for the premiere of this outstanding holiday concert celebrating the great NAT KING COLE.  

CREATIVE TEAM

​

​

​

Executive Producer | Stage Director: 

​

Tony James

​

Musical Director:

Pierre Komen

​

PROMOTIONAL TRAILER

​

​

​

BRITISH COLUMBIA PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 

DECEMBER 3, 2021

KNOX UNITED CHURCH

PARKSVILLE, B.C.. - 7:30 PM

​

VIP: $65.00
 General: $55.00

DECEMBER 5, 2021

THE PORT THEATRE

NANAIMO, B.C.. - 7:30 PM

​

VIP: $75.50
 Premium: $65.00
Balcony: $59.75
 

Adult: $54.50
Senior: 65+ - $49.50
 Student: 13+- $32.50

DECEMBER 6, 2021

COWICHAN PERF. ARTS CENTRE

DUNCAN, B.C.. - 7:30 PM

​

DECEMBER 7, 2021

CHARLIE WHITE THEATRE

SIDNEY, B.C.. - 7:30 PM

​

VIP: $55.65
Premium: $45.15

DECEMBER 9, 2021

THE TIDEMARK THEATRE

CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C.. - 7:30 PM

​

VIP: $70.25
Premium': $59.75
Section 'B': $54.50
 

DECEMBER 11, 2021

SID WILLIAMS THEATRE

COURTENAY, B.C.. - 8:00 PM

​

VIP: $70.00
Premium: $64.50
Section 'B': $54.50

Phone: 250.754.8550

porttheatre.com

125 Front Street

Phone: 778.587.9488

345 Pym Street

Phone: 250.746.2722

cowichanpac.ca

2687 James Street

Phone: 250.656.0275

marywinspear.ca

2243 Beacon Avenue

Phone: 250.287.7465

tidemarktheatre.com

1220 Shoppers Row

Phone: 250.338.2430

sidwilliamstheatre.com

442 Cliffe Avenue

DECEMBER 13, 2021

MCPHERSON PLAYHOUSE

VICTORIA, B.C.. - 8:00 PM

​

VIP: $76.75
Premium Main Floor (AD/SN): $71.50
Premium Main Floor (ST): $55.25
Balcony (AD/SN): $66.25
Balcony (ST): $50.00

Phone: 250.386.6121

rmts.bc.ca

#3 Centennial Square

VIP BENEFITS:  Invitation to post-show meet & greet | Prime Seats | Photo and Autograph opportunity

GROUP RATES:  Groups of 10 or more persons receive 10% off. (Discount excludes VIP tickets)

​

THE ARTISTS | THE BIOS

​

James is a New York-based singer-actor, and playwright. His performing credits include touring with Harry Belafonte (Backup Singer), the First National Tour of "Rent" (Benny), "Saturday Night Fever" on Broadway (Booth Singer), Off-Broadway, and Regional Theater. Additionally, James performed in the premiere production of "Big Band Beat" at Tokyo Disney Resort, for which he was also the vocal and line captain. He received a Mousker Award (an honor usually reserved for company executives) for exemplary team support of the Disney Family. Additionally,

​

James has been the lead vocalist for numerous bands/orchestras in New York and Los Angeles. His one-man show, "When I Think About Love," played to sold-out audiences at multiple cabaret and concert venues in the Tri-State area. His LP of the same title is available on iTunes and various music streaming platforms. On-screen, James appeared in national TV commercials, guest star roles on "Everybody Loves Raymond," "As the World Turns," and he played Det. Phillip Anderson in the independent feature "Rogues."

​

Behind the scenes, James was an Assistant Costume Designer on the Emmy Award-winning Season 2 of "Dancing with the Stars," and as the Artistic Director for Randall Designs. He was the Costume Designer for "That's Dancin'" (Crystal Cruises) as well as numerous regional theater productions. He is currently writing and developing "There Was a Boy," a musical about the life of Nat King Cole. The 2-act story pulls back the curtain on the shy musician's successes and failures as a performer, a husband, a father, and a son

​

​

JAMES RICH

​

​

SAMANTHA MADILL

​

Samantha Madill has been performing in theatre for seven years and her energy and commitment shines through on stage and in rehearsals. Samantha has been part of ten stage productions. Her favourite roles have been Matilda in Matilda the Musical with Four Seasons, Jane Banks in Mary Poppins with Kaleidoscope, and Molly in Annie with Sooke Harbour Players.​

​

She began dancing Ballet at age 3 and has also trained in Tap, Contemporary, Hip Hop and Jazz, and has won many awards at dance festivals and competitions. She especially loved being part of Dance Performance Group and Hip Hop Crew. She was also excited to be invited to dance in a music video this year in which she contributed to the choreography. She has also been training with a singing teacher for 2 years and won third place singing a trio with her sisters in a community talent show. 

​

Samantha is very excited to be with The National Stage Company Of Canada and grow her acting, singing, and dancing skills.

​

​

NAT KING COLE was born Nathaniel Adams Coles at Montgomery, Alabama. He received music lessons from his mother and his family moved to Chicago when he was only five, where his father Edward James Coles was a minister at the True Light Baptist Church and later Pastor of the First Baptist Church.

​

At 12 he was playing the church organ and at 14 he formed a 14 piece band called the Royal Dukes. Nat was a top flight sandlot baseball player at Wendell Phillips high school in Chicago. His three brothers, Ike, Eddie Cole and Frankie also played the piano and sang professionally. Nat was also an above-average football player in high school. His sister Evelyn Cole was a beautician in nearby Waukegan, Illinois.

​

In 1939 he formed the King Cole Trio after his publicist put a silver tin-foiled crown on his head and proclaimed him King. He later toured Europe and made a command performance before Queen Elizabeth II. He had a highly-rated TV show in the 1950s but it was canceled (by Cole himself) because no companies could be found that were willing to sponsor the show. He was a big baseball fan and had a permanent box seat at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. He met his wife Maria Cole (a big-band singer) at the Zanzibar nightclub in Los Angeles through the Eddie “Rochester” Anderson show. Her parents protested her decision to marry Cole, however, they were married in 1948 and had two daughters, Natalie and Caroline.

​

Cole appeared in several movies, his last one being Cat Ballou (1965), starring Lee Marvin. Cole received 28 gold record awards for such hits as "Sweet Lorraine", "Ramblin' Rose" in 1962, "Too Young" in 1951, "Mona Lisa" in 1949 and Mel Torme’s "Christmas Song". His first recordings of the Christmas Song included the lyrics, "Reindeers really know how to fly" instead of "reindeer really know how to fly", a mistake later corrected by Capitol Records. He was also a composer and his song "Straighten Up and Fly Right" was sold for $50.00. Nat died of lung cancer in February 1965.

​

​

NAT KING COLE

​

Photo By: Derek Ford Studios

THE 6-PIECE NAT KING COLE HOLIDAY BAND

​

PIERRE KOMEN

Musical Director Saxophone

​

​

NATHAN MCKAY

Horns

​

​

JAMES DARLING

Piano

​

​

AARON CURRY

Bass

​

​

TONY JENKS

Electric Guitar

​

​

PHIL WIPPER

Drums

​

​

*For complete bios of the musicians please visit the 'Guest Musicians' page. 

​

MEDIA 

OFFICIAL POSTER 

ALBUMS 

​

MORE INFO 

WEB: www.james-rich.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/jamesrich

YOU TUBE: James Rich

INSTAGRAM: @bohemien117

APPLE MUSIC: Search: When I Think About Love 

​

PERFORMANCE CLIPS