For Immediate Release: May 30, 2006
Media Contact: David Abers, Bristol Riverside Theatre, 215.785.6664

Bristol Riverside Theatre (BRT) is proud to announce the return of favorite Keith Spencer. Keith will be featured in a tribute to the legendary Nat "King" Cole in For Sentimental Reasons, which kicks off the BRT Summer Musicale Series.

For Sentimental Reasons will mark Keith's ninth appearance on the BRT concert stage. Keith's past musicales include I've Got You Under My Skin, The Song Is You, I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, and Once Upon A December to name a few.

When asked about the role that Nat "King" Cole played in the American musical landscape, Mr. Spencer said "Nat 'King' Cole was a powerful African-American influence at a time when African-Americans were pegged into a certain role. He was a childhood jazz prodigy and as he became a man he was one of the first to bridge the gap between straight jazz and the appeal of popular musical. The interesting part is that despite the challenges of being black he became universally accepted based on what he was able to produce, musically, and became sort of an icon-a real key figure in the entertainment industry. He was one of the first artists to move out of the "colored" labels, which was where all the ethnic artists would perform, into more of the mainstream. Through his life, music and persona, Nat served roles in supporting the troops during the war, took a pretty controversial stance during the Civil Rights movement and then made the move to television along side some other television greats out there like Jack Benny. But he was the very first African-American to have his own TV show, perform music, have guest artists, and actually capture a lot of American's hearts."

Joining Keith on stage to present the rich musical heritage left to us by Nat will be Demetria Joyce Bailey and Ellen Bullinger. Demetria who hails from Collingswood, NJ is a newcomer to the BRT stage. She has appeared in numerous productions in the area, is a regular for the past two seasons on HBO's The Wire and has sung with Barry Manilow. Ellen has appeared on the BRT stage in The Song Is You.Songs of the Great American Songbook, I've Got You Under My Skin.Songs of the 1930's and Once Upon A December.

For Sentimental Reasons is conceived written and directed by BRT's Artistic Director Edward Keith Baker. Mr. Baker has created BRT's Summer Musicale Series for the past nine years and because of their popularity three years ago added an annual Winter Musicale.

For Sentimental Reasons, which has a limited, run of eight performances from June 8th to 18th is the first offering in BRT's 2006 Summer Musicale Series. The other musicales are War Songs from July 6th to 16th and Broadway Rhapsody from August 3rd to 13th. For tickets and information, call the BRT Box Office at 215-785-0100, or on-line at www.BRTstage.org.

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