Tenderly: The Life and Times of Nat King Cole
Celebrate Black Music Month with an intimate jazz-theatre experience blending the timeless music of Nat King Cole with powerful storytelling in a captivating exploration of legacy, identity, and quiet resistance.
Following its world premiere at the Hollywood Fringe Festival and a growing international tour, award-winning Canadian artist Duane Forrest returns to Studio Bell with Tenderly: The Life and Times of Nat King Cole.
Blending timeless music with storytelling and personal reflection, Tenderly is an intimate theatrical concert exploring the life, legacy, and quiet cultural impact of one of the most influential voices of the 20th century. Through iconic songs and deeply personal narrative, Forrest examines how a Black artist in 1950s America navigated fame, race, and belonging while reshaping cultural space through elegance, dignity, and artistry.
Raised in Toronto by Jamaican parents, Forrest reflects on his own complicated relationship with jazz — a genre rooted in Black history, yet often presented as distant or elite — and how discovering Nat King Cole’s music opened the door to spaces he once felt excluded from.
Forrest is internationally recognized for his acclaimed production Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World, which has toured and earned rave reviews globally, including an Off-Broadway debut and sold-out runs at major Fringe festivals worldwide (and its NMC debut this past February!).
With Tenderly, Forrest expands his signature blend of music, theatre, and cultural storytelling through a visually immersive “time capsule” inspired by vintage television studios, jazz clubs, and the groundbreaking legacy of Nat King Cole.
About Duane Forrest
Duane Forrest is an award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter and theatrical storyteller whose work blends live music with powerful narrative. Drawing from his Jamaican heritage and international touring career, his productions explore identity, culture, race, and belonging through intimate, story-driven performance. His work has toured throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.