* REVIEW Some entertainers are larger than life. Elvis. Frank Sinatra. Judy Garland. Their names alone could fill a theater during their lifetimes and even after they passed on. You can add to that list Nat King Cole, who is still enough of a name to draw a crowd 36 years after his death. This fact was proven last evening when the musical biography, UNFORGETTABLE - THE NAT KING COLE STORY, played to a large audience at Sangamon Auditorium.

UNFORGETTABLE was not a tribute concert in the style of a Las Vegas casino show, nor was it a full-scale musical production. Rather, it was a musical reminiscence; a one-man show that traced the life of a man who was known for his smooth voice and soft-spoken demeanor. Although music was key, the focus of last night’s performance was squarely on the man himself.

That may have come as a surprise to some in the crowd, who might have been expecting “more singing, and less talking.” Truth be told, I thought the play took a while to find its rhythm. But once it did, it was a very enjoyable evening and the audience greeted such beloved standards as “Orange Colored Sky,” “Too Young,” and “Mona Lisa” with warm, appreciative applause.

We first meet Nat King Cole, late in his life, wearing a dressing robe (no pants), and preparing to go on stage for a performance. He proceeds to relive his life story through a series of flashbacks, from his humble beginnings as the son of a very strict Alabama preacher, to the time he died of lung cancer at age 45 in 1965.

In between, we hear of his struggle to combat racism throughout his career (including a heart tugging account of his having to perform in “white face” to appease an uneasy television network), his difficult relationship with his disapproving father, and his trouble with the women in his life, including his two wives.

The authors have taken many of the popular songs linked to the performer and effectively woven them into a dramatic structure of the show. When Cole sings “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home,” he has just met his second wife-to-be, Maria. When he sings “Stardust,” it’s when his first wife Nadine leaves him.

Recreating the performance of a famous celebrity is an unenviable task. Many impressionists can nail the look or sound of their intended subject, but most fail to find the soul behind the persona. But, like many of his esteemed predecessors in the art of performing one-man shows, Monroe Kent III doesn’t try to impersonate Nat King Cole so much as try to evoke the style and spirit of the man.

Blessed with a low-key performing style, a smooth singing voice and the graceful physical presence of a dancer, Kent was able to convey the mellow style that most people connect with Cole.

Early on in the show, I had a hard time understanding some of the lyrics due to the very relaxed style Kent used to present a few of the songs. Many of the numbers were not performed as “concert pieces,” but as comments on the action and were frequently interrupted with sections of dialogue This caused the delivery of some of these early numbers to be rushed and difficult to understand. But by the time he let loose with “Route 66,” I had become accustomed to his conversational style and was able to enjoy the performance.

Kent didn’t stop with playing just Nat King Cole, either. He spends much of the show playing other important people in the singers life: his stern father; his first wife, Nadine; a bigoted neighbor; and most importantly, his valet and friend, Sparky.

These changes in character were handled in an effortless and graceful fashion that, for me, was the highlight of his performance. A quick spin, the addition of a pair of glasses and a change in posture would turn Nat into Sparky; the addition of a red scarf that had been conspicsiously hanging out of his pocket aided him in the transformation into Nadine.

Kent was joined in this production by the crackerjack combo of Musical Director/guitarist Edison Herbert, pianist Kevin Christopher Teasley and bass player Fumi Tomita. All are exceptional musicians who provided constant underscoring to the dramatic scenes, and were able to take the spotlight for themselves on “Breezin’ With The Bass” and “Rhumba Azul.” They were also called upon to “act” throughout the evening, and react to Cole’s comments.

The set pieces and backdrops were designed for an easy set-up. Since they are playing a series of one-night stands across the country, the sets and lighting effects have been designed to be simple, yet effective.

UNFORGETTABLE - THE NAT KING COLE STORY was written by Larrington Walker and Clarke Peters (the creator of "Five Guys Named Moe" and, coincidentally, the star of the touring production of "Chicago" that played Sangamon Auditorium last year).