Tenderly: The Life and Times of Nat King Cole

About this Performance

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 explores how a Black artist in 1950s America became a cultural pioneer while navigating a world that celebrated him onstage but resisted him off it. Featuring beloved songs including “Unforgettable,” “Nature Boy,” “Mona Lisa,” “Smile” and “Route 66,” the production places Cole’s extraordinary career within the larger story of race, visibility and belonging in America.

Raised in Toronto by Jamaican parents, Forrest also reflects on his own relationship with jazz — a music rooted in Black history that he once experienced as distant or inaccessible — and how discovering Nat King Cole opened the door to spaces in which he had not previously seen himself.

The production premiered at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2026 before continuing through North America and the UK, with engagements including the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, National Music Centre in Calgary, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Field Arts & Events Hall in Washington State, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and an autumn UK rural tour.
The show has since earned strong critical acclaim.

★★★★★ Winnipeg Free Press described Forrest as a “natural-born raconteur” with “buttery-smooth vocals.”
★★★★★ Binge Fringe Magazine declared, “Tenderly is without a doubt exceptional,” calling the production “a towering tribute exemplifying the power of live music.”
101.5 UMFM called the production “a worthy tribute,” praising Forrest as “a talented musician in his own right.”

With Tenderly, Forrest expands the blend of music, theatre and cultural storytelling that has become central to his work, creating a visually immersive theatrical world inspired by vintage television studios, intimate jazz clubs and the groundbreaking legacy of Nat King Cole.

Forrest is also the creator and performer of the internationally acclaimed Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World, which has toured internationally, earned multiple Fringe awards, enjoyed sold-out festival runs and previously played Off-Broadway at SoHo Playhouse. His work combines live music, history and personal storytelling to explore identity, race, culture and belonging.