A Return Engagement Of ‘The Man In Black’

BRIDGEPORT — Popular demand and critical acclaim have prompted the award-winning Downtown Cabaret Theatre to present the return engagement of The Man In Black, a live stage and media celebration of the music of the late, great Johnny Cash starring Scott Keeton.

In addition to packed houses, Elm City Newspapers critic Tom Holehan wrote “Pity the poor folks who missed the all-too-brief recent run of The Man in Black at Bridgeport’s Downtown Cabaret Theatre. This loving tribute to the words and music of the legendary Johnny Cash was a solid hit for the theatre – one that deserves a prompt return engagement.”

The return engagement of The Man In Black will open Friday, November 6, and continues Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through November 22.

Born in Oklahoma, Scott Keeton’s family tree actually shows a direct line (his great-great-great grandmother on his father’s side was Frances “Fannie” Cash) to the Cash family making him a distant cousin to the actual Man in Black. The late Bo Diddley, rock ‘n roll singer, guitarist and songwriter told him, “You do the best Johnny Cash I’ve ever heard.”

The Man In Black highlights the evolution of Johnny Cash’s music and pays astute attention to the era in which he lived and performed. According to Mr Keeton, “the only thing missing from the public’s renewed interest in Johnny Cash is the up close and personal live experience of his music. That’s why I developed the show and that’s what you get in The Man In Black.”

Mr Keeton has an uncanny ability to encapsulate the essence of Johnny Cash without actually imitating him. In fact, as he introduces himself to the audience Keeton makes it perfectly clear that he is not doing an impression, stating: “Hello, I am not Johnny Cash.”

Scott Keeton, an accomplished rock and roll performer, has been a professional musician for over 20 years. He has toured the world and shared stages with Eric Idle of Monty Python fame, Magic Slim and Dick Dale, as well as playing Carnegie Hall with Art Garfunkel.

As a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Johnny Cash wrote more than a thousand songs, recorded numerous albums and performed in concerts, in prisons, on television and radio from the 1950s until just before his death at the age of 71 in 2003. Cash was the recipient of 14 Grammy Awards and he was inducted into The Songwriters, The Country Music and The Rock and Roll Halls of Fame. Johnny Cash was married to June Carter Cash, and their daughter is Roseanne Cash.

The return engagement of The Man In Black heralds such songs as “Folsom Prison,” “Get Rhythm,” “Big River,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Busted,” “Cocaine Blues,” “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” “Daddy Sang Bass,” “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” “Hurt,” “I Walk the Line,” “It Ain’t Me, Babe,” “Jackson,” “Ring of Fire,” “Man In Black” and “25 Minutes to Go,” and among numerous other favorites.

Joining Keeton on stage for some joyful duets will be Ashley DePascale (as June Carter Cash) who “is both talented and adorable…and more than held her own on ‘Will the Circle,’ ‘Daddy Sang Bass’ and ‘I’ve Been Everywhere,’ among others” (Elm City Newspapers – Tom Holehan).

Performances of The Man In Black are scheduled for Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 5:30 and 8:30, and Sundays at 5:30. Please note the Sunday, November 8, performance is already sold out.

Tickets are $33  for Friday and Sunday performances, and $39 for Saturdays.

The theater is at 263 Golden Hill Street. Reservations and additional information are available by calling the box office at 203-576-1636 or visiting DowntownCabaret.org.