THE MAN IN BLACK to Return to Downtown Cabaret Theatre, 10/11-20

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 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 opens Friday, October 11 and continues Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through October 20 (2013).

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 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."

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 by stating "Hello, I am not Johnny Cash." Each performance is a celebration of the music of Johnny Cash and is guaranteed to stay with every patron long after the show ends.

According to the press in 2009, The Man In Black "is not one of those jukebox musicals where the songs of an artist are woven around a contrived or flimsy tale. The Man in Black is a celebration of the songs of Johnny Cash, faithfully brought to life to provide "the up close and personal LIVE experience of his music." Developed and performed by Scott Keeton, an actual distant cousin of the Cash clan,The Man in Black aptly does just that. It is a theatrical event filled with master musicianship and tuneful reminiscences, guaranteed to entertain theatergoers with country music, gospel, and rock and roll as performed by the one and only Johnny Cash.

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 his 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 Connecticut's own 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).

The return engagement of THE MAN IN BLACK will play the following schedule:

Friday, October 11 at 7:30pm and
Saturday, October 12 at 5:30pm and
Saturday, October 12 at 8:30pm
Sunday, October 13 at 5:30pm

Friday, October 18 at 7:30pm and
Saturday, October 19 at 5:30pm and
Saturday, October 19 at 8:30pm and
Sunday, October 20 at 5:30pm

The Downtown Cabaret Theatre is located at 263 Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Ticket prices are:
$39 - FRIDAYS at 7:30pm & SUNDAYS at 5:30pm. $47 - SATURDAYS at 5:30pm & 8:30pm