From Nat King Cole to Michael Bublé: Valentine’s Weekend Brings Classic Love to The Suffolk

Love is in the air at The Suffolk leading up to Valentine’s Day, with tribute performances in honor of Nat King Cole, and Michael Bublé; both artists responsible for some of the most timeless love songs in music. To top it off, the shows, offered on consecutive nights, will have special champagne and dessert offerings for all to enjoy.

The festivities will kick off with “An Unforgettable Valentine” on Thursday, February 13, at 7 p.m. with singer Jerome Foster Lewis taking center stage to bring Nat King Cole’s greatest hits to life. From the soulful “Unforgettable” to the classic “Mona Lisa,” audiences will be transported to a world of nostalgic romance.

This show may be Lewis’s first time performing at The Suffolk, but he’s a fixture of the venue, having worked there as a weekend security guard for four years.

“Stepping into this role has been a dream, honestly,” he said in a recent interview.

Two years ago, a holiday party at the theater unexpectedly sparked the idea for the performance. Lewis, who has a strong rapport with The Suffolk’s executive director Gary Hygom, came dressed as Santa Claus to the holiday party two years back. A bunch of the tech and marketing crew, who are musicians themselves, started playing. Seizing the moment, Lewis joined in.

“I grabbed the mic and started singing ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town’ in a soulful jazz style. We just improvised, and it came together beautifully,” he said.

The spontaneous performance left Hygom in awe.

“He was like, ‘We’ve got to put together a show. You need to be on stage,’” Lewis recalled.

Aside from that fateful Christmas Party, Lewis’s journey to The Suffolk’s stage includes an impressive professional performance resume of his own. After graduating from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy on New York City’s Upper West Side in 2005, he launched a dynamic career that spanned continents.

He spent several years with Disney, performing “The Lion King” on cruise lines and in Hong Kong. Regional theater also became a significant part of his experience, including roles in “Aida” in Boston and productions in Pennsylvania. His international work with Frank Sur Productions took him across Europe — from Italy to Austria, Belgium and France — sharing the history of gospel music through a unique musical revue.

After six seasons overseas, Lewis is now embarking on a new chapter — producing his own show.

“This is my first time putting the production together myself — building the band, designing the set list, and working with the venue and marketing team,” he said “The whole experience is really exciting.”

A lifelong fan of Nat King Cole, Lewis had always dreamed of honoring the legendary singer’s moving music. As he planned his goals for 2025, creating a tribute show became a top priority. Inspired by Cole’s iconic love songs, particularly “Unforgettable,” the idea blossomed into a Valentine’s performance celebrating love in all its forms — romantic, platonic and familial.

Lewis’s vision for “An Unforgettable Valentine” is not about impersonating Nat King Cole, but rather honoring his artistry.

“[Cole] had such a pristine way of telling stories, touching people’s hearts through his musicality,” he explained.

Cole’s voice, charm and elegance set a standard that the singer hopes to reflect in his own performance.

“He is the standard of elegance,” Lewis added. “ My goal is to honor the impact he had on the music industry through the way he sang his songs, the choices he made and the warmth he created with his audience.”

He noted that the focus is on celebrating romance, with the hope that attendees leave the theater “just feeling love,” making it a truly feel-good experience.

While Lewis’s current focus is making “An Unforgettable Valentine” the best experience possible, he doesn’t rule out continuing to take it to the stage in different incarnations.

“We’ve been getting great feedback so far,” he shared. After the show, he plans to evaluate its success and consider ways to expand the concept. “Maybe an ‘Unforgettable Holiday’ or ‘Unforgettable Christmas’ — I don’t know yet. Right now, I’m just focused on giving the best 90 minutes I can to my community and really looking forward to sharing it.”

During the week, Lewis serves as a patient care specialist at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead, where he focuses on enhancing the patient experience in meaningful ways.

“There’s logistics to it, making sure all communication is clear, looking at our statistics, and seeing how we can improve on patient experience scores, with how we interact with our patients and caregivers, and keeping staff morale up as well,” he explained.

Beyond these responsibilities, he brings a personal passion for music into his work.

“My goal was to be a Broadway star, and when I took a break and reset my life, I found myself in health care. Now, full circle, I use my music experience to sing to patients,” Lewis said.

His Healing Through Music program includes bedside performances for patients and caregivers, even during end-of-life services. During the holidays, he leads a Healing Through the Holidays initiative, bringing artists into the hospital lobby to share music.

“Music is not just what I love to do — it’s who I am,” he said. “If I can share that through music, it’s been such an honor and a blessing.”

Following Lewis’s performance this Thursday, Anthony Bernasconi, accompanied by a 17-piece orchestra, will present a tribute to Michael Bublé at The Suffolk on Friday, February 14. With songs such as “Just Haven’t Met You Yet,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “Feeling Good,” Bernasconi will give the audience Bublé’s signature style and sound.

“Michael Bublé and Valentine’s Day go hand in hand to some degree, as he’s kind of like Mr. Lovey-Dovey,” Bernasconi said in a recent phone interview.

Bernasconi got his start as a Michael Bublé tribute artist in a rather unexpected way. While he had been singing for over 23 years, when people began pointing out that he sounded like Bublé, initially, Bernasconi resisted the comparison. But then, he started to embrace the idea.

“Michael Bublé’s voice is incredible … I’m not saying mine isn’t, I’m just saying his voice is on another level,” he said. As a musician, he recognized the technicality and nuances in Bublé’s performance that many people might overlook.

It was Bernasconi’s wife who suggested they create a Michael Bublé tribute show.

“I said, ‘I don’t know if I can do that,’” he recalled.

But after months of studying Bublé’s style and technique, Bernasconi decided to go for it. He committed to doing it with no shortcuts, saying, “If we’re gonna do it, we’re gonna do it big and we’re gonna do it right.” The show would be more than just a tribute — it would be an experience, almost like attending a Michael Bublé concert.

Bernasconi’s show blended elements from several of Bublé’s tours, creating a diverse program that showcased his musical range.

“A lot of people think it’s just going to be Michael Bublé and Frank Sinatra, but it’s not,” Bernasconi explains. “The show is extremely diverse — we’ve got an Eagles tune, a Barry White tune, a Bee Gees tune … stuff that people don’t even know Michael Bublé did. We didn’t know he did it until we just happened to run across it.”

This performance is a celebration of Bublé’s versatility, making it much more than just a traditional tribute show. The tour kicked off around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, Bernasconi travels all over, from Texas and Mississippi to Florida and New York, giving audiences a taste of Bublé and his music.

Bernasconi hasn’t had the opportunity to meet Bublé in person yet, but the megastar did respond to Bernasconi’s Instagram post with a simple “Go get ’em.” Bernasconi remains hopeful that Bublé will attend one of his shows in the future.

The Suffolk is a unique venue for Bernasconi, as he rarely performs at dinner theaters. He and his wife will be singing “Baby, You’ve Got What It Takes,” a song they’ve never performed together before. “I just love performing his stuff,” Bernasconi said. “His arrangements are incredible.” The entire show is a tribute to Michael Bublé, with no original music from Bernasconi. The set list typically lasts about an hour and 45 minutes.

“The show is kind of interactive, right? There’s a lot of energy, and I love connecting with people. It’s a way to make it more personal,” Bernasconi explained. “I’m usually out in the crowd, interacting with the audience. It’s something for everyone.”

Jerome Foster Lewis presents “An Unforgettable Valentine” and the songs of Nat King Cole on Thursday, February, 13 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35. “Feelin’ Good: The Ultimate Michael Bublé Experience” by Anthony Bernasconi follows on Friday, February 14, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $60 to $110. Purchase tickets for both shows at thesuffolk.org. The Suffolk is at 118 East Main Street in Riverhead.