Think you know music? Nat Zegree may prove you wrong this summer.
The Cape Playhouse begins its 99th season with the premiere of Nat Zegree’s Mozart to Pop Chart. Premieres are uncommon for the playhouse, according to artistic director Eric Rosen, who has led the playhouse since August 2023 and under whose guidance membership sales have risen 20% as of the 2026-2027 season. Having just finished installing their new roof within the prior week, opening night went off without a hitch.
Audiences walk into the playhouse, greeted by a grand piano between a parted curtain, painting frames around LED TVs displaying famous composers of music history, and remixes of classical pieces backed by modern 808s. The lights dim, and with a cacophony of an orchestra warming up and tuning, an explosion of lights flashes as Nat Zegree, dressed as close to a Renaissance’d Elton John as one can dream to be, enters. Musicians line the aisles as they make their way to the stage, opening the show with gusto.
Zegree is no stranger to the Playhouse stage—this is his third time performing here, starting with “The Million Dollar Quartet” in 2024, and returning in 2025 with “A History of Rock and Roll.” Zegree’s style, talent, humor and charismatic nature easily capture audiences’ eyes and hearts, truly showing that the Cape Playhouse is where Broadway comes to summer. His dexterity allows for amazing feats, such as incredible improvisational skills, playing two pianos at once and even playing complex musical movements upside down.
The costumes are a highlight. Crafted by costume designer Lisa Zinni, each member of the troupe is adorned in a wonderful hodge-podge of old-style dressings, most beautifully inlaid with gold trim for a touch of modernity. Each piece is unique, and helps set apart each member of the ensemble without overly distracting from one another.
The lighting and set designs by Tyler Zickmund and Christina J. Garner deserve their own standing ovation. The stage of the Cape Playhouse is transformed effortlessly into a pop-show-esque stairway, complete with reactive LEDs, spinning stage lights, and, of course, a disco ball for dramatic effect. Televisions are mounted in painting frames on the back wall, as well as four that rise and fall with the curtain, allowing for mood-setting visuals throughout the performance.
The eccentric band accompanying Zegree deserves plenty of praise. Three backup singers, Iliana Garcia, Lisa Helmi Johanson, and Tora Nogami Alexander, hold incredible harmonies all the while masterfully wielding instruments of their own. The cellist, Bithyah Israel, rocks out with Olivia Dorschel on reeds on stage right for most of the show. The bassist, and the guitarist, Jamie Mohamdein and Ryan Guerra, respectively, lend to some great comedic points throughout the performance, and the drummer, Matthew Spencer, has the most palpable energy and holds an infectious smile throughout the whole show.
The whole show is fascinating and educational. Zegree brings a Bill Nye aspect of presentation that few have the energy to uphold. Taking not only well-known songs of the modern style and finding the similarities and borrowed melodies, Zegree also finds some comparisons in smaller gems. A personal favorite was a pull from Eminem’s 2013 album MMLP2, “Brainless,” where a sample of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor is prevalent. Whether you’re a seasoned music artist or someone who’s never glanced at a piano in their life, you’re bound to learn the theme of the show: music is everywhere, and everyone is a musician, whether they know it or not.
The show runs approximately two and a half hours with an intermission. As fun and interesting as the show is, the lengthy runtime is noticeable. Zegree understands this, and multiple times throughout the show makes the tongue-in-cheek jest “We don’t have time!” whenever the audience would applaud for too long.
An unfortunately distracting issue with the show is the generous use of AI imagery. Displayed on the television frames are photos of famous composers, helpful diagrams and background visuals scattered between and within music pieces; most of the visuals are stock images or within the public domain, but a few pictures were confirmed by the theater’s technical staff to have been generated by AI: for example, images of Bach as a boxer, or Beethoven with a fur mink. The use of generative AI has been under scrutiny for the last few years as it contributes heavily to pollution and unemployment. It was disheartening to see a prominent, unionized theater succumb to an unethical practice.
All in all, Nat Zegree’s Mozart to Pop Chart is a new view on the modern musical show. With insane talent, incredible visuals and a story that’ll have you rethinking your understanding of the connections between centuries of music history, The Cape Playhouse is the place to start your summer on the right beat.
Nat Zegree’s “Mozart to Pop Chart” runs until Saturday, June 20, with evening shows Monday through Saturday at 7:30 PM, and matinees on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2 PM. The closing night will be at 4 PM. For tickets, visit capeplayhouse.com or call the box office at 508-385-3911.
