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Carousel Productions paints poignant picture
of a legend
Leah J. Simmons
Lifestyles Editor - The Daily Ardmoreite
Friday, February 27, 2004
It's said Frank Sinatra had a song for every move, for every time in your life and for every season. Listening to
the
old crooner's songs evokes feelings of nostalgia and a longing for
the
days when Old Blue Eyes himself entertained audiences at smoky little nightclubs.
Sinatra may be gone, but
the
essence of his music lives on in a unique and vastly entertaining way through Carousel Productions' performance of "My Way," a musical tribute to
the
man,
the
mystique and
the
legend.
In a cabaret bar setting, Jeff and Vicki Gelona and Bryan and Traci Royse take audience members on a "tour of Frank's world" through a series of medleys featuring snippets of 56 of Sinatra's nearly 1,400 songs recorded during his lifetime.
Creators
David Grapes
and
Todd Olson
, who wrote
the
show and compiled
the
songs, warned audiences of
the
world premiere at
the
Tennessee Repertory Theatre in Nashville in 2000 that
the
ir intention for
the
show was not to be an impersonation of Sinatra, but for
the
four actors -- playing
the
mselves -- to present
the
essence of
the
man through his own music. And that's just what happens.
The actors start out on a stage set with musicians in
the
back, a two-seater bar on one side and a cabaret table on
the
o
the
r. Spotlights follow
the
performers across
the
floor from one setting to
the
next as
the
y talk about Sinatra's life and
the
rich history behind his music, and as
the
y belt out
the
heart of old favorite songs.
The
the
atrics built into
the
performance and interaction between
the
real-life couples adds a spark of humor and life to
the
show, keeping it from being a laundry list of tunes you've heard a thousand times.
Sinatra's songs are grouped in medleys by subject matter --
the
favorites,
the
Broadway tunes,
the
"city" songs, songs of summer and
the
moon, songs for survivors, losers and, of course, lovers.
During
the
"Love and Marriage Medley (Part 1)," Jeff and Vicki alternately try to teach
the
ir youthful counterparts, Bryan and Traci,
the
dynamics of love through Sinatra's songs on relationships. The "Big Flirt Medley" offers advice on style, drinking, tipping, women and living. The starlights come out as singers swoon about
the
moon, and interspersed among
the
singing and action, dancers Scott and Juana Meadows and Bryant and Laura Harmon kick up
the
ir heels, punctuating
the
mood.
The show gives each of
the
talented singers a chance to show
the
ir stuff singly and in rich four-part harmony, putting
the
ir own spin on favorite Sinatra tunes. And all
the
old favorites are included, along with songs you forgot you knew. And you'll be left salivating for more and aching for just one more trip back in time.
"My Way" explores
the
richness of Sinatra's life experiences, each success and regret, every win and loss, all adding up to a life full of laughter, tears, pain and passion. This is a show that can be seen numerous times and it will never get old, just like Sinatra's music will never grow outdated or irrelevant.
Like
the
performers say,
the
master may be gone, but
the
voice will live on forever. And presented by
the
se particular four voices, it's an experience you'll want to last forever.
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