It's a tribute to Frank, Sammy & Dean in Atlantic City
Few Philadelphians, especially of a particular age, can resist a tribute to Frank Sinatra. Love him or hate him, the Chairman of the Board, Cheech, The Man, Francis Albert - however they know him, folks listen whenever a Sinatra sound is near.
Few Philadelphians, especially of a particular age, can resist a tribute to Frank Sinatra. Love him or hate him, the Chairman of the Board, Cheech, The Man, Francis Albert - however they know him, folks listen whenever a Sinatra sound is near.
So it is no surprise that Harrah's Atlantic City has engaged the Spirit Productions performance, "Frank, Dean & Sammy - The Rat Pack Tribute Show," for the next several weeks.
"I don't think many people can resist a good Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis and Dean Martin show - the music is just so fantastic, and the way they did it was fantastic as well," said Jay Lodge, executive director of Spirit Productions, a London company that creates stage shows that tour around the world.
Lodge said that the company's executive producer, David King, has long been one of those who couldn't resist the lure of Sinatra. Five years ago, he decided to supplement Spirit's usual fare - big dance production shows, like Spirit of the Dance - with touring versions of the Sinatra, Martin and Davis casino act.
"It isn't a show with a story line," said Lodge. "That's not what the people who like the Rat Pack remember. David just loved their music and wanted to do justice to the music and the way they did it."
Lodge said that there are lots of people who still want to do the Sinatra act, so there is no problem getting people to try out for a Rat Pack tribute show. There are, at times, four productions of the show going on at once, often in four countries - Australia, South Africa, England and the United States.
"Casinos, though, are the best place for the show," Lodge said. "That is the place Frank, Sammy and Dean did their best shows, and people there are in the mindset to see something like this."
Sinatra and Rat Pack tributes have been around for a long time, but mostly in the vein of the late Sonny Averona Jr., singing the songs in the style of Sinatra, Martin and company but not trying to directly imitate them.
But just as the casinos have welcomed shows like the Fabulous Fakes, who imitate everyone from Madonna to Bruce Springsteen, and various Beatles imitators, Harrah's hopes that the Rat Pack reprise will be a hit. It will run through April 26 six nights a week, except Mondays.
Lodge said that the best Dean Martin imitator around will be the one at the Harrah's Rat Pack show, Bill Whitton, who was at one time Martin's bodyguard.
"He knows Dean's every move, and sings just the way Dean sang," said Lodge. "People will love it."
"You know, it is refreshing for us to do a show like the Rat Pack Tribute," said Lodge. "So many of our shows are 15 and 25 dancers doing their thing, which is wonderful, but as a producer, you sometimes need a change.
"The whole Rat Pack idea was to relax and have fun, so we think this show will provide that for people who come to Atlantic City," he said. *
Harrah's Atlantic City, 777 Harrah's Blvd., Tonight through April 26, 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m., $25, 800-242-7724, www.harrahs.com.
