It has been 24 years since crooner Frank Sinatra passed from this Earth. During his heyday, he rarely strayed from gossip columns, headlines, and microphones. And now his music lives on. The Milwaukee Repertory Theater pays loving tribute to Sinatra’s life in My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra .
As one of the most famous entertainers of the 20th Century, Frank Sinatra passed through many phases in his life. From the big-band swing era to becoming an idol for bobby soxers, from a movie star (winning an Academy Award in “From Here to Eternity”) to a Las Vegas mainstay, Sinatra seemed to have it all. He recorded more than 1,300 songs and sold some 150 million records worldwide. Faced with this massive catalogue of hit songs, it was up to creators David Grapes and Todd Olson to select nearly 50 tunes for this glittering, delightful showcase. (Most of them are condensed, naturally.) My Way consists of four very talented performers who re-create the emotional range of Sinatra’s tunes, whether they are comic or sad, upbeat or remorseful. Under Kelley Faulkner’s deft direction, the cast almost melts from one song to another. The transition between songs is so smooth that audiences may have to listen closely for a key change to indicate that a new song has started.
Credit for this delightful evening goes to the talented quartet of Alex Bechtel, Kara Mikula, Nygel D. Robinson, and Tiffany Topol. In addition to having great singing voices, this group can play an orchestra’s worth of musical instruments, ranging from piano, drums, saxophone, flute, violin, bass, guitar, bongo drums – you name it. In fact, Mikula’s violin playing is so outstanding that one wishes she could have used this instrument even more during the show. Audiences who attend My Way are presumed to know more than a little about Sinatra’s life, so there’s only a smattering of biographical info mixed between the tunes. There’s a mention of Sinatra’s birthplace (Hoboken, NJ), and also the fact that he had four wives. As Sinatra was often seen in public with a leading lady on his arm, many of these “extracurricular” encounters ended up in the screen magazines of the day.
Sinatra was known for being smooth, polished and well-dressed. His sunny smile was as predictable as his voice. But at times, he admitted to having bouts of depression. According to Sinatra, that’s how he learned how to put over a sad song. He said he “knew what (being down) feels like.”
When listening to his songs today, they seem as fresh as when Sinatra recorded them. And the production’s ambiance is unique, as it resembles the lounges that Sinatra knew so well. Appropriately dim lighting offstage heightens the effect of twinkling tea lights inside frosted glass containers on each table.
Onstage, a tufted velour banquette is the centerpiece, flanked by dangling mid-century pendant lights and rows of faux greenery here and there (set design by Maureen Chavez-Kruger). In the background, a vintage backdrop constantly changes color, depending on the mood of each song (lighting by Caitlin Smith Rapoport). A silver microphone and stand is sometimes pulled out for effect (all the singers are remotely miked). Of course, there’s a piano onstage, along with a drum set off to one side and a few props hidden here and there. The show opens with universally recognized hits such as “Cheek to Cheek,” “Blue Skies” and “Makin’ Whoopee.” Nygel D. Robinson impresses with his rendition of “I’ve Got the World On a String.” Tiffany Topol follows up nicely with her version of “Where or When.”
Later, Robinson, pulls out all the stops with “The Lady is a Tramp.” Alex Bechtel, meanwhile, shines with his inspired version of “Witchcraft.” As a twist in style, the quartet occasionally performs a song a cappella. Sinatra’s later hits are, of course, saved for the end of the performance. There’s “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Something Stupid,” and “The Best is Yet to Come” (with impressive scat singing by Tiffany Topol). Sinatra fans will not want to miss “One for My Baby (and One More for the Road),” a song that Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer wrote in 1943. There are more signature Sinatra tunes, such as “September of My Years” (1965) and “It Was a Very Good Year” (1966). There’s a bit of audience singalong during 1980’s “New York, New York.”
Thanks to Jason Orlenko’s tailored, 1940’s-era costumes, the actors are as appealing to watch as they are to hear. There’s an even snazzier wardrobe for the second act.
When the show wraps up with “My Way,” audiences are almost convinced that there isn’t anything this cast can’t do. My Way has enough variety (especially instruments!), dancing styles (yes, even tap) and “personality” to keep everyone entertained. Older audience members, in particular, will appreciate how much of their lives could be linked to one song or another by Frank Sinatra.
