Review: 54 SALUTES FRANK SINATRA! Continues Tradition Of Excellence At 54 Below

Scott Siegel returned to the familiar haunt, 54 Below, with his long-running show saluting Frank Sinatra, accompanied by some crossover cast from his wonderful (and other long-running spectacle) 54 Sings Broadway’s Greatest Hits! Both of these well-done productions will be, soon, returning to one of the nicest venues in which to find yourself, late on a Saturday night in Manhattan, being entertained by some of the best to sing a song at all -- all the while avoiding breaking a sweat AND entertaining a good cocktail. Saluting one of the most classic crooners may be incomplete without grabbing a glass of whiskey or a well-made Manhattan, as they were often--as legend tells it--prone to do. However, it’s also not needed to enjoy these timeless classics. What Siegel does well should be well-known by those who have come to many of his shows, and yet it’s equally entertaining a second time, perhaps more so because I knew what to expect: the combining of Broadway history with a well-selected cast of talented performers. Between each stellar song selection, Siegel gave a brief window into the winding road many of these songs took to reach Sinatra, including one of which that was inspired by personal hate toward the singer, “I Wanna Be Around.” Later a Sinatra hit, Frank, apparently, never knew that Sadie Vimmerstedt wrote to Johnny Mercer to request the song about Sinatra losing love, himself, after leaving love behind.

Almost too obviously, many of the songs performed are so well known that they require almost no introduction to have a reader recall the lyrics and the familiar tune. So, in lieu of this, it’s perhaps best to focus on the cast that brought them to new life, giving a bit of drama, and adding weight, with a bit of acting here and there, from line to line. My favorites of the night were no surprise when I saw them near the edge of the stage: John Easterlin and Ryan Knowles. Knowles had the pleasure, clearly to himself and to lucky us, of devoting his clever acting to the aforementioned “I Wanna Be Around” and “That’s Life,” as well as to “Birth of the Blues,” where he was joined by stalwart tapping savant Kendrick Jones. The pizzazz and panache in the way Knowles delivers lines like “I want to be there to pick up the pieces when someone breaks your heart” and “I’m gonna change that tune, when I’m back on top, back on top in June!” adds so much to the song that even the audience nearly, unanimously, sang along. As for Easterlin, his performances came on “Born Free” and “My Way,” and this well-toured performer seemed a perfect choice for both, not only for life experience but also for how he injected a bit of his own style with a spin on “My Way.” With Easterling starting low, giving it a bit of acting, and keeping it at almost talking volume into the mic, we in the audience were already collectively aware (from the earlier song) of just how powerful he could sing. But it wasn’t until he had us thoroughly invested in him and his tale, as if he was pulling us nearer at a campfire, that he burst out his beautiful voice, aptly singing, “I did it My Way.” Simply sublime, it was a perfect ending to the show.

However, much more happened on the night, as Jared Goodwin, the fantastic F Michael Haynie, and Jared Weiss also shared their generous talents with the audience. Kendrick Jones, again, tapped the number “I Love Paris” in a fun interlude. What each of these singers really brought to their songs, much like Knowles and Easterlin, was a bit of a twist, a spin, and a dash of flair. From Weiss rolling dice and scoping out the scene of a casino in “Luck Be a Lady” to F Michael Haynie kissing the air while singing “I Could Write a Book,” their gorgeous voices were both tremendous tributes to Sinatra but, also, it was clear with the depth of the emotion they displayed how seriously they took the show. While not adding as much flair as Weiss or dramatic pause like Haynie, Goodwin impressed, especially on “All or Nothing at All,” with the depth of his tone and emotion. The beauty of the performance could have easily made it a fan favorite, as he seemed to fight tears, raise his fists into the air in chagrin, and powerfully belt behind each thundering strike from Mike Hartman on the piano, with beauty in lines like, “Why begin that cry for something that might have been? No, I’d rather have nothing at all.”

If I were afforded a chance to see this core seven from the July 14th performance at another installment of the series, I’d be there in a heartbeat. Their performances were executed with gusto, and their voices (and tapping) “A Number One” as Weiss, who sang “New York, New York,” would have added. At the same time, schedules change and the rotating cast often brings new, equally accomplished talent in order to add their own uniqueness to the show. This is what makes these 54 Sings series so special, as you often learn new performers to follow alongside appreciating old tunes. Keep an eye on the 54 Below calendar for more 54 Sings! shows, or find tickets to the Frank Sinatra special here.

 

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