Review: DEAN MARTIN VARIETY HOUR at Broadway Palm Brings Live Theatre Carefully Back to Southwest Florida

Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre recently opened their first Main Theatre production since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Dean Martin VARIETY HOUR, which was created, written, directed, and choreographed by Victor Legarreta.

Dean Martin VARIETY HOUR is performed like a variety show, including special guests, some comedy bits, and clips from the actual show, and it was entertaining to see who Dean's next guest would be and what they would perform - he even joined some of them for some numbers.

The cast includes Seth Abrahms as Dean Martin, as well as Nick Drivas, Solomon Kee, Lily Kren, Danielle Poznanovic, Molly Samson, and Caleb Schaaf, all of whom play various roles throughout the show. You could tell this cast was having so much fun on stage dancing, singing several different songs, and recreating infamous performances as various iconic singers. I thought the entire cast did a wonderful job taking on the personalities and voices of the singers they were playing in each scene, and I really enjoyed the detail they put into making each performance distinct.

One of the highlights in the show for me was Poznanovic and Samson's "Happy" duet as Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland, respectively. Both ladies had beautiful, powerful voices, and their recreation of this famous duet was wonderful.

Broadway Palm has done a great job creating guidelines and doing everything they can to keep their patrons safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you go see this show, please read and follow the guidelines and safety measures they have set on their website. They are one of the first professional theatres in the country to open, but in order to stay open, they will need your help. They are asking everyone to wear a mask or face covering at all times, with the exception of eating or drinking while at your table. Yes, that includes wearing a mask during the performance itself; I promise it is not too difficult.

If there's one thing I realized while attending Dean Martin VARIETY HOUR, it is that Southwest Florida really, really misses live theatre. The excitement of the audience was evident, and I felt the same way. This was the first live theatre performance I've attended since March, and it was a joy to be able to see a show on stage again, even if things are a bit different now. Please support live theatre in SWFL in any way you can; if you feel safe and are not experiencing any symptoms, I would definitely consider checking out Dean Martin VARIETY HOUR. This is a fun show filled with music you will know and love, but be sure to get your tickets quickly, as seating has been altered to keep everyone more socially distanced.

Dean Martin VARIETY HOUR is playing now through September 26 at Broadway Palm. Performances are Wednesday through Sunday evenings with selected matinees. Tickets are only $50 for the meal and show; this is a great 28th season opener special! Tickets are now on sale and can be reserved by calling (239) 278-4422, visiting BroadwayPalm.com, or in person at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers.

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