Review: MY WAY: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO FRANK SINATRA at Players Circle Theater

Are you stressed out over the election, the state of the world, or maybe just the unceasing heat? Here’s a suggestion for you. Go on down to Players Circle Theater for a brief visit to a simpler time.

The theater is offering My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra, and even though ol’ blue eyes lived into the 1990s, you will swear you have time warped into the 1950s. The theater is set up to mimic a nightclub with candlelit tables for four on the floor in front of the platform set designed by Steven McLean . Those lucky folks got some up close action as the singers occasionally moved among them.

The cast of four do a remarkable job of singing 55 of Sinatra’s greatest hits and a few that have slipped under the radar. Ted Wioncek III, who also directed the production, immerses himself into Sinatra’s persona, snapping his fingers and delivering lyrics phrased a la Frankie in his resonant baritone. Ruthgena Faraco is a petite powerhouse in voice and personality. The other two cast mates, Kimberly Suskind and AJ Mendini, are blessed with sweet and lyrical voices.

The talented line up allows for solos, duets, and four part harmony as they sample songs extolling geography, seasons, and of course, love. The woman sitting next to me remarked how nice it was to hear songs whose lyrics you could understand. I totally agreed. And the trio providing the accompaniment, pianist Michael Lewis Smith, drummer Miguel Azcuy, and bassist Alex Albanese, moved gracefully from song to song. Can you say ‘perfection’?

The show runs through August 18. For tickets, call 239.800.3292.

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