Review: Tony Danza Soars in SINATRA & STORIES at Café Carlyle

Tony Danza was utterly mesmerizing at Café Carlyle on Thursday, October 2, 2025. The star, best known for TV shows like Taxi and Who’s the Boss, completed a week-long sold-out residency there with an evening celebrating Frank Sinatra. Between songs, he shared stories about his personal relationship to the crooner, and his mother, who idolized Sinatra. It’s a heartfelt, touching show, replete with plenty of numbers Sintra recorded, sung impeccably by Danza with backing from his stellar four-piece band. Danza balances heart, wit and charm in equal measure. At the core of it all, it was touching to see that no matter how big the TV star is, he's never lost touch with his humble East New York roots, and still has the same awe for the Café Carlyle that he had when, as a boy, his teacher regaled their class with stories of visits to the famed venue and seeing Bobby Short there. Danza sang a snippet of "I Happen to Like New York," a Cole Porter tune Bobby Short was well-known for, in honor of the occasion – Cafe Carlyle's 70th anniversary Platinum Jubilee season. Danza was thrilled to be one of the first shows opening this special season – though he joked it made him feel old to realize he’s a touch older than the Carlyle is.

Danza opened the show singing a bouncy “Come Fly With Me” while making his way to the stage. The next 90 minutes or so flew by with Danza entertaining the rapt audience. He made the crowd roar with laughter through his anecdotes and “street” jokes, engaged them with plenty of interaction (especially for his fellow Italian Americans in the house), and showed off his singing voice, ukelele skills, and even tap dancing. Danza perfectly embodies the essence of Frank Sinatra’s old-school lounge singer style; he’s pure charisma. He moved from song to song, with a perfect selection of well-loved classics ranging the gamut of earnest reflection (a lovely, introspective and emotional “It Was a Very Good Year,” accompanied with just strings from Dave Shoop on guitar) to jaunty feel-good numbers like “Just In Time.” He accompanied himself on ukelele for a medley of Broadway tunes, joking that he was trying to adapt the Great American Songbook to ukelele. He learned the instrument years ago based on inspiration he got from a “thought a day” calendar. If you happened to see Danza in Honeymoon in Vegas on Broadway, you already knew the star could tap dance and play ukelele, but it seemed like a (welcome) surprise to many in the audience. Indeed, if you only know Danza from his movie and TV roles, you’re missing an entire side of the star, a true triple threat.

The evening felt like a nostalgic walk down memory lane, full of songs from Danza’s childhood that he used to listen to with his mother, and a look back on Danza’s own life and the career that led him to meeting and forming a friendship with Sinatra. For all the nostalgia, though, the night was rooted in immediacy. Danza connected with the audience in a truly genuine way, making everyone in the intimate Café Carlyle venue feel like part of a small, special club. He was right at home on the venue’s stage surrounded by Ludwig Bemelmans’ murals. The Carlyle’s excellent food and drink menu, paired with Danza’s magnetic performance, made for an unforgettable evening. And of course, like all of the best stories, his relationship with Sinatra has a happy ending, which I won’t spoil for you. You really should see the show.

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Tony Danza’s Sinatra and Stories tour continues on October 19, 2025 in Brookville, NY. See all of his upcoming dates on his Facebook page here.

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