Review: MY WAY: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO FRANK SINATRA at Theatre By The Sea

Theatre By The Sea kicks off the summer and their 90th season with “My Way: A Tribute to Frank Sinatra,” a remarkably stylish and highly entertaining production showcasing more than fifty favorite tunes from the five-decade career of America’s most-beloved crooner, also known as Ol’ Blue Eyes and “Chairman of the Board.”

On Kyle Dixon’s beautifully designed, sophisticated set, reminiscent of a 1950s-era nightclub, four talented singers gather to celebrate Frank Sinatra’s musical biography, sharing snippets of his most famous numbers (as well as some lesser known tracks) while relaying amusing and poignant stories about his professional and personal life, including his Rat Pack days and landmark love affairs with many of Hollywood’s legendary sex symbols.

Christopher Brasfield, Danny Drewes, Alyssa Giannetti and Lucy Horton take the audience on a sentimental journey with a plentiful series of joyous medleys, each with a particular theme, including Broadway (“My Funny Valentine,” “Makin’ Whoopee,” “I Get a Kick Out of You”), Love and Marriage (“That Old Black Magic,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”), Cities (“I Love Paris,” “Chicago, Chicago”), and even the Moon (“Fly Me to the Moon”).

Under the direction and choreography of Greg Santos, these four gifted performers, clad in the classiest of outfits designed by Kelly Baker, sing their hearts out and dance the night away to the exquisite, enchanting music of Milton Granger (piano), Garrett Campbell (bass), and Mike Sartini (percussion).

The entire show is a delectable treat, with highlights that include Giannetti’s smooth rendition of “The Way You Look Tonight,” Drewes’ affecting version of “Drinkin’ Again” (from the Losers medley), Horton’s haunting, “I Only Have Eyes for You,” and Brasfield’s spirited, “My Kind of Town.”

When the ensemble joins together for Sinatra’s most celebrated anthems (“The Lady is a Tramp,” “New York, New York,” “I’ll Be Seeing You,” and “My Way”), the energy in the audience is bustling and nothing short of contagious.

There is no better way than Theatre By The Sea’s “My Way” to welcome summer in Rhode Island.

“My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra” runs through June 11th at Theatre By The Sea, 364 Card’s Pond Road in Wakefield, RI. For information and tickets, visit www.theatrebythesea.com or call 401-782-8587.