My Way: A Tribute To the Music of Frank Sinatra

Since its premiere at the Tenness Repertory Theatre in 2000, My Way: A Tribute to the Music of Frank Sinatra continues to be one of the most popular musical reviews in musical theatre history with over 500 productions and multiple national tours, playing to sold out houses in all 50 states. Audiences and critics alike have hailed its powerful music superb arrangements, classy style, and easy-going comedy. Containing 55 incredible songs from the Great American Songbook, My Way celebrates the mystique of Frank Sinatra and the unforgettable music that made him famous.

My Way – Musical Numbers

Reviews

Creator’s Notes

The Setting:

The setting should be “Sinatra-esque.” In the Nashville premiere (1000 seats), it was designed to look very much like a sophisticated night-club. The touring set drawings for an upcoming mini-tour to regional theatres looks very Copacabana. The Asolo production (175 seats) had a very cabaret look. I imagine some future productions might even have a very Las Vegas-ssy look. And of course, Sinatra always thought of himself as “a saloon singer.” So, as for literal setting, the set for My Way can and should be inspired by those things. Places in which Sinatra would have thrived and felt at home are the best choice. That said, “classy” has been a word tossed around a lot in the production reviews thus far. Even though it might be a cabaret, it needs to have a finished, glossy quality to it. An elegance. A dressed up feel. A few of the first productions used Sinatra’s signature as an upstage background. I think that the most important question to ask is this, “would Sinatra have done a gig here at any time in his life?” If the answer is yes, then it is the right choice.  Also the trio should be on stage dressed in tuxes and in full view of the audience. There needs to be space for the singers to work at the piano and enough room to dance as couples. There is also dialogue between Man #1 and the pianist at the top of Act II.

 Stage Properties:

A black or white baby grand piano
One functional retro (Sony) 50’s microphone on a stand center stage with long cord
A fully stocked martini bar
2-4 sets of cabaret tables and chairs
Three bar stools
A tip jar on the piano
Various tall green plants and foliage
A beautiful painted full moon that is flown in or hung during the moon medley 

Sound:

Sound is THE MOST IMPORTANT TECHNICAL ELEMENT of My Way. Sound reinforcement mattered to Sinatra and it will matter to your audiences. The cast sings 56 vocal selections and it is vital that we hear the words and phrasing clearly without having to strain our ears. Sinatra was a true master in the art of using a microphone in performance. Therefore, like Forever Plaid, My Way is intended to be performed using microphones as sound reinforcement. When possible wireless body mics should be used on each performer rather than using stand microphones. In addition to these microphones there should be one working “retro” Sony 50’s style microphone center stage that can have reverb and other “big band” effects placed on it. Depending on the size of your theatre, you may also want to reinforce the piano or stand-up bass. The show could also be performed using some variation of hand-held microphones but I would make that a last option. My recommendation is to start sound rehearsals as soon as possible and locate the best sound engineer you can find to mix the show during each performance.

Pianist/Musical Director: This is perhaps the most important casting decision to be made for the production. This person controls almost everything about the production (tempo, style, energy, etc.). The perfect player would be an EXCELLENT sight reader, who not only has played musical theatre productions, but is in their soul also a jazz player. Much of the music is orchestrated in Sinatra’s favorite musical style, swing jazz.  The score, while fully written out, is designed so that an accomplished musician can add his/her artistry to the performance. You need an outstanding player who is capable of managing the multitude of tempo, key and style changes that are written into the show’s medleys. On the other hand, a certain highly advanced skill level at improvisation is also extremely helpful. The original pianist/arranger/musical director, Vince di Mura, did not play the show the same way twice in over 50 performances and yet he never failed to support the singers or the dramatic action on stage. In many ways, this person becomes a fifth character in the production so look for a great musician who also has an interesting stage personality. This musician embodies the easy going Sinatra “cool,” He/she must be capable of assisting the cast members in finding this rather crucial albeit elusive quality in their performances. In all of our initial productions, this musician also served as Musical Director and conducted the stand up bass player and drummer from the piano during performance.

 Transitions:

The musical score is constructed in a way that the music almost never stops. It was our intention that dialogue is given underneath solo piano in many of the “banter sections.” It is important the performance appears seamless to the audience. We also constructed the arrangements to delay any audience applause until certain key moments.

 Dance:

The show contains a number of optional dance breaks. We were fortunate in the workshop production of My Way to have two Broadway caliber dancers in the cast. Dance is a wonderful element and adds much to the production, if you have the talent to pull it off. Remember that Sinatra himself was a very good dancer. Watch the film version of ON THE TOWN and look at those great musical numbers with Gene Kelly if you don’t believe me. The important thing is that the choreography be stylish and not call attention to itself. You’ll find when you look at the score little tributes to Astaire, Kelly, and others. The choreography should not look like traditional musical theatre choreography but rather social dancing that is motivated by the music and the location. It should posses class and style and look completely effortless. Never be afraid to let people stand still in a spotlight and “sell the song.” After all, these are some of the greatest tunes of the Twentieth century.

 Character, theme, and style:

Each of the four characters is unique. Each actor represents a different yet distinctive aspect of the Sinatra mystique. Yet, the actors are also playing themselves. It is important that they feel comfortable enough to bring their own experiences to their role.  If you’ll look closely at how the songs are arranged, you’ll begin to find that each medley contains several scenarios such as “boy meets girl, boy loses girl” etc. In fact, the topic of love, seduction, and romance occupies most of Sinatra’s 1360 recordings. Therefore, My Way is largely about the subject of romance and relationships. What it meant to Sinatra and what it means to each of us. A secondary theme that runs through the script is how do you teach someone to be “cool?” You’ll notice that Man #1 and Woman #1 have many lessons to teach the younger couple on both of these topics. You will also notice that we use direct address to involve the audience.  One of the potential traps for a director is to let the musical become too “presentational” and too “audience centered.” You need to maintain the audience connection without sacrificing the “epic feel” of the piece. Remember it is a musical tribute and celebration of Sinatra and not a cabaret performance in which each singer interprets the song in his or her own personal way. We are paying tribute to Sinatra and the reasons he recorded these great tunes in the first place. Direct and shape all the performances through a “Sinatra musical filter.”   Keep it light, fast and fresh. The actors should be having just as much fun as the audience.

 Vocals:

Whatever you do, do not let anyone do an imitation of Sinatra!!! That is a sure fire ticket to disaster. What is important is to have everyone connected to the production listen to as many of Sinatra’s recordings as you can get your hands on. Then get the performers to “channel” what they feel and hear from those recordings. Try to use Sinatra’s phrasing and musical sense whenever possible without imitating his idiosyncratic vocal mannerisms. You are after the essence, style, and cool of the way Sinatra interpreted a great song, not an exact duplication of his performance. The one thing I do recommend you attempt to duplicate is Sinatra’s enunciation. Nobody is better at hitting final consonants than “Old Blue Eyes.” The music is always your guide and the arrangements your anchor. Cast great singers and then have them perform these songs with style and grace.

 Script:

Do not allow actors to ad-lib lines to the audience or add extra Sinatra bits.

 Additional Music:

It is recommended that you do not use any recorded music (Sinatra or other) during pre show or intermission.

 Costumes:

Women
Elegant sophisticated evening cocktail attire (Shorter dresses Act, I longer Act II. Must be able to move)

Men
White dinner jackets Act I
Black tux jackets Act II

 Lighting:

The design should be romantic, sensual and moody. The production lends itself easily to the use of dramatic specials, gobos and break-up patterns. I prefer a white cyc in the background, which can be changed to various saturated colors. Two follow spots are recommended. You will be in need of some sort of lighting support for the moon medley and the summer medley. The best productions thus far have incorporated stunning moons and awesome sunsets. All lighting should be more theatrical than realistic and evoke mood rather than place.

 Marketing:

Nothing sells a show like recognizable song titles. In your advertising, you may use any song title contained in the show. You may also use the words “A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra” when using the My Way title. Remember, you do not have authorization or permission to use Sinatra’s picture or likeness to advertise the production. Images contained in a set design are most likely not a problem.  All it took in Sarasota to sell out 35 performances were the song titles and some radio buys on the area jazz stations.

 The best is yet to come – David Grapes and Todd Olson 2021

Creator’s Bios

My Way – Videos