The Rat Pack is back — sort of --- in Reno at the Eldorado
The Rat Pack is back — sort of
If you were a fan of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., you’ve got a chance to relive some of those good times at the Reno Eldorado Casino, where "Frank, Dean & Sammy: are Live in Concert on the Showroom Stage.
The show, which continues through this month and on into March, presents the three main performers in alternating stints offering vintage tunes from the real stars’ history.
Are they spitting image of Frank, Dean and Sammy? No, although Sammy (David Hayes of Reno) comes closest. Tony Sands does Sinatra and despite his short frame gives a pretty decent rendition of Sinatra’s most famous songs, including a very well cone "One For My Baby," with the signature hat as co-star. Dean is the work of Luciano Correa, a New Yorker with the correct Italian peerage. He’s the weakest of the three stars but carries of some comedy nicely.
Frank is covered with "Fly Me to the Moon," "Got You Under My Skin," among others. Dean’s scores include "That’s Amore" and "Everybody Loves Somebody," and Sammy’s songs include "Candy Man" "Me and My Shadow" (with Sinatra) and of course, "Mr. Bojangles," probably the best number of the show.
The Tony Savage Orchestra does a fine job of backing the trio (catch the bass player as he double times the beat neatly). The backup singers, Julia Mansfield-Cholico, Lea Marinelli and Shannon Cook off some nifty costumes and if their dancing is pretty much limited to lifting shoulders and swinging arms and an occasional vocal backup, they add some glitter to the show.And the dresses are form-fitting.
This is of course a family show, although the younger ones might not get the connection. The night I was there the audience was mostly on the senior side.
Tickets are available from $28.95 for adults and $23.95 for children and seniors. Dinner and show packages start at $38.95. For tickets to each show, please call (775) 786-5700 or (800) 648-5966. The Rat Pack show continues through March 21.
---Sam Bauman