The Rat Pack returns to Stoneham Theatre
Published on May 10th, 2006
STONEHAM, MA - For “Rat Pack Returns” Musical Director Lon Bronson, explaining the overwhelming success of the show is a multi-pronged exercise.
First there’s the nostalgic desire to harken back to what people living in the 21st Century perceived as a “simpler, easier time.”
“Even if it wasn’t simpler or better, people tend to look at it that way when you’re so far removed from it,” said Bronson. “The country was living in fear of a nuclear war, which was a totally different fear than the one posed in a post-9/11 world but a real one nonetheless.
“People tend to look back on it as a time with no worries when things weren’t quite as controversial or graphic as things are now, but I truly believe things weren’t any better or worse then,” added Bronson.
While the sense of nostalgia, whether genuine or perceived, certainly is a selling point for a show where four actors posing as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop sign, joke, dance and entertain like the Rat Pack only could, there’s also the true talent that any successful performer of that generation had to have in spades.
“What you have is four guys singing, performing, joking around and putting on a talent-driven show, which is something you just don’t see anywhere anymore,” said Bronson, who grew up in Keene, NH and got his start at a small club in Saugus in the 1980’s where he met up with producer Dick Feeney. “Even when you go to Vegas, there isn’t a lot of this type of entertainment anymore. To see something like this, you have to pay $150 a ticket to go see Celine Dion, so there isn’t a whole lot of choice in the matter.”
Feeney enlisted Bronson for a show he was producing in Hawaii, and a twenty plus year partnership was born — a partnership that brings Bronson home for the Stoneham Theatre run of the show.
“Coming back to Boston always feels like coming home to me, and I was definitely looking forward to coming back to the Stoneham Theatre [Bronson was the musical director during the first run of the show],” said Bronson. “For a show like this, Stoneham Theatre is probably the best venue to perform in. The theatre is a little smaller than many of the other venues and is such an intimate setting, it really adds a very distinct element that we don’t ever really get in other cities and other theatres.”
The wildly successful musical revue, “The Rat Pack Returns in the Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey and Dean,” will open May 10 for a three-week run at Stoneham Theatre in Stoneham, Massachusetts. The long-running Las Vegas production is produced by Sandy Hackett (son of comedian Buddy Hackett) and Dick Feeney.
Comedian Joey Bishop wrote much of the original material and authored the title.
“Joey contributed to this script and my dad (Buddy Hackett) contributed to the script,” says Sandy Hackett. Co-producer Feeney is a Rockland, Massachusetts, native and former member of the highly popular Boston-based bands, “The Lewis & Clark Expedition,” and “Gemini,” and has established himself in Las Vegas with the hit shows, “Viva Las Vegas,” “Forbidden Vegas,” and “Bottoms Up.” He is also owner of the “Flying Elvi,” the skydiving team made famous in the movie “Honeymoon in Vegas.”
Musical Director, Lon Bronson, was born and raised in Keene, New Hampshire, and studied at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston with an eclectic array of musical legends including Jaki Byaard, Robert Nagel and George Russell. Based in Las Vegas since 1985, Lon has performed with Dionne Warwick, the Four Tops, Elton John, Gladys Knight, Don Henley, David Foster, The Temptations, Bobby Vinton, Gloria Estefan, Frankie Valli and Wayne Newton. Lon was Musical Director and Band Leader for Comedy Central’s “Viva Variety, “ and composed, orchestrated and arranged music for all of the guest stars including Whoopi Goldberg, Charles Durning, Keenan Ivory Wayans and Shelly Long. Lon composed the Theme song for the Friars Club Roast of Drew Cary which airs annually on Comedy Central.
The Lon Bronson All-Star Band, based in Las Vegas, was featured on “The Ron White Show,” on WB and on the TBS special, “Earth to America,” both in 2005.
“The Rat Pack Returns in a Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey and Dean” features Johnny Edwards (Dean Martin), Mickey Joseph (Joey Bishop), Jonathan Poretz (Frank Sinatra) and Kenny Jones (Sammy Davis, Jr.) accompanied by a 12 piece big band. Songs include such favorites as “All of Me,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Angel Eyes,” “What Kind of Fool am I,” “That Old Black Magic,” “Me and My Shadow,” Mr. Bojangles,” “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head,” “That’s Amore,” and “Volare.”
The show runs May 10-28. Tickets are $42 adults, $36 students and seniors and are available by calling the box office at 781-279-2200 or ordering online at www.stonehamtheatre.org. Showtimes are:
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 7:30 pm
Friday, 8 pm
Saturday, 4 & 8 pm
Sunday, 2 pm
Stoneham Theatre is located at 395 Main Street in Stoneham, Massachusetts. The theatre is fully handicapped accessible and there is plenty of free parking. Parts of the Stoneham Theatre press release were used in this report.
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