Musical revue pays tribute to Sinatra in Carmel

Mark Ambrogi

November 05, 2009 by Mark Ambrogi | Star staff

0 votes

E ver since the Actors Theatre of Indiana performed a musical tribute to Frank Sinatra in its debut production in 2005, fans have been clamoring for more.

They’re getting their wish now. The Actors Theatre of Indiana began a two-week run of “My Way” on Wednesday at the new Carmel Community Playhouse at Clay Terrace.

“You don’t want to bring back the same show unless it’s a holiday tradition like ‘The Nutcracker’ or whatever,” said Don Farrell, who acts and directs in the show. “We’ve been waiting and waiting, and we decided for our fifth season we could bring that one back.”

The Actors Theatre of Indiana, which has an office in Carmel, is renting the space from Carmel Community Players. Farrell said it is a more intimate setting than the group is used to performing in, with a capacity of around 130. It is general admission seating.

“Up to this point, we’ve been presenting all around Indiana, whether it’s Zionsville Performing Acts Center or Pike Performing Arts Center or Downtown at the Indiana Historical Society,” Farrell said.

Farrell said he had approached Clay Terrace about space when his group first started, but the timing wasn’t right for the Simon Group then.

“At the time, they had plenty of tenants,” Farrell said. “But now the economy flipped; they had vacancies. So the Carmel Community Players approached them, and their timing was right, ours wasn’t. It seems to be working well. The restaurants are loving it because people are staying, and they’re great restaurants.”

Farrell lives in Westfield with his wife, Judy Fitzgerald, who also is acting in the four-person show.

The other performers are Cynthia Collins, Westfield, and Jon Lambert, Anderson. Farrell, his wife and Collins are co-founders of Actors Theatre of Indiana. The production, conceived by David Grapes and Todd Olson, features nearly 60 classic songs from Sinatra’s collection. A three-piece combo band accompanies the actors.

A fundraising Sinatra tribute will be Nov. 21 at The Mansion at Oak Hill in Carmel. There will be cocktails, dinner, dancing, and silent and live auctions. Tickets are $85.

“We’re still going to be paying tribute to Sinatra, but instead of us doing all the singing, dancing and telling stories, we’re going to let the audience get up and dance to the music,” Farrell said. “It’s going to be more of a supper club-type of thing.”

Categories: Westfield, Hamilton County, Communities

Tags: 

carmel community players, sinatra tribute, community playhouse, debut production, jon lambert, actors theatre, don farrell, clay terrace, cynthia collins, musical tribute, simon group, todd olson, holiday tradition, general admission, wife judy, classic songs, fifth season, oak hill, westfield, Communities, Frank Sinatra, Indiana Historical Society, hamilton county

Follow this thread

0 comments

or register to leave a comment.

Logo_colophon

© 2009 Star Media
All rights reserved.

Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, updated December 2008.