___________________

Arts in Review

 by Carol Davis
                     ___________________________________

I Left My Heart, a tribute to Tony Bennett,
is a nostalgic success at Welk Resort Theatre
 

Tony Bennett may have left his heart in San Francisco, but I left mine in Escondido after sitting through the musical tribute to him, I Left My Heart, now in a most enjoyable production at the Welk Resort Theatre in Escondido.

I know it may sound corny, but yours truly is a sucker for  all that sentimental balderdash, especially when my memory bank takes me back to those innocent days of my youth. With songs like “Boulevard of Broken Dreams," “Because of You," “Stranger in Paradise," and “The Best Is Yet To Come (and that’s just the first set), how can an old ditty like me not get sentimental over these tunes?

When Frank Sinatra called Tony Bennett “the greatest singer in the world,” I don’t know that I could totally agree with him, but he surely left his mark over the years. Sinatra is also credited with suggesting the name change from Anthony Benedetto to Tony Bennett.


LEFT THEIR HEARTS—Danon Kirsche, left; Kevin McMahon and Eric Kuntz salute Tony Bennett

I Left My Heart, conceived by David Grapes and Todd Olsen with book by Todd Olsen, is being performed by three of the best-looking, best-sounding young talent around. Directed by Nick DeGruccio, it stars Damon Kirsche, Eric Kunze and Kevin McMahon. They don’t try to sound, look or act like Bennett.  They just sing Bennett and they do it professionally and seem to be having fun at the same time.

All three tenors have amazing credits to their bios and between them they have performed in at least 50 musical revues, Broadway musical revivals and/or touring shows both here and in other cities. McMahon just appeared in The Full Monty which was here two months ago; Kirsche was recently seen at the Welk in the tribute to Frank Sinatra in My Way, and Kunze starred in the National Touring show  of Jesus Christ Superstar. No slackers here.

The setup is quite simple. Nick Fouch’s set is a platform for the great band with steps on either side of the stage for the performers to move around; somewhat like a nightclub or cabaret. On one side, at the bottom of the stairs, is a ‘bar’ and on the other side a cocktail table with two leather chairs for the performers to sit during some of the numbers. Curtains are draped in the background and Jennifer Edwards-Northover’s lighting is both subtle and on target. The performers take turns singing either solo, duet or harmonizing, sounding somewhat like “The Forever Plaids” of which McMahon was a member.

The original piano/vocal arrangements are by Vince di Mura. The band performing at Welk is made up of Ted Hughart on bass, Mike Masessa on drums, Jack Houghton on trumpet while Justin Gray on piano is the music director. Each of these musicians had an opportunity to give us a little of their specialtyand they are terrific.

There are no less than 33 arrangements of his greatest hits, with a few anecdotes thrown in (like the one about his voice) all performed in 85 min. with no intermission. The featured music is by some of the best composers we know: Gershwin; Ellington; Arlen; Porter; Mercer, and  Berlin.

The numbers are arranged  in the different stages of Bennett’s  40-year  career. ‘The early years’, ‘A tribute to friends parts I, II and III’. ‘The Film Set’, ‘Crazy Rhythm Set’, ‘The Quiet Set’ and ‘The Last Blast’. Believe me, you don’t have to recognize any of these particular time frames to know that the 80-year-old Bennett is still going strong and managed to survive The Beatles, The Punker’s and anything else that came his way. This “Rags to Riches” guy did it ‘His Way’. He might have “Left His Heart in San Francisco” but he is still “A Lucky So and So”.

As a sidebar it was interesting to note that (Benedetto) Bennett,was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1944 during WWII and there he served as a replacement infantryman in the 63rd Infantry Division in France and Germany where he narrowly escaped death several times. At the end of the war he was involved in the liberation of a Nazi concentration camp near Landsberg. He was also outspoken about the Army’s racial segregation policies which led him to a demotion in rank and a reassignment. In 1949 Pearl Bailey asked him to open for her in Greenwich Village. In 1950 he cut a demo and was assigned to Columbia Records by Mitch Miller.

For an afternoon or evening of just pure nostalgia and entertainment, I Left My Heart  should fill the bill nicely. It plays through July 8.

See you at the theatre.