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Sunny Sings Sinatra charms at Crepe, new cabaret shows open at Thumper's, Intiman opens Gay-themed Tricky Part

Sunny Sings Sinatra charms at Crepe, new cabaret shows open at Thumper's, Intiman opens Gay-themed Tricky Part
by Milton W. Hamlin - SGN A&E Writer "Summer in the City," a classic rock 'n' roll oldie, suddenly means "Summer Cabaret In Seattle" as new cabaret shows open almost weekly this month at Thumper's and Crepe de Paris, the Emerald City's two major cabaret stages. The off-Broadway chamber musical, John & Jen, raised its financing through a cabaret benefit several weeks back-its limited run ends this weekend but it is a show worth seeking out. Intiman Theatre opens its Gay-themed The Tricky Part tonight with previews and the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society opens its production of Patience, the musical send-up of Oscar Wilde, tonight-it's another great week for "Bits & Bytes" and for local entertainment fans. SUNNY SINGS SINATRA OPENS AT CREPE DE PARIS The most entertaining cabaret show in Seattle is undoubtedly Sunny Sings Sinatra continuing through the summer at the Crepe de Paris restaurant in downtown Seattle at Rainier Square. The new show spotlights dozens of Sinatra hits in a delightful showcase the spotlights Sunny, the single named performer who is married to Seattle-based entertainment producer Greg Thompson. The lavish physical production remains centered on the songs of the singer once known as "The Voice." Also known as "The Chairman of the Board," "Ol' Blues Eyes," "The Leader of the (Rat) Pack" (and some unprintable names from his numerous show business enemies), Francis Albert Sinatra died in 1998 but "his legacy will live on," a trite phrase but clearly an honest one in this case. For this Sinatra salute, Crepe de Paris receives a charming "That's Italian" makeover, complete with red-and-white checkered tables cloths, dripping candles in Chianti bottles, plastic grapes festooned from the ceiling. For summer weekends, Crepe de Paris becomes Crepe de Italiano with the dinner-and-show Italian menu reflecting the seasonal change. Sunny, the star of the evening, has a charming voice and a winning personality. Her earlier Crepe de Paris cabaret, Sunny & Her Seven Blondes, used Seattle as the launching point for the hit show which appeared under various names in Reno and other venues that feature Greg Thompson Productions, a company which is based in Seattle but builds shows for cruise ships and other casino and nightclub destinations. Clearly Thompson and Sunny plan to send the lavish Sunny Sings Sinatra out on the circuit. The show is a virtual list of Sinatra's greatest hits. Only his late-in-career "My Way" is missing-a wise choice for the vivacious, upbeat Sunny. The show opens with a clever pun-Sinatra singing "On The Sunny Side Of The Street" on video. Sunny enters, a blaze of glitz and glamour with her bright blonde hair and a sunning, one-shouldered lipstick-pink dress with art deco swirls of pink sequins. In a marvel of modern day technology, the video clip of Sinatra and a big band continues as pianist Scott Warrender, Sunny's musical director, joins in on the musical accompaniment as the recorded big band sound continues. The segue from taped music to live piano is flawless, like all of the technical work on the show. Sunny starts the evening with "Nice Work If You Can Get It," the classic Gershwin tune that summarizes the evening-on stage and off. Perched on the piano in the radiant pink dress, Sunny continues with "You're Just Too Marvelous For Words." It's a classic cabaret moment and it works beautifully here-a charming, talented vocalist, dressed to kill, sitting on the grand piano with a skilled keyboard artist bringing out every nuance of the song. A quick salute to the young Sinatra follows, the band vocalist who worked with-and for-Tommy Dorsey. "I'll Never Smile Again," "My Sweet Embraceable You," "Time After Time"-transport the near-capacity crowd back to the 1940s when the young Sinatra was "The Voice" and made bobbysoxers swoon. Sunny skips the late '40s for a time warp to the early 1950s when Sinatra was on the middle of a career meltdown. His tempestuous, scandalous marriage to Ava Gardner was weekly tabloid fodder and Sinatra simply could not get a job. To reestablish his career, Sinatra begged his influential mob friends to help him get the role of Maggio in the film version of From Here To Eternity. His MGM salary was $150,000 a film. For Columbia's Eternity, Sinatra happily accepted $8,000. He went on to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, an award which rebuilt his Hollywood and recording career. Johnny Mercer, a long time friend and composer, recruited Sinatra to join the then-new Capitol Records where their long running collaboration put "Ol' Blues Eyes" back at the top of the charts. Sunny's "I Get A Kick Out Of You," "Witchcraft," "Just One Of Those Things," "You Make Me Feel So Young," "Come Fly With Me" are highlights of the evening. When Mercer encouraged the established Sinatra to work with an up-and-coming conductor and arranger, Nelson Riddle, then just 27 years old, history was made. The recording session for 1955's "Learning The Blues" required 31 takes, Sunny tells us in her charming narrative, but it produced Sinatra's biggest hit for Capitol. She sings it beautifully. Through technology, Sunny then joins Sinatra for a series of duets. The uncredited original female singer is simply deleted and Sunny-in living color-sings with The Chairman Of The Board in black-and-white. "A Foggy Day In London Town," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" and "Daddy (I Want A Diamond Ring, Bracelets, Everything)" showcase Sunny. A quick costume change brings Sunny back to the Crepe stage in a pinstripe suit complete with a black fedora. "The Saloon Songs of Johnny Mercer" offers a quiet-but often swinging-tribute to the poignant, late-night side of Sinatra. "Blues In The Night," "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)," "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning" give the cabaret tribute a heartfelt finale of hits. A video tribute to Sinatra while Sunny enchants with "You Can't Take That Away From Me" is an emotional highlight for Sinatra fans in the audience. A swinging "New York, New York" ends the evening, a terrific windup to a terrific show. Sunny Sings Sinatra has some slow moments that are likely to disappear as the show is tightened and revised, especially for future bookings. A quick reprise of Sunny & Her Seven Blondes gives the talented performer a chance to bring Mae West, Dolly Parton, Marilyn Monroe and Joan Rivers back center stage for a few moments, but it dilutes the Sinatra focus. An extended "home movie" video of Sunny Plays Golf (her one encounter with the Sinatra legend) is far too long and lacks the impact the performer and producer