The Rat Pack Live In Concert

Get ready to swing into the Golden Age of Hollywood and experience the timeless sounds of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr with The Rat Pack Live In Concert. Combining classic hits with incredible performances and captivating storytelling, a talented ensemble of vocalists and musicians will take you on a musical journey through the smooth vocals, infectious rhythms, and unforgettable melodies that made the Rat Pack a global sensation. With outstanding attention to detail, see the Rat Pack’s charisma and flair brought to life and be transported back to the glamorous days of Las Vegas and Hollywood. Featuring all of the Rat Pack’s timeless charm, this is an unforgettable night of entertainment that will have you reminiscing about this legendary legacy.

Based on the hit West End 1999 Flying Music production Frank, Sammy and Dean – The Rat Pack Live From Las Vegas, assistant producer for Showplanr Oliver Slee recently met with the DMA: “The aim of this tour is to bring a fresh and younger Frank, Dean and Sammy to new audiences,” he told us. It will still focus on the trio at their peak but, with a younger cast, Showplanr want to bring the Rat Pack’s music to a brand-new audience while still appealing to the older set. They will be on the road covering the UK until their final date for this summer tour on 28 July at Beck Theatre, Hayes.

Joseph O’Brien, who plays Frank Sinatra, is an exciting and dynamic vocalist with many years of experience performing across the UK and beyond in a wide variety of roles. Career highlights include working on his own material with the London production company The Next Room, and performing at the world renowned Sundance Film Festival. Alongside creating his own work, Joseph has a background in musical theatre, as well as being an accomplished guitarist.

Joseph has a real love for Ol’ Blue Eyes, and having performed his own tribute show to the man for many years, he is thrilled to be joining the cast of The Rat Pack Live In Concert to bring his passionate portrayal of Frank to a brand new audience.

Job Pedro Angus, joining Joseph as Sammy Davis Jr., is an actor, musician and dancer based in Coventry. Job trained at Identity School of Acting and Kingdom School of Arts. Job began his professional career at a young age, playing Young Sunny in Daddy Cool (West End) before going on to play Young Simba in The Lion King (West End) and Lost Child in Into the Hoods (West End). Job is also an accomplished musician and creates his own material, specializing in hip hop and dance tracks. Job is thrilled to be playing the legendary Sammy Davis Jr,. and grateful to be given the opportunity to tell his story.

Finally, we have Chris Weeks as Dean Martin. Chris came to Big Band music at a young age, singing with the Bucks County and National Youth Jazz Orchestras in his teens, before joining the two-time BBC Big Band Award winning Oxford University Jazz Orchestra as their male vocalist. He recently played Buddy Holly in the 30th Anniversary production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story and is currently the lead singer for The Bluejays, the UK’s finest rock and roll band. Chris also works extensively as a session singer specializing in Jazz, recently featuring on the soundtrack to the Academy Award-nominated film La Memoria Infinita and with guest vocal spots exceeding twenty million streams worldwide.

For more information and tour dates, please visit ShowPlanr.

The DMA’s Thomas Brady and Elliot Thorpe will both be at the 24 July show, and we’ll be bringing you their full reports, reviews and interviews with the cast and crew in Just Dino #426.

King Of Cool: A Brand New Original Documentary

King of Cool: The Dean Martin Story is a brand-new hour-long retrospective on the life of Dean Martin from Newsmax. Including never-before-seen clips and interviews from celebrities, family, friends and co-stars, including DMA president Elliot Thorpe, and with lots of surprises about Dean’s life, the program chronicles his journey from hard-scrabble upbringing to superstardom, from Italy to Las Vegas to Hollywood.

See it exclusively on Newsmax, Sunday 16 June 2024, 9pm ET

One of Hollywood’s most beloved legends, Dean Martin was an undeniable singing, acting and stage sensation. Renowned for his captivating looks, velvety voice, and incomparable charm, few names shine as brightly as this legendary and enduring performer.

Whether teamed with comedic partner Jerry Lewis, or alongside Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., as a key member of ‘The Rat Pack,’ Martin was a dynamic figure in entertainment for nearly half a century.

The Dean Martin Show was immensely popular, running on NBC for nearly a decade. His charisma, humor, and easy-going style endeared him to TV viewers across the country. With a drink in one hand and a beautiful woman on each arm, Dean Martin delighted audiences with his impeccable singing talent, comedic timing and on-screen magnetism.

He was the man every man wanted to be, and every woman wanted to be with. Join us as we celebrate the man behind the martini glass, and the indelible mark he left on the illustrious world of entertainment.

KING OF COOL: THE DEAN MARTIN STORY airs exclusively on Newsmax, 16 June 2024, 9pm ET. UK viewers can see it Tuesday 17 June 2024, 2am BST.

Roles To Play

The Rat Pack was the sum of its parts. ELLIOT THORPE considers what the key members each brought to the table…

Frank Sinatra was called Chairman of the Board because of his status within Reprise Records. It had nothing to do with his position as self-appointed leader of the legendary Rat Pack.

Nevertheless, he called the shots in both cases. There’s a great response from Dean when he was talking about appearing on stage at one point: he was only there because Frank told him he had to be!

It’s this tongue-in-cheek retort that belied an element of control that Sinatra wanted to convey, was able to convey. As a result, he was the guy that got things done. He’d pull everyone together to make a movie, to play at the Sands, to stand up for Sammy’s rights, to work in the recording studio. After all, someone had to be in charge, and Sinatra wasn’t the kind of person who would be told what to do. If anyone was going to do the telling, it’d be him!

Dean on the other hand, was quite literally the opposite. This wasn’t to say he was ever Sinatra’s patsy, but he knew his mind and knew what he wanted to do. Simply, he was less inclined to be actively pursuing engagements or film roles: he’d be quite happy to be approached, and from there he’d say yes or no. He would very easily say no to Sinatra if it wasn’t something he was comfortable with or didn’t interest him. On stage he’d be the joker, but he wouldn’t be the fool. He’d usually be the only one who’d never finish a song, would parody the lyrics and even interrupt Frank or Sammy’s solo performances. He was there to have a good time – and he’d make sure everyone else did to.

Sammy was the showman, the all-rounder. He could dance, sing, do impressions, even crack jokes to equal Dean. On many occasions, he and Dean would pair off and ridicule Frank. In many ways, Sammy was the glue of the group, crossing styles and disciplines with veritable ease. It’s telling that he is considered one of the ‘big three’ in the Rat Pack, because, out of the five, he was the most versatile. His influence casts long over the others, and rightly so.

Three hugely talented men; three vastly different styles; three expert entertainers. Together they were something akin to lightning in a bottle. Their like had never been seen before and will never be seen again.

Taken from the latest edition of JUST DINO, our official – and free! – monthly magazine. To subscribe to receive your digital copy, simply join our mailing list today.