Wednesday, April 17, 2013

.....a world premiere musical celebration of Dean Martin's life, DINO! An Evening with Dean Martin at the Latin Casino.



Hey pallies, likes the Dino-news just keeps gettin' more and more marvelous  likes all the Dino-time!  Likes dudes, likes I am totally totally pumped by this  swank Dino-report from the news desk of the web presence of  "Broadway World."   From the cradle of liberty, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania comes liberatin' news that a brand spankin' new musical based on the life, times, and teachin's of our most beloved Dino is likes soon to premiere at the Walnut Street Theatre's  Independence Studio on 3.

Gloriously tagged, " DINO! An Evening with Dean Martin at the Latin Casino," the musical is written by Armen Pandola and directed by Fran Prisco.  This production is simply not just 'nother musical performance by 'nother Dino-emulater....it is a full blown theatre piece scribed by Pandola who is a self-proclaimed "lifelong fan of Dean Martin."  Starrin' as our main man is Tony nominated actor  Mr. Nat Chandler.

Likes I coulda goes on and on 'bout this amazin' world premiere Dino-musical, but likes all the grand and glorious details are below.  ilovedinomartin is thrilled to share this wondrous news with all youse Dino-holics and likes hopes many many of us will be able to pilgrimage to Phili to see this homagin' of our most beloved Dino.  Hats off to the all the pallies at Walnut Street Theatre's Independence Studio on 3 for producin' this world class Dino-entertainment' to Mr. Armen Pandola for scribin' the show, and to Mr. Nat Chandler for bringin' our Dino to life. 

To checks this article out at its orginal pad, simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-report.  Dino-psyched, DMP




Walnut Street Theatre's 2012-2013 Independence Studio on 3 season concludes with a world premiere musical celebration of Dean Martin's life, DINO! An Evening with Dean Martin at the Latin Casino. Written by Armen Pandola and directed by Fran Prisco, the production begins with previews on April 30th, opens May 2nd and continues through June 23rd in the Walnut's Independence Studio on 3.


It's 1978 and Dean Martin is scheduled to perform at the Latin Casino. A severe blizzard blankets the East Coast, and Dino's band gets stuck out of town. Rather than disappoint his fans, Dean Martin treats them to a special performance as he weaves personal stories through his classic hits, including "Ain't That A Kick In The Head," "Everybody Loves Somebody" and "That's Amore." For a short while, the man behind the legend reveals the humor, warmth and casual cool that marked his rise from his gritty childhood in Steubenville, Ohio to become one of the biggest legends in entertainment.

DINO! is a world premiere play by South Philadelphia's Armen Pandola. Most recently at the Walnut, he both co-wrote and performed in the 2010 world premiere of The Prince. He also received the Walnut Street Theatre's Edwin Forrest Playwriting Award in 2006 for Forrest: A Riot of Dreams. Pandola is a lifelong fan of Dean Martin, having grown up listening to his many hits and watching his popular TV show. He noted, "In this play, audiences will get a rare look at Dino Paul Crocetti, the man who loved family, golf and singing. The songs Dean made famous had a huge impact on his life, on and off stage. Each song tells us a part of his incredible story, going from an Italian-only speaking childhood to becoming the coolest star in the world. Dean brought his own style to many of the most popular songs of all time, marking them forever as 'Dino songs.' They'll be heard throughout the evening."

Fran Prisco returns to the Walnut in the role of director. He is no stranger to the theatre having most recently performed on the Mainstage as Marcellus in Meredith Willson's The Music Man. Prisco also directed and performed in the wildly popular Studio 3 production of My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra in 2011. David Jenkins (Plaid Tidings, Rodgers and Hammerstein's A Grand Night for Singing) joins Prisco as music and vocal director.

With effortless charm and style, Nat Chandler returns to the Walnut to play Dean Martin. Walnut audiences will remember Chandler as the title roles in Phantom and Camelot. His Broadway credits include Sir Percival Blakeney in the Tony nominated musical The Scarlet Pimpernel. He was last seen on Broadway in the Stephen Sondheim tribute Children and Art, and appeared in the City Center Encores! production of The Ziegfeld Follies of 1936. Off-Broadway, Chandler played the role of Roy Darwin in the Obie Award-winning Counsellor at Law and created the role of Tony Toscanini in Tales of Tinseltown. He has toured nationally in productions including The Phantom of the Opera (Raoul), Camelot starring Robert Goulet (Lancelot), The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber with Sarah Brightman and The King and I starring Yul Brynner (Lun Tha). As an actor, a concert performer and an opera singer, Chandler has performed on stages including Huntington, Colonial and Wang Center (Boston); The MUNY (St. Louis); The Fox (Atlanta, Detroit and St. Louis); Saenger Theatre (New Orleans); Sacramento CLO (Sacramento); Heinz Hall (Pittsburgh); Meyerson Symphony Hall (Dallas); The Jackie Gleason (Miami); The Kennedy Center (Washington, DC); Auditorium Theatre (Chicago); Forrest Theatre (Philadelphia); Maine State Music Theatre (Brunswick, ME); Fulton Theatre (Lancaster) and The Goodspeed Opera House (East Haddam, CT).

Led by Set Designer Glen Sears (The Prescott Method, The Mousetrap, Plaid Tidings), the creative team will transform Studio 3 into a lounge inspired by the Latin Casino in all its golden glory. Lighting Designer Amanda Kircher returns having designed for Walnut's touring production of Around the World in 80 Days. Costume Designer Mary Folino (The Mousetrap, The Prescott Method) will recreate Dino's sleek 1970's style. Zacha

Creative team: Director: FRAN PRISCO; Music and Vocal Director: David Jenkins; Set Design: GLEN SEARS; Lighting Design: AMANDA KIRCHER; Costume Design: MARY FOLINO; Sound Design: ZACHARY BROWN; and Stage Manager: ANGELA CUCCO.ry Brown (Around the World in 80 Days, Ethel!) returns to the Walnut as Sound Designer.

DINO! An Evening with Dean Martin at the Latin Casino by Armen Pandola, will run April 30 - June 23, 2013, with press opening slated for Thursday, May 2 at 7:30pm, at the Walnut Street Theatre, Independence Studio on 3, 825 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. The show plays Tuesday - Sunday evenings at 7:30 PM; Saturday matinees at 2:30 PM; and Sunday matinees at 2:30 PM.

Tickets are $35 - $45 and are now available at 215-574-3550 or 800-982-2787. Tickets are also available at WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster.com.

Pictured: Nat Chandler in DINO! An Evening with Dean Martin at the Latin Casino. Photo courtesy of Walnut Street Theatre.



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