Dinosaurs once roamed the earth. In the 1960s, Dean Martin roamed the earth.

Hey pallies, likes almost daily and likes sometimes multiply times daily, our pallies at google Dino-'lerts send us announcements of Dino-emulation from all 'round the Dino-universe and those excellent examples of deep deep Dino-devotion likes hardly ever gets turned into Dino-grams here at our humble little ilovedinomartin waterin' hole.  Why?.....many of use Dino-philes might quire.

The plain and simple fact is that if we pattered on each and every beautiful bit of Dino-adulation we would never gets 'round to sharin' all the other largely lovin' ways that the name of our most most most beloved Dino gets lifted up all over the ol' world wide web.

That said pallies, today we are makin' an eager except 'cause we have found a deeply delightful, remarkable review of a Dino-review takin' place from now 'til February 2 in the swank state of Florida, Sarasota to be precise.  From the online presence of "YourObserver.com." from the powerful pen of supreme scriber Mr. Marty Fugate (pictured on the right) comes his ravin' revelatory review tagged "FST swings into its new season with a Dean Martin revue - That’s Amoré!' raises a glass to Martin’s musical legacy at Florida Studio Theatre."

From the opennin' two sentences of Mr. Fugate's (which we have chosen to use to tag this post) we keenly knew that this premier production is coolly chocked full of awesome amore for our King of Cool.  And as we readily read on, we also keenly knew that this reverent review must be passed on to deservin' Dino-holics everywhere.  We ain't gonna goes on much longer with this patter 'cause we deeply desires that all youse Dino-devotees read it for your Dino-own.  We would highlight that this potent production, as Marty noteworthy notes is "packed with fun facts"....facts 'bout our one and only Dino.  Likes how fantastically fabulous to not only hear a ton of our Dino's coolest croons, but to grow deeper in Dino-edification accentin' the life, the times, and the teachin's of our Dino!

We heartily herald wise and wonderful writer Mr. Marty Futage and the pallies at "YourObserver.com" for sharin' this premier prose with the larger Dino-world.  Hats off as well to all the fine folks at Florida Studio Theatre for this tremendous tribute to our mighty majestic marvelous Dino.  To checks this out in it's original format and see the plentiful photos of the Dino-review, simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-report.  And, likes if youse clicks HERE you will be taken to the home pad of Flordia Studio Theatre where then are more rare reviews of this perfect production a la Dino.

We Remain,

Yours In Dino,

Dino Martin Peters


FST swings into its new season with a Dean Martin revue

That’s Amoré!' raises a glass to Martin’s musical legacy at Florida Studio Theatre.

by: Marty Fugate Contributor

Dinosaurs once roamed the earth. In the 1960s, Dean Martin roamed the earth. To a kid growing up in the 1960s, he seemed like a living fossil. What was the big deal? “That’s Amoré!” answers the question in FST’s latest cabaret production.


Richard and Rebecca Hopkins’ revue features a singing/dancing quartet backed up by Andrew Deeb on drums and Jim Prosser on piano. The singer/actors aren’t in character but tend to gravitate to certain roles. Roughly speaking, Mike Backes is the default Dean Martin; Nick Anastasia is Jerry Lewis; Nygel D. Robinson is a universal Mr. Cool; and Emily Dennis is Marilyn Monroe — or whatever powerful woman was drawn to the Rat Pack’s orbit.

As always, the show is packed with fun facts. You learn that Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti) started out as a critically despised Bing Crosby imitator and found commercial and critical success after he found his own groove. He loved not wisely but too well. Martin had three wives and eight children — one of whom died in a tragic plane accident. Martin also loved alcohol but played it up as part of his tipsy, playboy image. (Those martini glasses were often filled with apple juice.) Along with a great voice, Martin was blessed with a photogenic face. That face appeared in a string of hit movies. On TV, Martin teamed up with Jerry Lewis in the “Martin and Lewis Show” in the 1950s. Martin didn’t get along with the wired workaholic, and they famously split. Lewis was conspicuously absent from “The Dean Martin Show,” which ran from 1965 to 1974. In Las Vegas, Martin famously teamed up with Joey Bishop, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford and others. The press called them “The Rat Pack.” They called themselves “The Summit,” when Davis nixed the notion of “The Clan.” And did we mention Martin’s hits?

The first act kicks off with “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head,” pitches “Pennies from Heaven” and nods to “The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane,” who presumably worked “That Old Black Magic.” Martin’s surrogates protest “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love.” The titular “That’s Amoré” affirms that Martin had plenty of love to share.

The second act sings the praises of Martin’s Italian heritage with “Mambo Italiano” and “Volaré.” But love is the universal language. “I Wanna Be Loved By You,” “Everybody Loves Somebody” and “You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves Loves You” prove Martin was fluent in it.

The Hopkins’ revue cleverly illustrates Martin’s biography with his music. “What Would You Do Without Me” becomes an ode to his spats with Lewis. The various love anthems sing the flings of Martin’s hungry heart (and the affairs, divorces and remarriages that ensued).

Catherine Randazzo directs with the snappy pace and winking wit you might have seen on Martin’s variety show. (Or “Laugh-in,” which it spawned.) The singing actors are winning in their loosely worn characters. The scenes where Martin and Lewis tangle are particularly funny. Anastasia’s Lewis comes off as a manic Chihuahua nipping at the bulldog heels of Backes’ Martin. Robinson is too cool for school and plays a mean cello. Dennis’ bombshell character fearlessly crashes the boy’s club. (And she plays a mean cello too.)

If You Go
When: Through Feb. 2

Where: FST Court Cabaret, 1265 First St.

Tickets: $34-$39

Info: Call 366-9000.

Susan Angermann’s costumes (tuxes for the guys and poured-into evening gowns for Dennis) crisply capture the lush life of the era. Darren Server’s music direction and Prosser’s arrangements pick up the pace on the lounge lizard tunes.

You’re in for an entertaining evening. This celebration of the Dean Martin songbook doesn’t take itself too seriously. But it proves a serious point …

Martin was of his time.

But his music is far from extinct, baby.