Oh by gosh, by golly, it's 'Sinatra' and friends at the Lamp
Veteran entertainer John Noble knows his Frank Sinatra.
Some would say that when the Hempfield resident channels ‘Ol Blue Eyes, as he does so successfully throughout the region to benefit many good causes, he IS Sinatra.
The former president of the Westmoreland County Bar Association, though, prefers to think of himself as “Almost Sinatra,” a stage persona he has adopted and which has proven to be a solid homage to one of the most iconic singers in the history of contemporary music.
While Noble has drawn from the Sinatra canon in many different contexts, he says he has not had many opportunities to publicly perform Sinatra’s Christmas songs.
That’s about to change Dec. 14 when he takes the stage at the Lamp Theatre in Irwin for “Christmas With Sinatra and Friends,” produced and presented by Stage Right! Greensburg.
“This is exciting for me,” says Noble. “I have enjoyed performing his rendition of ‘I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm’ and I love his big-band orchestration of ‘Santa Claus is coming to Town.’”
Immediately on board
When Stage Right artistic director Tony Marino approached him about a Sinatra Christmas Show for this, the performing arts company’s year-long 20th anniversary celebration, Noble says he was immediately on board.
He co-wrote the show with Marino.
“I’ll be backed by none other than the marvelous Murphy’s Music Center’s Big Band (of Vandergrift), Sinatra ‘Friends,’ including Tony and Renata Marino, my son J. Alex and daughter Elly Noble Carr, an ensemble comprised of older teens from Stage Right, including Anthony Marino and Grace Rusnica,” Noble says.
“It’s hard to believe it has been 20 years. I just did my 65th main stage production with Stage Right. Whew!” he adds.
Neighborly feel
Noble has performed two previous Sinatra shows at the Lamp with the Murphy Band and “Friends,” presenting the story of the singer’s life, initially on Dec. 12, 2015 — Sinatra’s 100th birthday — with an encore performance in 2016.
‘‘I love the neighborly feel of downtown Irwin and how the Lamp has so quickly become a beacon of live entertainment, literally via the fabulous marquee, for the surrounding communities,” he says.
“Inside, they’ve done a terrific job remodeling the lobby and auditorium, with comfortable theater seating at very reasonable prices,” he adds. “And the pending courtyard/dining car project will clearly add to the unique downtown Irwin entertainment experience. The Lamp is a wonderful venue, whether you’re on stage or in the audience. I give those who brought the Lamp to light a standing ovation.”
It is a Sinatra-worthy venue, he implies, and Noble plans, with some classy help from his friends, to hold the former Chairman of the Board’s flag high.
No shortage of songs
The repertoire is all holiday songs, mostly Sinatra.
“There’s also songs like Dean (Martin)’s ‘Baby, it’s Cold Outside,’ Mel Torme’s ‘The Christmas Song,’ Judy Garland’s ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ and, of course, Bing (Crosby)’s ‘White Christmas,’ for example, all the songs you want to hear,” Noble says.
There is no shortage of Sinatra holiday songs that can be called definitively his, where his version is the standard by which that holiday tune is judged, Noble says.
“His album is loaded with ‘his’ holiday standards. There are so many,” he adds.
They include “Jingle Bells” and Sinatra’s phrasing, “I love those j-i-n-g-l-e bells. Oh!,” he says; “Mistletoe and Holly,” with Sinatra’s emphasis on “Oh, by gosh, by golly!” … and “The Christmas Waltz” with Sinatra’s line: “Frost-ed window panes, candles gleaming inside …..” and ‘I’ll be home for Christmas.”
“None are as big as Bing’s ‘White Christmas’ of course, but what is?” Noble says.
As with every piece of music, Christmas or otherwise, he adds, Sinatra delivered a style, flare, phrasing, attitude – “Call it what you will,” he says — front and center. In other words, Noble says, “He had swag.”
Put that – please! — in your holiday stocking!
Rex Rutkoski is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.
