Three long-gone entertainers are finding new life as their Las Vegas act is reborn for the first time tonight (Tuesday) on an Iowa stage. “The Rat Pack Live at the Sands” recreates the glitz of a 1962 show featuring a 15-piece band backing Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Junior, the latter, portrayed by actor David Hayes. “I always admired (Davis’) abilities and his talent. I would say he was definitely my entertainment hero.”
The 49-year-old Hayes says he’s spent years perfecting Davis’ dancing, singing and on-stage wise-cracking patter. The show’s been overseas since 2002 and is now making only its second stop in the U.S. at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. Hayes says the London show continued to sell-out as audiences there, as in the U.S., still love the power trio of Sinatra, Martin and Davis.
Hayes says “All these guys are very complicated individuals but it’s mainly about the music and we’re taking people back to the 60s, the music, the era, from a political perspective. We don’t dwell on certain things but we hit on certain issues. It’s like a musical history lesson.”
An Oregon native, Hayes won accolades on the West Coast for his one-man show portraying Sammy Davis Junior, mirroring his multidimensional skills, style and stage presence. Hayes says “I would consider myself pretty much what Sammy did. He was a versatile entertainer and he was an entertainer first before he was anything else. He was a dancer, singer, impressionist, musician. With this, there’s acting, there’s a lot of things. There’s improvisation as well.” The show is at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines through Sunday. For more information, surf to “www.civiccenter.org”.
Related web sites:
Civic Center of Greater Des Moines