Milwaukee Repertory Theater's 'Dino!' a convincing, compassionate view of singer Martin

It's 1970 inside the Stackner Cabaret these days, thanks to the Milwaukee Repertory Theater's new production of Armen Pandora's "Dino! An Evening with Dean Martin."

Directed by Jonathan Hetler, the show features Broadway veteran Tally Sessions in the title role, which he inhabits quite convincingly. Sessions is accompanied by pianist and guitarist PJ Ju, who also served as music director and arranger. Ju utters no lines, but interacts with Sessions' character throughout the show, while adding some wonderfully stylish “lounge piano.”

Sessions creates a warm, affable Martin, speaking to the audience comfortably and conversationally, telling the fascinating story of Martin’s life, and his circuitous route to become a member of the famed Rat Pack.

He explains, and does a masterful impression of, the persona and the slightly slurred, laconic drawl Martin created for that persona. He sports Martin’s trademark shoe-black hair, curling onto his forehead, and explains how these traits helped him build a career.

But the real selling feature is the rich, versatile baritone voice Sessions brings to the role. He has an easy vocal quality similar to Martin’s. He croons comfortably in the middle and high-ish regions of his vocal range, dipping into a rich, velvety low register, just as Martin did, although with a tendency to ride a bit sharp on sustained notes.

After a few local references to place the show in Milwaukee in 1970, Sessions makes his way through thoroughly engaging renditions of tunes Martin sang, including: “That’s Amore,” “Volare” (actual title: “Nel blu dipinto di blu”) “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” and much more, working the room like a lounge-act pro.

The show covers Martin’s roots as Dino Paul Crocetti, who was born into an Italian family in Steubenville, Ohio, looking at his early, brief career as a boxer, and then as a struggling performer.

It covers Martin’s long associations with Jerry Lewis and Frank Sinatra, touches on the Rat Pack era and deals quite sensitively with his three marriages and his deliberate distance from most of Hollywood life.

In short, the show and Session’s work in it combine to create a fascinating, dimensional, humorous, and touching look at an entertainment icon of the twentieth century, with a lot of compassion.

The show’s set, designed by Sydney Lynne, bears a bit of resemblance to the small stage of the famed Purple Room in Palm Springs, which Martin, Sinatra and others of the Rat Pack crew played frequently.

If you go

Milwaukee Repertory Theatre performs "Dino! An Evening with Dean Martin" through March 19 at the Stackner Cabaret, 108 E. Wells St. For tickets, visit www.milwaukeerep.com, or call (414) 224-9490.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Repertory Theater's 'Dino!' a convincing salute to singer