Start spreadin' the news — dreamy Fowler Black sings Sinatra as My Way opens at the Market House Theatre this weekend! It's the theatre's 45th anniversary, and Fowler channels a young Frank Sinatra for 14 — count 'em, 14 — performances.This musical tribute to ol' Blue Eyes features other theatre veterans and fabulous vocalists Victoria Parrish, Cheri Paxton and David Jernigan. The show is packed with 59 songs including hits like "Strangers in the Night," "New York, New York," "Chicago," "That’s Life" and, of course, "My Way."
MHT Artistic Director Michael Cochran directs and designs the play, Patt Lynch is the musical director, Denise Bristol is the stage manager and Jim Keeney is the technical director.
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| Fowler Black, Cheri Paxton, David Jernigan and Victoria Parrish |
But, back to Fowler. We caught up with him the other day and posed a few questions about his thoughts on Sinatra. Here's a look:
Fowler Black, you are cute, cute, cute, no doubt about it! Why did you want to be in this show?
The present day baritone voice that I admire most is that of Michael Bublé. It was Bublé that attracted me to the music of Frank Sinatra. He echoes the likes of Sinatra with a young twist. And for the past few years, I've jumped at any chance to sing big band jazz music, even in the karaoke atmosphere, which is a stretch. When MHT announced auditions for My Way, auditioning was a no-brainer.
What's your favorite Sinatra song?First of all, I have to admit that My Way exposed how few Sinatra songs I actually knew. He recorded more than 1,300 songs, and David, Cheri, Victoria and I sing pieces of only 56 of them. Of those 56 songs, I knew only a fraction.
"New York, New York" has a special place in my heart because it reminds me of my grandmother, Ginny Black, who was a New York City native. But it’s the tight, dissonant harmony in quartet singing that really is my favorite.
What's your favorite line from a Sinatra song?
“Grab your coat and get your hat, leave your worries at the doorstep. Just direct your feet to the sunny side of the street.”
Good one! What is it about Frank Sinatra that you've come to love so much?
Frank Sinatra embodies the art of singing with depth of feeling. In college, I learned that music is more than notes. Incorporating musical qualities like phrasing, nuance, articulation and expression takes music to another level.
The way a singer uses these qualities creates artistic style. Frank Sinatra mastered and created artistic style that is distinct only to him. New York Daily News columnist David Hinckley captured it when he wrote that Sinatra had “instinct for enhancing a lyric without stepping on it.”
I love his music because he found a way of singing that made the listener feel and experience the music rather than just listen to it.
Sinatra sang music that made people believe that he’s singing directly to you. Victoria has a line in the show that says, “Someone once asked Sinatra the secret to his success. He said three words: ‘Sing good songs.’” Then he took the songs and made them seem personal and vitally important. Combine that with the fact that Sinatra is shorthand for an era and culture that is bygone and sentimental in people's minds, and it’s easy to see a formula for a loved icon.
Well, speaking of loved icon, Fowler Black, you are DARLING. We can't wait to see you on stage!
