New Sinatra musical to open in West End in 2018
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| By
James Astles
The Ambassador Theatre Group is to produce a brand new stage musical based on the life of the legendary Frank Sinatra, in partnership with Stewart Till and Frank Sinatra Enterprises.
The show, which is planned to open in 2018, will feature a number of timeless hit songs from Sinatra’s incredible catalogue of over 1400 tracks recorded during his illustrious career. Script development for the Frank Sinatra musical is planned to start shortly.
Adam Speers of Ambassador Theatre Group said: “Frank Sinatra was the greatest singer of the 20th century and one of the world’s most iconic show business legends. I’m delighted to be working in partnership with Stewart and Frank Sinatra Enterprises to bring his incredible journey to the stage.
“The task of writing the book for this musical will not be easy, as we have such a wealth of material to choose from. Sinatra’s life is fascinating – from his humble beginnings in New Jersey as the only child of Italian parents, through his rise to stardom, first as a chart-topping recording artist, selling over 150 million records worldwide and then as an Oscar award-winning Hollywood film star.
“Then there were the Rat Pack days and his partnership with Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. And let’s not forget his personal life, which included friendships with American Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, as well as relationships with some of the most beautiful and famous women of the day.”
Frank Sinatra Enterprises said: “We’re delighted to be collaborating with Ambassador Theatre Group to produce the musical dramatization of Mr. Sinatra’s life and art. Frank Sinatra demonstrated a remarkable ability to appeal to every generation and continues to do so; he is timeless and his artistry continues to influence many of today’s music superstars.”
Stewart Till stated: “Frank Sinatra was one of, if not the greatest, entertainers of the twentieth century. It will be an incredible opportunity and challenge.”
Throughout his nine-decade career, Frank Sinatra performed on more than 1,400 recordings and was awarded 31 gold, nine platinum, three double platinum and one triple platinum album by the Recording Industry Associated of America. He extends his record to 57 for the most top 40 albums on the Billboard 200 with this year’s new Ultimate Sinatra release. Sinatra has had Top 40 hits on the charts for eight decades, which is as long as the Billboard charts have existed. He received nine GRAMMY Awards over the course of his career, including three for the prestigious Album of the Year, and an Oscar. He also appeared in more than 60 films and produced eight motion pictures.
Sinatra was awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Recording Academy, The Screen Actors Guild and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as well as the Kennedy Center Honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Today, he remains a legend and an inspiration around the world for his contributions to culture and the arts.
An opening date and venue for the musical is yet to be finalised.