PHILLY POPS CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF SINATRA

Press Release • October 2, 2015

Philadelphia, PA (August 21, 2015) – The Philly POPS will kick off its 2015/2016 season with a full slate of activities for Sinatra Weekend, October 9-11.

POPS Music Director Michael Krajewski will lead the 65-piece POPS orchestra in three Sinatra: A Centennial Celebration concerts commemorating the “Chairman of the Board” on the 100th anniversary of his birthday. Hearing the Philly POPS, accompanied by acclaimed singer Michael Andrew, perform Come Fly With Me, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, New York, New York, One for My Baby and Strangers in the Night will whisk audiences back to the time when Ol’ Blue Eyes was King.

The ‘Rat Pack’ reminiscing continues that evening with a special one-night-only event: Deana Martin Live in Concert, backed by her band, in the Kimmel Center’s intimate Perelman Theater. Deana will perform classics made famous by her legendary father, Dean Martin, including Memories Are Made of This and That’s Amore.

Following that performance, the Prime Rib on Locust Street will be transformed into Atlantic City’s storied 500 Club where Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and friends performed and partied in the 1940s-1960s.  Limited to one hundred guests, the 500 Club redux will include further performances from both Michael Andrew and Deana Martin in an intimate supper club setting.

“Break out your black-and-white glasses and get ready to dance down the aisles at Sinatra Weekend,” said Frank Giordano, President and CEO of the Philly POPS. “It’s 100 years after Frank Sinatra was born and he remains one of the most beloved performers in American history. Philadelphia, with its rich Italian and musical culture, always welcomed Frank when he came here and will always hold a special place in its heart for him.”

For the first time in recent memory, the POPS added a fourth show, after records sales for the Sinatra concert series.

Additional Activities:

  • The Saturday afternoon Sinatra performance features a special experience: POPS Concertmaster Michael Ludwig and POPS Violinist Rachael Mathey will be married by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter (expected) on stage immediately before intermission. The POPS will perform All the Way Home and Mendelssohn’s Wedding March as part of the ceremony. The rehearsal on Thursday and wedding on Saturday are open to the media.
  • As part of the POPS In Schools program and the POPS’ partnership with the School District of Philadelphia, students at the High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) are in for several special treats during this concert weekend.
    • Prior to the concerts, Deana Martin and guest artist Michael Andrew will each teach a master class for the Concert Choir at CAPA. 
    • The Concert Choir will then sing on-stage for one piece backing up Deana Martin and will also perform preconcert entertainment in the Kimmel Center lobby’s Plaza Stage before each Sinatra concert.
    • Under the direction of Dorina Morrow, this 50-student choir of 10-12th grade Vocal Music Performance majors has performed for President Obama and has won numerous awards. The students will attend the Sunday night Sinatra concert as guests of the POPS.
    • Students from ten Philadelphia public schools, Roman Catholic and Abington Friends high schools will attend the Sunday evening performance, free of charge, as part of the POPS In Schools program.
    • In the lead up to Sinatra Weekend, the POPS invited all of Philadelphia to sing Sinatra for a chance to perform on the Kimmel Center lobby stage preconcert. The winner of the contest will perform Sinatra songs prior to Sunday evening’s concert.
    Schedule of events:
    October 7
    Time TBD: Guest artist Michael Andrew teaches master class at CAPA.Thursday, October 8
    2:45p.m. – Press availability during rehearsal: Groom Michael Ludwig and Bride Rachael Mathey (the POPS players who will be married on stage on Saturday), Maestro Michael Krajewski and POPS CEO Frank Giordano, Kimmel Center
    3:30p.m. – Wedding rehearsal and rehearsal for Sinatra: A Centennial Celebration, Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center.Thursday, October 8
    7:30p.m. – CAPA Concert Choir performs preconcert entertainment on Plaza Stage
    8p.m. – Sinatra: A Centennial Celebration, Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center

    Friday, October 9
    7:30p.m. – CAPA Concert Choir performs preconcert entertainment on Plaza Stage
    8p.m. – Sinatra: A Centennial Celebration, Verizon Hall, Kimmel CenterSaturday, October 10
    2:15p.m. – CAPA Concert Choir performs preconcert entertainment on Plaza Stage
    3p.m. – Sinatra: A Centennial Celebration, Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center
    Intermission: Wedding ceremony of Michael Ludwig and Rachael Mathey
    8p.m. – Deana Martin Live in Concert, Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center
    10p.m. – The Philly POPS Presents the 500 Club at The Prime RibSunday, October 11
    2:15p.m. – CAPA Concert Choir performs preconcert entertainment on Plaza Stage
    3p.m. – Sinatra: A Centennial Celebration, Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center
    6:30p.m. – Winner of #SingingSinatra contest performs on Plaza Stage
    6:45p.m. – CAPA Concert Choir performs preconcert entertainment on Plaza Stage
    JUST ADDED: 7:30p.m. – Sinatra: A Centennial Celebration, Verizon Hall, Kimmel CenterHow to buy ticketsPurchase tickets at www.phillypops.org/sinatra
    • Deana Martin VIP Package: Includes preferred seating for Deana Martin Live in Concert (first four rows of plaza section or plaza boxes) and exclusive post-concert 500 Club* supper club party at the Prime Rib.
    • Weekend VIP Package: Includes ticket to Sinatra: A Centennial Celebration performance (choice of preferred date), preferred seating for Deana Martin Live in Concert (first four rows of plaza section or plaza boxes) and exclusive post-concert 500 Club* supper club party at the Prime Rib.
    About Michael AndrewMichael Andrew, singer, composer, entertainer and actor, has been performing songs from the Great American Songbook since he was a young boy. Andrew entertained audiences nightly and hosted a live radio broadcast as the headline singer and bandleader at the world-famous Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center in New York City. He was also the bandleader and singer at Merv Griffin’s Coconut Club in California’s Beverly Hilton. Griffin called him “One of the great singers of all time.”Singing in the style and tradition of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, and Sammy Davis Jr., he has performed at Presidential Inaugural Balls, alongside symphony orchestras, and at festivals and concerts coast to coast.About Deana MartinDeana Martin is an influential American singer, actor and performer and the very proud daughter of iconic entertainer, Dean Martin.Martin’s 2006 debut CD release, Memories Are Made Of This, stayed in the top ten for 40 consecutive weeks. In 2009 another hit CD, Volare, was released; it debuted on the Billboard charts at #7 and the Jazz chart at #22. Her 2004 memoir, Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughters Eyes, earned a place on The New York Times Best Seller list.

    Martin delights in sharing wonderful, never-before-told stories about her father and his Rat Pack friends.  Backed by her band, she performs the music that her dad, Dean Martin, made famous, as well as music from Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Judy Garland and many others.About The Philly POPSThe Philly POPS, the largest standalone pops orchestra in the United States, delights audiences with the inspired performance of American popular music. The POPS celebrates this distinctive musical heritage through an expanding repertoire of innovative concert presentations and a robust set of educational and engagement initiatives.Now in its 37th season, the official POPS orchestra of Pennsylvania serves a consistently growing audience of over 75,000 annually. Music Director Michael Krajewski and the 65-person Philly POPS orchestra keeps listeners tapping their toes to an impressive repertoire of songs from the 1920s up through 2015. One day, The Philly POPS is performing Frank Sinatra. The next, Rock ‘n’ Roll. Then, Broadway, ABBA, Billy Joel and on into contemporary chart toppers.The Philly POPS performs as a founding resident company of The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, and at venues throughout the mid-Atlantic region.