By Mary Ann Bourbeau
RED BANK – Growing up Italian in Brooklyn, it’s no surprise Tony Danza was a fan of Frank Sinatra. His mother turned him on to the crooner when he was 8 years old.
“She was an original bobbysoxer,” he said. “My mom was enthralled by him and so was I. The way he interprets a song – nobody else can do it like that.”
With a long career in television and movies, Danza eventually met and even had the opportunity to hang out with Ol’ Blue Eyes and other members of the Rat Pack. Now Danza is bringing his show, “Sinatra & Stories,” which recently completed a two-week sold-out run at Café Carlyle in New York City, to The Vogel at the Count Basie Center for the Arts at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21.
Danza pays homage to the legendary crooner’s music while interweaving stories about their personal relationship and the impact Sinatra had on his life. Audiences will experience Danza’s trademark wit, charm, personal anecdotes, a little tap dancing and a few ukulele interpretations of Sinatra’s timeless classics.
“The music of the Great American Songbook is very special,” he said. “I like to sing ballads and really enlist the audience in these songs. There will be music, laughs, dancing and surprises. I’m Italian and I really love to sing, and I’m very proud of this show. I may be at my happiest when I’m up there.”
Danza is renowned for his roles in the television series “Taxi” and “Who’s The Boss,” and films such as “Angels in the Outfield,” “She’s Out of Control” and “Hollywood Knights.” He is currently co-starring in the series “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” on Starz, where he plays a mob boss.
“I was a little reticent when it comes to playing a Mafia-wise guy,” he said. “I thought they’d never buy me as a bad guy, but I’ve been on for three years. It’s terrific!”
A devastating 1993 ski accident caused Danza to re-evaluate his life. When thinking about what he would do with his “second chance,” he concluded he wanted to be a song-and-dance man. With a decade of tap lessons behind him, he went on to star on Broadway in “The Producers” and “Honeymoon in Vegas.”
He is beyond excited to sing the classic songs made famous by Sinatra to the Basie and share stories of their time together, including how they first met. “I was so nervous,” said Danza. “We were on the same movie set, and I was stalking him all day. I even pretended to be on the crew and carried cable to be near him. He introduced himself. It was unbelievable!”
The two became friendly and soon Danza was invited to dinners, where he mingled with the likes of Louis Jordan, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Billy Wilder and Gregory Peck.
“It was quite heady,” he said. “I was just a kid from Brooklyn, a garbage man’s son. By some crazy twist of fate, I ended up in Hollywood and got into that circle. It felt pretty good.”
Why does Danza believe Sinatra’s legacy endures after all these years?
“The obvious answer is that he’s great,” said Danza. “He really touched people with his singing and acting.”
Danza is thrilled to bring “Sinatra & Stories” to the singer’s home state. “I’m really excited to be performing this show in New Jersey,” he said. “This is where it should be.”
This performance is part of a celebration honoring Carol Stillwell and Valerie Montecalvo, chairs of the Count Basie Center’s “Forever for Everyone” endowment campaign, which offers music classes and arts education experiences to anyone regardless of their stage of life or socioeconomic standing.
“Valerie Montecalvo and Carol Stillwell are two of our region’s most generous and inspirational philanthropists,” said Basie president and CEO Adam Philipson. “Without their guidance and dedication, the Count Basie Center’s ‘Forever for Everyone’ endowment campaign would never have achieved its ambitious goal of providing hundreds of annual scholarships for students interested in our classes and productions. Over the next decades, the impact of this campaign will inspire tens of thousands of students whose lives will be enriched by the benefits of studying and participating in the arts. Our gratitude, like the endowment, will last forever.”
Visit thebasie.org for more information on the performance.
The article originally appeared in the February 13 – 19, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
