Veteran singer/actor/comedian Wayne Powers was given a green light by Actors Theatre of Indiana to create his own concert.
“I want to incorporate the holidays, Christmas and the Great American Songbook in the shows,” he said.
In addition, Powers plans to celebrate what would be Frank Sinatra’s 108th birthday Dec. 12.
“That’s a special day, especially for my kind of music,” Powers said. “It’s pretty much a potpourri or, in Brooklyn terms, a hodgepodge of an evening with Wayne Powers.”
Powers and his All-Star Jazz Trio will perform at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13-14 as part of ATI’s “Celebrate the Holidays” at the Studio Theater at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Katy Gentry will perform Dec. 15-17.
“Frank Sinatra recorded over 1,200 songs in his career,” Powers said. “It’s a lot of music. The toughest thing for me is to pick the right songs. I want to do some of the Sinatra Christmas songs. Sinatra and Christmas are not synonymous. If you think of Christmas, you don’t think of Frank Sinatra. If you think of a singer, you think of Bing Crosby or that sort of thing. But Sinatra recorded some wonderful Christmas tunes, about maybe 20 of them in his career.”
Powers said he will incorporate some of those songs and some of Sinatra’s most familiar songs, the saloon songs and swing tunes.
“I’m excited about that because it’s the music I grew up with and the music that pulsates in my body,” he said. “I come alive with that music. It’s going to have my thumbprint all over it.”
Powers said he is still narrowing the setlist.
“There are so many songs I want to do,” he said. “Another time I’m going to do a complete Sinatra concert.”
The trio includes pianist Ken Fary, bass player Fred Withrow and drummer Chelsea Hughey
For more, visit atistage.org.
