Dallas Summer Musicals will present the north Texas premiere of Christmas with the Rat Pack–Live at the Sands for a limited engagement Tuesday through Dec. 12 at The Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm St., Dallas. 

The Rat Pack played for four years to sold-out audiences in London’s West End and has since toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States.  The holiday version of the show, Christmas with the Rat Pack–Live at the Sands, was launched in London during the original West End engagement. 

This festive production will transport audiences to the early 1960s, when Frank Sinatra and his pals were filming the original version of the casino robbery caper Ocean’s Eleven in Las Vegas.  The “Rat Pack” legend was born when Sinatra and Dean Martin spontaneously joined Sammy Davis, Jr. on stage, and, to the surprise and delight of the audience, playfully interrupted his act. 

Director and Choreographer Mitch Sebastian re-creates the magic and glamour of that notorious nightclub gig when the audience was glittered with the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Gregory Peck, Judy Garland, Tony Curtis, Sam Giancana and Jack Kennedy.  It’s an evening of wisecracking, hip-cat nostalgia mixed with holiday classics accompanied by a 15-piece big band.

Tickets cost $15 to $71 and are available at The Box Office, 542 Preston Royal Shopping Center, area Ticketmaster outlets, including The Majestic Theatre Boxoffice, by phone at 214-631-ARTS (2787) or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

This last Sunday, my family and I braved the horrid Dallas Fair Traffic in order to see the matinee performance of the musical Mary Poppins.  I mention the traffic because lately Mother Nature has been in a bit of a snit, causing torrential downpours which inevitably cause massive traffic accidents! Getting to the fair in foul weather was a challenge, and fighting the crowds was even worse!  So after traversing the bumper to bumper cars heading out to the Texas State Fair, I then had to find a parking space in an unmarked alley lot where I worried not only would my car still be there when I returned, but also its contents and license plate would still be intact!  After parking and walking to the fairgrounds with a thousand other people, I was beginning to wonder exactly why I had agreed that this musical was worth seeing.  I still have very fond memories of seeing the movie and although the stage production is a bit different, attending this show was honestly a gift from my mother to my daughter (which meant that we were all going…period…end of story!). 

Of course, I am a huge fan of the theater, especially musicals, so it wasn’t like I had to be dragged there, but as my frustrations were growing stronger as we waded through the rain soaked streets and into the theater. Before entering the building, I was still questioning my decision to come, until I stepped inside and the magic began!

Let me tell you, I am glad I didn’t miss this because…Mary Poppins was truly spectacular!  The music was fantastic and the performers sang every note of it beautifully.   Then there was the dancing!  Simply amazing!   Most musicals have dancers on a stage but this one has one of the main characters dancing on the walls and on the ceiling!  Top that!  Oh, and did I mention that Mary Poppins flew over the entire audience (yep, including up to the balcony!).  This is the show that every family should see. 

If you haven’t secured your tickets to this show, go to http://www.dallassummermusicals.org/ and order them now!   The show runs through October 18^th and there are still seats available. 

As for my daughter’s take on this, she is ready for Mary Poppins to drop by our home anytime to teach her how to be “practically perfect in every way!” Unfortunately, the “Mary Poppins” umbrella I bought her will have to do!

No one had to be told officially that pink was the color of the evening.

You just know  when you’re going to a Legally Blonde cast party that pink, Elle Woods’ signature color, is the color to wear. The party, following opening night for Legally Blonde at the Music Hall at Fair Park, was held for cast, patrons and special guests at Thompson & Knight LLP offices at One Arts Plaza.

So there was the predictable assortment of pink ties, pink blouses and pink scarves, but no one could have prepared for what Paul Corley, Jr. strolled in wearing.

Pink suit, pink tie and hot pink patent-leather shoes. He was either supporting Legally Blonde or Pepto-Bismol, and he certainly was the hit of the party.

The star of the musical hit, petite Becky Gulsvig, arrived, however, wearing a skinny teal tank top, a simple skirt and flip-flops. You’d wear flats, too, if you’d just spent three hours on stage belting it out in heels.

Pink flowers accented the pink-swathed tables where cool “pink thing” cocktails were shaken, not stirred, and a tasty Asian buffet featured pink take-out boxes filled with Chinese food. Jim Lee’s Starlight Room gets the credit for the food.

Dallas Summer Musicals (www.dallassummermusicals.org) claims responsibility as a producer of Legally Blonde the Musical, so the show’s success was greeted with broad smiles from the likes of Michael A. Jenkins, DSM’s president and managing director.

You might say he seemed tickled pink.

There’s a reason Chaim Topol has been playing the lead role of Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof” for decades.

He’s just about perfect at it.

Topol headlined the show, which opened Tuesday as part of Dallas Summer Musicals (www.dallassummermusicals.org)  productions at The Music Hall at Fair Park. In what is billed as his farewell tour, he brings his rich, warm voice to a much-loved musical sure to captivate its audience. 

Somewhere in the mid-1960s, the Israeli-born actor began playing the Jewish patriarch coming to terms with a new order in the world. He’s convincing, funny, touching and charming as the tradition-bound father afraid of losing any of his five daughters. Even though Topol has racked up thousands of performances of the world-weary milkman, the audience is treated to a show with a first-rate performer who shows no weariness for this musical that has become his bread and butter.

In other words, at 73, he’s still got it!

The cast of the national tour  making a one-week stop for Dallas Summer Musicals is also top rate. Susan Cella as Golde and Mary Stout as Yente bring comic touches to their roles, and the production numbers such as the opening of “Tradition,” “Sunrise, Sunset” and the bottle dance are terrific.

The Tony Award-winning musical is based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem and has been revived on Broadway several times, plus transformed to a 1971 film, starring Topol. The music, the dancing and the lead actor are enchanting. Of course, Topol should still get to play this character. Why fiddle with success? 

The show, which runs a full three hours, continues through Sunday.

Blondes, “The Rat Pack,” and Mary Poppins all have a place in Dallas this year.

Variety rules The 2009 Dallas Summer Musicals’ (www.dallassummermusicals.org) line-up which features everything from “Legally Blonde the Musical” to a Las Vegas visit with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, and it won’t even take a spoonful of Mary Poppins’ sugar for these shows to go down easy.

Season tickets currently are on sale at The Box Office, 542 Preston Royal Shopping Center, Dallas. Subscribers tickets for the Music Hall Classic Series range from $88 to $523. Prices for subscriber specials range from $9 to $85.

The Majestic Series, showcased at The Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm St. in downtown Dallas, begins with “The Rat Pack–Live at the Sands” March 3 through 8.

“The Pajama Game,” featuring the song “Hernando’s Hideaway,” is set for March 10 through 15, followed by the face-off between David Frost and President Richard Nixon, “Frost/Nixon,” April 28 through May 3.

The Musical Hall Series, with all performances held at the Music Hall at Fair Park, begins with “Happy Days, A New Musical” May 26 though June 7. “The Wizard of Oz” blows its way on stage June 9 through 21, with “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” planned for June 23 through July 5. Pulitzer Prize-winning musical “A Chorus Line” takes the stage July 7 through 19, and then Elle Woods brings “Legally Blonde the Musical” to Dallas July 21 through Aug. 2. Musical group ABBA’s songs string together in “Mamma Mia!” Aug. 18 through 30.

Original Broadway stars Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee will star in “Disney and Cameron Mackintosh present Mary Poppins” during the 2009 State Fair of Texas. The production is scheduled to run Sept. 24 through Oct. 18.

Subscriber specials are planned beginning this month. “Bob the Builder Live!” will be presented Feb. 21 through 22 at The Majestic Theatre. Then May 5-10 will feature original cast members Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp in “Rent, The Broadway Tour” at The Music Hall at Fair Park. Then “Fiddler on the Roof starring Topol” is set for May 19 through 24 at The Music Hall.