I Left My Heart

Montalvo Arts Center (Previously Villa Montalvo)

The Tabard Theatre Company swings and swoons into the New Year with a three-tenor salute to the magical music of Tony Bennett. Just nine performances will be offered January 18 through 27 in this limited engagement at Theatre on San Pedro Square in downtown San Jose.

Created by David Grapes and Todd Olson—who also collaborated on tributes to Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mercer—I LEFT MY HEART is a compliment to the man Sinatra called “the greatest singer in the world.” The revue includes 40 of Bennett’s standards, such as The Best Is Yet to Come, Stepping’ Out, Stranger in Paradise, The Good Life, Rags to Riches, I Wanna Be Around—plus, of course, I Left My Heart in San Francisco—with a narrative that provides details of Bennett’s career. To add even more heart to the production, patrons will be invited to record what Bennett’s music has meant to them in taped segments called “Talk to Tony,” which will be compiled and sent to the singer. Prior to each performance, an intimate club ambience is set with the piano stylings of Gary Dugan and bassist Terry Shoup.

“With I LEFT MY HEART,” said Tabard’s founder and executive director, Cathy Spielberger Cassetta, “we take our season theme, TRUE Lives: Stories and Songs of Real People, into 2013. How fortunate we are to present four decades of unforgettable classics recorded by a living music legend such as Tony Bennett, from his early top-40 hits and his jazz recordings with Basie, Getz, and Evans to his torch songs and film scores. The singers do not impersonate Bennett’s style—who could?—and the arrangements do not copy his. Rather, this is a musical homage to someone who is still singing vibrantly—and who, thanks to MTV unplugged, has been embraced by a new generation of fans.”

I LEFT MY HEART stars three of Tabard’s favorite tenors: Michael Amaral (A Taffeta Wedding, Stompin’ at the Savoy, Bandstand Beat), Will Perez (Bandstand Beat, Elvis Has Left the Building) and Tim Reynolds (A Taffeta Wedding, Follies, The Story of My Life). Diane Milo serves as director/vocal director, with music direction by Bob Sunshine and choreography by Sarah Vogel.

For every production, Tabard donates a portion of its concessions proceeds to a local nonprofit. The designated nonprofit for I LEFT MY HEART is Sacred Heart Community Service in San Jose.

I LEFT MY HEART will run January 18 through 27 at the unique, cabaret-style Theatre on San Pedro Square, 29 North San Pedro Street in downtown San Jose. All evening performances are at 8pm; Saturday matinees at 3, Sunday matinees at 2. Tickets are available at www.tabardtheatre.org, or by calling 800-838-3006. Cabaret Seating $35; Adults $29; Seniors $27; Adult Students $15; Youth/Kids $10. Advance purchase is strongly recommended.