Alan Ostroff encourages Anna Roberts Ostroff to slow down and enjoy

By Sharon Mager

On June 16, Infinity Theater Company kicked off its Annapolis run of “My Way,” a tribute to Old Blue Eyes himself – Frank Sinatra. At the show’s conclusion, the audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation.

“My Way,” conceived by David Grapes and Todd Olson and based on the book by Todd Olson, is a musical that artfully weaves Frank Sinatra songs into a loose story line about two couples. Infinity Theatre producers Alan Ostroff and his wife, Anna Roberts Ostroff, play a young couple who are perhaps still in their twenties. Joseph Dellger and Mary Jo Mecca play the older pair. Each character brings a different dimension to the show. Alan Ostroff is the young and energetic playboy, while Anna Ostroff is the young, thin, almost innocent romantic. Mecca is the embodiment of sophisticated sensuality and Dellger is sexy, jazzy, and classy.

The couples meet, mingle, and sing along to “Strangers in the Night.”  They revel in their newfound romances with songs such as “The Way You Look Tonight,” “I’ve Got the World on a String,” and “High Hopes.” The relationships continue to bloom to the sounds of “I Get a Kick Out of You,” and “My Funny Valentine.” Songs change as the relationships do. Even when there’s a little cheating going on, the cast performs “You’re Cheating Yourself,” and “Making Whoopee.” There are even drinking songs: “Out to Dry,” and “Drinking Again.”

Each actor has his or her own style they add to each piece, giving the “My Way” title a double meaning by honoring the song Sinatra made his own and each adding his or her unique voice.

The lighting techniques add a lot to the show. Characters stood in such a way to become black shadows against a red background, or against a full moon. The effect was classy and jazzy.

Highlights included “It Was a Very Good Year,” with each character taking a part of the time period reflected in the song; “Here’s to the Losers,” and “Fly Me to the Moon.” Dellger was magnificent in “That’s Life,” and the cast did a great job with the finale, “My Way.”

The audience was a mixture of young and old, some who had memories with each song and others experiencing Sinatra for the first time.

When “Summer Wind” was performed, Pasadena resident Glenda Bailey smiled and whispered, “This is my favorite.” Bailey said she appreciated how the actors seemed to really enjoy the music and have fun with the program.

Brian Flavin and his wife, Krystal, both of Catonsville, never really experienced “Old Blue Eyes” music before. “It’s nice, I do like it,” Brian Flavin said. His favorite was, “The Way you Look Tonight.”

“I like how all the songs lead into one another,” Krystal Flavin added.

David Libby conducted the ensemble. Libby was masterful on the piano and the other musicians, Stephen Palko on bass and Gary Tillman on percussion, were a harmoniously perfect team.

The show runs through July 10. For more information, visit www.inifinitytheatrecompany.com.