The Music of Dean Martin Lives Again at Husson University’s Gracie Theatre

Published on: May 21, 2019

BANGOR, MAINE - The timeless music of Rat Pack legend Dean Martin will be brought to life for one night only at Husson University’s Gracie Theatre on Saturday, June 22, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. The show "An Evening with Dean Martin & Friends" features renowned Vegas performer and impressionist Tom Stevens.

“Tom Stevens is amazing as Dean Martin,” said Jeri Misler, managing director of the Gracie Theatre. “His remarkable physical and vocal resemblance to “The King of Cool” is uncanny. In fact, Dean Martin's own daughter, Deana, enthusiastically endorsed Tom's portrayal of her father, saying ‘I've never seen anyone look and sound more like my Daddy.’” 

Martin isn’t the only celebrity impersonation that Stevens will dazzle the audience with during his upcoming performance. Stevens also performs singing impersonations of Tom Jones, Neil Diamond, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Anthony Newley, Willie Nelson, Julio Iglesias, Bobby Darin, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra and Cher. His vocal impersonations evoke an era when Las Vegas was the capitol of cool.

Along with his remarkable singing impressions, Stevens incorporates many other celebrity voices into his act including Jerry Lewis, Archie and Edith Bunker, Jimmy Stewart, Bill Clinton, George Burns, Paul Lynde, Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, Carol Channing, Bill Cosby, and Robert DeNiro, to name a few.

Stevens puts a lot of work into each impersonation. In an interview that appeared in the June 2014 edition of Vegas Indie Artists magazine, Stevens revealed that he spent years watching movies and videos of Dean Martin, practicing his voice, his accent, his mannerisms and his cadence of speaking. This same process has been repeated with the many other celebrities he impersonates. “It’s a whole process when I do an impression or when I’m studying a voice,” he said. “I have an eight-track recorder at home… I record them, I listen to them while I’m singing with them and I hone in on the voice.”

A native New Yorker, Tom Stevens began impersonating others when he was six-years old. 

When he was a child, his mother used to dress him up to go to church and provided him with a little fedora to wear. He used to turn the fedora around and imitate Frank Fontaine from the Jackie Gleason show to the delight and laughter of his parents. Once he became an adult, he began appearing in clubs on the East Coast. This led to corporate events and a one-man show in Las Vegas. Today, Stevens tours both nationally and internationally, bringing his show to audiences all over the world.

Tickets for the upcoming performance of “An Evening with Dean Martin & Friends” range from $22-$30. Call (207) 941-7888, visit the Gracie Box Office in person, connect online at gracietheatre.com or purchase tickets at the door if you would like to relive the golden age of Vegas showmanship.

More about the Gracie Theatre

The Gracie Theatre gratefully acknowledges the generous support this show has received from Husson University alumni and friends. Completed in October of 2009, the Gracie is Husson University's center for the fine and performing arts. This beautiful 500-seat theatre is considered one of Maine’s premier performance venues. In addition, the Gracie also serves as a learning platform for students from the New England School of Communications in digital audio, sound mixing, set design and construction, lighting, acting and electronics. For more information, visit GracieTheatre.com.

More about Husson University

For more than 120 years, Husson University has prepared future leaders to handle the challenges of tomorrow through innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, Husson University has come to represent superior value in higher education. Our Bangor campus and off-campus satellite education centers in Southern Maine, Wells, and Northern Maine provide advanced knowledge in business; health and education; pharmacy studies; science and humanities; as well as communication. In addition, Husson University has a robust adult learning program. According to a recent analysis by U.S. News & World Report, Husson University is the most affordable private college in New England. For more information about educational opportunities that can lead to personal and professional success, visit Husson.edu.