05-06-2025
Tony Danza Makes Triumphant Return To Cafe Carlyle In New York City
Tony Danza performs at Cafe Carlyle on June 3, 2025.
David Andrako
Tony Danza commanded the stage and seemed to channel Frank Sinatra during some parts of his new one-man show that's aptly titled 'Tony Danza: Sinatra & Stories' on the evening of Tuesday, June 3, 2025. The riveting performance kicked off his eight-night residency at Café Carlyle, the beloved jazz theater within The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York City.
Danza is no stranger to Café Carlyle. He had a sold-out three-week residency last fall, and his new one-man show seems perfectly suited for the intimate venue and audience. Tony performs with a four-piece band: Ed Caccavale on drums, Dave Shoup playing guitar, John Arbo on bass, and Joe Davidian who serves as both the pianist and musical director for the show.
The anticipation before a Tony Danza show is always palpable, and pure joy seemed to descend on the room as Tony made his way to the stage. The audience included several fans who have been to many of his shows.
Frank Sinatra, whom Danza knew and worked with, is clearly the inspiration for the show, and the passion Danza has for his hero is contagious. He pays homage to Frank Sinatra in both the stories he tells and the songs he sings from Sinatra's well-known catalog of hits. The show also chronicles the ways that the two performers' lives intersected in Hollywood.
Like Sinatra sometimes did with his own concerts, Tony opened his concert with ''Come Fly with Me.' This song was written for Sinatra; it was composed by Jimmy Van Heusen, with lyrics by Sammy Cahn. Hearing Tony sing the song, though, was like listening to it for the first time. He is so present and connected to the song. He was so in the moment with spontaneity, that it feels fresh and fun. I found myself unable to sit still.
Next up was "I've Got the World on a String", a tune composed by Harold Arlen with lyrics written by Ted Koehler. Then he sang Cole Porter's 'I've Got You Under My Skin'.
With Tony's charisma on full display, it's clear the audience is in for no ordinary show. Fully engaged and connected with the music and the audience, Tony then took a bit of a break in his singing for some storytelling.
I shared Tony's wonder as he marveled that, with 9 billion people in the world, 'look where we are', and it was clear from the audience's applause and cheers that there was nowhere they wanted to be but watching Tony perform.
Tony then moved on to captivating stories, sharing how his mom made him crazy about Frank Sinatra as a kid, and he seemed in wonder of how he later got to know his idol in Hollywood. As Tony was ready to sit on his stool for the next song, he noticed it wasn't on stage like it was supposed to be, but he didn't miss a beat. He said he'd lean instead and leaned into the piano as he began a gorgeous rendition of 'It Was a Very Good Year' by Ervin Drake.
All through the show, Tony gives credit to songwriters, and he teases the audience, telling them they need to be paying attention because he'll quiz them on the songwriters later. Tony didn't need to worry as he had the audience in rapt attention as he went on to sing 'You Make Me Feel So Young', which was composed by Josef Myrow, with lyrics written by Mack Gordon.
Next was 'I Can't Believe That You're In Love with Me', a song composed by Jimmy McHugh, with lyrics by Clarence Gaskill. The crowd was all-in, along for the ride and seeming to hang on each note.
In trying to make a point about how famous and beloved Sinatra was in his day, Danza brings up the Swifties, Taylor Swift's legion of fans who are known for being especially passionate about their love of the singer-songwriter. He goes on to explain that Sinatra, who he jokingly calls Swoonatra, got so big that he was a combination of Taylor Swift and Tom Cruise in terms of popularity.
Tony shares how his mom was unimpressed by his own initial fame. To bring him down to earth when it started to go to his head, his mom told him that, when he introduced her to Sinatra, then he'd be a star. He was later able to do just that.
Tony next sang 'Nice 'N' Easy', a song by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Keith, and Lew Spence. Then he performed "The Lady Is a Tramp", the beloved standard written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.
There were breaks for more storytelling, including a sweet story of how Danza met Sinatra, who in turn recognized Tony as 'the kid from 'Taxi'', and the TV star was able to introduce the singer to his son Marc. The meeting occurred on a film set, and its all-star cast came together to pose for a group picture. Marc, who was then 10, went to get the camera he and Tony had brought to the set. By the time the child got himself ready to take his own photograph of all the gathered stars, everyone started to leave the pose, but Sinatra saw Marc trying to take the photo. Seeing the dilemma, the star called every celebrity back over and told Marc to take his picture. After he took it, Sinatra asked if the boy had gotten the photo. Having been taught good manners by Tony, Marc said, 'Yes, sir.'
Next up Tony broke into the big band standard song 'Learnin' the Blues,' written by Dolores "Vicki" Silvers and recorded by Sinatra.
Danza introduced his ukelele by telling the audience a story of how Sinatra played the instrument. He played and sang to "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry", a jazz standard with music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Sammy Cahn. He sang "My Kind of Town (Chicago Is)" which was composed by Jimmy Van Heusen, with lyrics by Sammy Cahn.
On his next round of storytelling, Tony spoke of different ways that Sinatra stood up against discrimination and bullying all his life. He then went into 'The House I Live In (That's America To Me)', a song that Sinatra performed throughout his life. Its lyrics are by Abel Meeropol, with music by Earl Robinson. Tony sang it with so much heart that I felt each lyric and was moved to tears.
UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 28: WHO'S THE BOSS? - "Party Double" - Season Five - 2/28/89, Tony (Tony Danza, right) met his idol, Frank Sinatra (guest-starring as himself)., (Photo by Craig Sjodin/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Tony delighted the audience with his lively tap dancing during his performances, and he thrilled them again when he mentioned a show that continues to endear him to TV fans: Who's The Boss? He played Tony Micelli to perfection for eight seasons, starting in 1984, and it led him to once again spend time with Sinatra when Ol' Blue Eyes had a cameo on the sitcom.
Tony was able to have his mother on the set with Frank Sinatra, so she finally got to meet her idol, and Tony was able to show her how big a star he truly was. Danza recalled fondly how Sinatra treated his starstruck mom like royalty.
Tony seemed to end the show after performing 'Just In Time', which was composed by Jule Styne, with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. However, the audience wanted an encore, and Tony evoked a sense of fun with 'Luck Be A Lady', written by Frank Loesser.
He ended the show on a strong note by thanking everyone from his band to the staff of the theater. His actual finale was 'One For My Baby', a song that was written by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen for the film The Sky's the Limit, and the phrase seems the perfect one for Danza as a performer.
Tony Danza has accomplished so much as an actor, and it's wonderful to see this other side of his triple threat talent take the stage. He most recently acted in 'Power Book III: Raising Kanan' on Starz. He starred in 'Taxi' and 'Who's The Boss?', two iconic, long-running series that can still be seen in reruns all over the world. He's also been in many films, and he received critical acclaim for his 2015 turn on Broadway in 'Honeymoon in Vegas'.
Tickets to the rest of Danza's June residency shows at Café Carlyle are available now via Tock. As part of the experience, you come early to enjoy dinner before the show. They have a variety of options on the menu, including a delectable vegan mushroom Bolognese pasta and sides like sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts.
Café Carlyle is located in The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel at 35 East 76th Street in Manhattan.
