To Be Frank

Friday, June 15, 2001 | 4:34 a.m.

Steve Lippia is a close-your-eyes sort of singer.

When he's onstage, close your eyes. You might be stunned at what -- and who -- you hear.

It's Frank.

Blessed with a vocal range and timbre that even fervent Frank Sinatra fans concede approaches Sinatra's legendary voice, Lippia portrays the Chairman of the Board (and chief puppeteer) in "The Rat Pack is Back" at the Sahara's Congo Theatre.

Lippia is joined by fellow faux-Packers Rick Michel (Dean), Doug Starks (Sammy) and Mark Cohen (Joey) for a snappy, crowd-pleasing musical tribute set in 1961. Backed by the 12-piece Lon Bronson Orchestra, a drink-toting, cigarette-puffing Lippia sings such Sinatra classics as "Luck be a Lady Tonight," and "Lady is a Tramp."

Show producers David Cassidy and Don Reo recently signed a contract extension with the Sahara running through March 31, 2002, and Lippia is on board for at least six more months.

Lippia has been a frequent Las Vegas performer over the past three years. In 1998 he teamed with Vincent Falcone, Sinatra's musical director, for a headlining run at the Rio's RioBamba Theatre. For his foray into Vegas, Lippia also retained the services of two other former Sinatra sidekicks, publicist Lee Solters and manager Tino Barzie.

Falcone's ears perked after hearing a tape of Lippia a few years ago when Lippia was still performing at small clubs in Florida (Lippia is from West Palm Beach.) Said Falcone: "I couldn't believe it when I first heard it. I was with Tino and Lee when we heard a recording of Steve, and it had us totally fooled because we thought it was Frank."

The 44-year-old Lippia discussed his portrayal of Frank after a recent "The Rat Pack is Back" performance:

Las Vegas Sun: Do you consider yourself a Frank Sinatra scholar?

Steve Lippia: You know, I don't really know enough about him personally, even though I have a lot of admiration for him, I'm really kind of lacking in all the Sinatra mystique and history. More of what I get is from people telling me, talking to me about this stuff, because they feel that I've studied him. I have a lot of respect for his music.

My manager and conductor and publicist were all all part of his team. So I know a lot about his association with them and all of the experiences they encountered, all of the ... I guess you could say the breadth of his personality. He could be anywhere from magnanimous to downright difficult. But that's the extent of my direct knowledge of what he was like personally, just an idea of what he was like.

Sun: What distinguishes your approach from his?

SL: I'm not as hot. I have a slower-burning fuse. It can go, but it's a slower burn, takes a lot more for me to blow. There might be a little more snap, a little more edge to the Steve Lippia who portrays Frank onstage than there is backstage. That's really the big difference.

Sun: You've been singing Sinatra's signature songs for years, but only recently joined "The Rat Pack is Back." How did you come to join the show?

SL: When I was first offered the opportunity to do this show, which was two years ago, I shied away. Plus I had a lot of other things going on on the East Coast. And the offer came two more times and the third time was the charmer, and I accepted it.

I'll tell you, what turned the corner for me was when David Cassidy called me and said, "Steve, look, I know who you sound like, other people know who you sound like, but when you're doing Sinatra's arrangements, or arrangements like his, and you sound the way you do, what are people led to believe? So come into the show and at least you can take a step back from that comparison and say you're portraying a character, because you are acting. This is a musical play."

So it really kind of put me in a whole different frame of mind. Having considered that and thought, you know, I can still be myself and have parts of Steve Lippia emerge. I'm still going to sing the way I sing and move the way I move, but I am acting in a role that was created for this show.

Sun: You've been careful not to present yourself as an impressionist ever since you arrived in Las Vegas, and now you're in a tribute show. Do you feel comfortable with that?

SL: I never feel uncomfortable. There are times I talk to people who come out of the show and say, "Who else do you do?" Or if I mention that I'm performing somewhere else they'll ask, "Do you do Frank there, too?" No. I'm a singer. I'll be singing. This is a play, but I'm a singer at heart and I'll always be.

Sun: You're somewhat of a road warrior. Are you still able to get out and tour as much as you'd like?

SL: I've got a lot of road blood in me. The show is my anchor and this is what I'm doing now ... but I've got a lot of symphony dates I'm doing all around the country, with big pop symphonies. I've got about eight or 10 of those booked. I'll be in Europe in July and then I go back again in August. I like being on the road and staying busy, traveling to different places and entertaining for different people. But I like the show as an anchor.

Sun: Can you recall when you first realized you had a great singing voice.

SL: Well, I think with most people who are artists it doesn't just sort of appear as you would imagine. It's part of you just like any other part of your personality. When I was 2 or 3 years old I knew I was a singer, I just assumed that. I was like a compulsive singer.

You know how a person might doodle? I hummed a lot. I'm still doing that, kind of doodling with my voice. I'll always be that way.