Sinatra: RAW

“That’s life!” That’s what absorbing Richard Shelton as Frank Sinatra belts out in the one-man performance with live piano accompaniment titled, “RAW”. It is a whirlwind character study that sees the iconic crooner questioning his hard-earned rich lifestyle pitted against his lingering family values and emerging political polarization in post-war United States laced with Hollywood intrigue and searing personal passions. Set in Palm Springs during an intimate 1971 performance, “Raw” is a whiskey-fueled brazen tribute to a man who remained the jazz world’s legendary Chairman of the Board even when rock and roll dominated the music charts. Go!... full review

Frank Sinatra was never a thing with me, I always gravitated to others in the genre, so I was never really a fan but I am a huge fan of this incredible and mesmerizing show. I saw the show blind, only reading about it and the show's other accolades on my walk home. Richard Shelton who wrote and stars in "Sinatra: Raw" is an incredible actor, absolutely riveting and devilishly good-looking. He looks and sounds just enough like Frank that there are moments (like snapshots) that you leave thinking that it was the real thing. A true-sign of a master at work - I never felt like I was watching the work at all. It's so rewarding to know that you're in the presence of someone who really did their homework on their subject. The well-written s... full review

A terrific, almost astounding show. The musical performance was excellent, but the real gem is the dialog between the numbers presenting The Man and His Times as he gradually drinks himself into a looser and angrier state. Bravo!... full review

Dickie Shelton's RAW is a stunning, wonderful, complex tribute to the man we think we all know. Learned a few things I didn't know. And that VOICE; that evocative voice. And the Hoboken accent: spot on!... full review

Great tribute to a legend.... full review

...Shelton’s musical performance is no simple imitation of the man. He completely inhabits Sinatra for 75 minutes. And, while the arrangements, the signature lyric repetitions, jazzy flights around the vocal line, and other Sinatraisms abound, what we really come away with is a fresh admiration for the artist as a musical trailblazer. ... full review

Great show! I thoroughly enjoyed Richard Shelton's performance. Shelton has a long track record performing around the world and it shows in his command of both the songs and the characterization of Sinatra.... full review

A very fun show. It covered more emotional ground than I expected. ... full review

A Gold Medal.... for this sharp and stylish homage to ol' blues eyes....... full review

Now, I'd been told that Richard Shelton did a great Frank Sinatra impression. But make no mistake, this is not a Sinatra impression show. This is simply watching Frank Sinatra live on stage. The energy, the mannerisms, the brass, the VOICE, the storytelling.... this is truly a show not to be missed. If you love to hear the "real stories" behind a lot of the phony tabloids, this is the show for you. If you love stories with wit, passion, and perseverance, this show is for you. And if you love to hear Frank sing, this is DEFINITELY for you. Bravo, sir. And thank you. I had an absolute blast.... full review