DEAN MARTIN, THE KING OF COOL is a musical in two acts, an homage to one of the most amazingly successful entertainers in history. Early on, "Dino" was half of the most successful comedy team in history (with Jerry Lewis), then he became Hollywood’s top box-office star, he owned the number-one rated TV show, his records reigned at the top of the charts, and he was the highest-paid act in Las Vegas.
THE KING OF COOL is a musical which celebrates all of that—but it’s much more, as well. On a separate level, it’s also a play-within-a-play, which examines the way we, the fans, create our heroes, forcing them to balance on dizzyingly high pedestals, and how we hold them to impossible standards—from which many stars ultimately retreat, the way Dean Martin did in his final years.
THE KING OF COOL is a budget-friendly show, performable on any type of stage. Told in a representational fashion, the sets, props and costumes can be minimal