There’s absolutely something supercalifragilisticexpialidocious about Dick Van Dyke. The 93-year-old actor/singer/dancer has already sold out Saturday’s show at Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood. How many nonagenarians can do that? Who knew the toughest ticket in Los Angeles this week would to be this intimate show?
But why wouldn’t it be? He’s the original Bert in Mary Poppins. He originated the role of Albert Peterson in the hit musical Bye, Bye, Birdie! (and won a Tony Award for his performance.) He was tapped by filmmaker Ken Hughes to play Caractacus Potts in the film adaptation of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. And then there’s his eponymous and legendary television show. So an intimate evening with a man who has more songs and stories up his sleeves than people half his age is bound to be an evening to remember.
The music part of this show will includes his vocal ensemble, the Vantastix. Supporting them all will be musicians Bill Bixler (saxophone), Tony Guerrero (trumpet), Charley Pollard (trombone), Marc LeBrun (piano), music director David Enos (bass) and John Ferraro on drums.
There probably isn’t much that hasn’t already been said about this legend. So rather than attempt to cobble something else witty to say about Mr. Van Dyke, let me turn this over to the cast of Mary Poppins Returns who can speak directly to the man and the magic he bestowed upon them all.
In hopes of finding tickets available, you can always check here. Good luck!
Main photo of Chita Rivera & Dick Van Dyke in the original Broadway production of Bye, Bye Birdie (photo by Friedman-Abeles Photography/Courtesy of the New York Public Archives)
