Published: October 26, 2009 10:17 am      

And then there was Bob

As promised in last week’s column, the latest production at The Gaslight Theatre in Tucson was clever and met all of the expectations for excellence of yours truly.

The most fun was the post performance olio, a tribute to Johnny Carson and The Tonight Show.

Renditions of songs attributed to well-known celebrities who often appeared on the original program were staged following the traditional format of the classic show. There were even visits from Aunt Blabby and Carnack the Magnificent.

The actor who played Mr. Carson did a super job, and the young man who impersonated Tommy Smothers of The Smothers Brothers was dead-on accurate.

Imitation, they say, is the sincerest form of flattery, and everyone was well respected at this afternoon performance.

From the silly and fun to the sublime: We spend at least one evening in the lounge of a famous hotel that features the song stylings of Bob. We have yet to learn his last name and even on the Web site, they won’t divulge his identity. To say that he knows every song ever written might be an understatement. I now just give him a composer and if he chose to do so, he would play for hours through that single catalogue.

Witty and gentle, he is one of the last of his type of performers, and we will be diminished when he leaves the scene.

He is also one of the most interesting people I have ever talked with as he has interacted with so many of the leading names in the business of show from behind the keys of his grand piano.

From Robin Williams, Bill Murray and Reba of this generation to those from our celebrated entertainment past.

The other evening he shared his encounter with Frank Sinatra. The hotel where Robert serves up his nightly fare has been an Arizona mainstay since the 1930s. Known for its intimacy and as a comfortable location where celebrities can relax, and as you will see, go virtually unnoticed, when the “chairman of the board” entered the lounge he was not even recognized.

According to the story, “old blue eyes” was wearing a casual outdoor jacket and baseball style hat.

When Bob finally made the connection as to who it was he immediately launched into one of Mr. Sinatra’s signature songs. Hearing this, Sinatra jumped up and told him “not to bother, he had heard it enough of that song already”. Play on Bob.

A final Live from the Highlands and a few tidbits: This final installment places me in the period of 2005 through today.

Looking back, I am proudest of two major accomplishments, the 2007 production of “Steel Magnolias” and the beginning of the New Stages program.

I hope to travel to California to enjoy Chino Community Theater’s 25th anniversary. I was a part of the team that began this theater and it will be wonderful to see so many old friends. We were young together, once.

My way, our way in our town.