Seattlest Interview: Mark Siano
Mark Siano has been performing in Seattle for over ten years (with stops in New York, LA, and most recently the Orlando Fringe Festival!). His new show ‘The Mark Siano Soft Rock Spectacular’ plays this weekend at Re-bar, and features soft rock, dance, and comedy.
You've written, performed sketches, monologues, choreographed dance; however, it appears that singing is your favorite. Why?
Singing is the most satisfying. I can't control it; I just want to sing all the time. I walk through the world like Fred Astaire. There's a song or a melody for everything I do. Life has always been set to music for me and my singing provides the soundtrack. When I wake up it's "Oh What a Beautiful Morning," during the day it's "Working 9 to 5," in the evening it's "All by Myself."
A lot of the songs that you'll be singing are currently mocked. How do you sincerely pay tribute to these songs, while at the same time play with their cheesiness?
I'm not afraid to admit I love these songs! So does everyone, soft rock is the mostly widely accepted popular music in America. It's everywhere, I don't really have to play at the cheesiness; it's inherent in the music. I just have to put on a awesome 80s outfit and sing with as much passion as I can muster, and the audience can't help but smile. Plus, I like to crack a bunch of jokes about the lyrics. Like Toto's "Africa," it's a beautiful song with asinine lyrics "We're gonna take some time to do the things we never had!" That doesn't make any sense!
Your shows tend to encompass what old Vegas shows used to be: singing, dancing, jokes, and witty banter with audience. Why do you think people don’t do these types of shows any more?
When I started in Seattle, a writer from The Stranger dubbed me "The Dean Martin of Seattle," and my act seems to keep going in that direction.
Those old Vegas shows were a thousand times more entertaining than the stuff they do there now. It's a bygone era. Today's stars don't want to be seen as lounge or Vegas acts. Imagine if George Clooney and Brad Pitt did a full cabaret at The Sands. That would be awesome! We don't really know if they have the talent to pull it off. You have to be funny, off the cuff, you have to dance, and most off all you have to be able to sing. Really SING.
So do you feel pressure making these types of shows popular again?
No. I think this format will inevitably make a come back. When I create a show, I just think about what I would like to see on stage and make it happen. I'm not deliberately trying do a Vegas-cabaret type of show. Watching lots of sexy young people dance to Bonnie Tyler is my idea of quality entertainment, so it's in the show.
Which Vegas casino would your show be best suited for?
Caesar's Palace.
You're in a karaoke bar and have just been told that you have five minutes to live, what do you sing?
Air Supply's "Making Love out of Nothing At All." Just so I can sing the lyrics "I can make every tackle at the sound of the whistle, and I can make all the stadiums rock!" once more before I die.
The Mark Siano Soft Rock Spectacular plays 8pm on June 22 and 23 at Re-bar (1114 Howell St. 206-233-9873). Tickets are $10 at the door.
