SALT LAKE CITY — “Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles” will be at Kingsbury Hall on April 16 for two performances.
As its name suggests, “Rain” is an ode — not just to the Beatles’ music, but to their story as well.
“It’s a concert inside of a Broadway show,” said Paul Curatolo, who plays Beatles legend Paul McCartney in the show. “It’s a multimedia experience. It’s the story of the Beatles through their music.”
Curatolo’s love for the Beatles is in his blood. His father, Joey Curatolo, pioneered the role of Paul McCartney in the original cast of “Rain.” Paul Curatolo, now walking — and playing — in his father’s footsteps, has done his due diligence to pay proper tribute to McCartney.
“McCartney was left-handed, so I learned to play the bass left-handed for the show," he said. "It makes all the difference. It adds to that iconic feel and look of the Beatles.”
“Rain” is its own type of Broadway show and may surprise audiences who are used to sitting for the duration of a performance.
“It’s been a blast. We always have so much fun (with the audience)," Curatolo said. "We like that the audience dances and reacts to the music. They really get into the Beatles’ records, just like us, because we’re fans first and foremost. All of us just share and enjoy it live.”
The show’s clean content and interactive atmosphere make it appropriate for all ages. Curatolo, who has noticed younger and younger ages at the performances, is convinced that the kids are the ones begging their parents to go, not the other way around.
While filling the shoes of one of the biggest bands in history can be daunting, Curatolo loves performing up to 36 songs a night and welcoming the audience to the show with McCartney’s solo song “Yesterday.”
“The Beatles were really one of a kind, the likes of which who knows will ever happen again. The stars aligned — those four, iconic people. Such beautiful writing,” he said. “They wrote such diverse music within their own band that it really touches on any emotion, any period of your life; it’s so relatable because of how much music there is and how good it is. Everybody, no matter what walk of life you are, no matter what age, everybody has had a moment with the Beatles at least once.”
Curatolo guarantees a good time for all and said the two hours pass in the blink of an eye because the show is “such a blast.”
“It’s an honor and a privilege, really, to pay tribute to one of my idols,” he said. “He’s one of the world’s biggest icons.”
If you go ...
What: “Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles”
When: April 16, 3 and 8 p.m.
Where: Kingsbury Hall, 1395 Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City
How much: $35-$65
Phone: 801-581-7100
Web: raintribute.com
Email: scobb@deseretnews.com