The singing, wise-cracking, and swaggering Rat Pack from the 1960s gets a makeover from down under Sunday at The Valentine Theatre when The Tap Pack takes the stage to combine the much-loved aspects of the quintet comedy group with tap dancing and singing to both classic and modern music.

The show was created in 2013 by some of Australia’s top dancing performers and combines audience participation aspects of a show likes Stomp with the witty banter and sophisticated musical styling of the Rat Pack — which featured Hollywood performers Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and comedian Joey Bishop.

Jordan Pollard, one of the creators of Tap Pack, said he, along with fellow castmates Jesse Rasmussen and Thomas Egan, initially came up with the idea in 2013 to combine the camaraderie of the Rat Pack with a high-energy musical performance emphasizing tap. He said they all grew up idolizing the Rat Pack as well as the dancing of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire.

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“We all did musical theater and other different projects together in Australia, which is what prompted us to work together,” Pollard recalled. “We wanted to create something rather than wait for the next audition to come. When we started, we were just really passionate about the idea and working together. Now it’s become a massive dream come true that’s taken us around the world.”

With the help of co-creator and director Nigel Turner-Carroll, the show developed to include a loose plot that allows each character, clad in vintage suits, at least initially, an opportunity to tell his story and showcase individual dance talents.

Their friendship aided them in creating the on-stage camaraderie of the original Rat Pack. No two shows are the same as the Australian friends frequently ad-lib lines and jokes about each other to make each show a little different.

“Each show should feel like a muck up matinée — the show before the big show comes to an end with — so you’ll see a few jokes played and few pranks played,” Pollard said. “It helps give us a vibe to play off each other and have a good time.”

For those who know and love the Rat Pack, Pollard said the show pays tribute to the style and feel as well as songs fans love, including “Me and My Shadow” and “Night And Day.” He said the goal of the show is to create a connection with the audience through the music, whether it’s from decades past or new takes on contemporary songs.

“One interesting thing about the Rat Pack is they took songs from their time and were swingifying them and making them their own,” Pollard said. “That’s what we’ve done. We perform numbers from performers such as Beyoncé and Bruno Mars and likewise make them our own. And the tap dancing is very high energy, so even if you have no knowledge of Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire, these songs are rhythmical and just really interesting to watch.”

Having toured in Australia, Germany, London, and the United Kingdom, this year marks the first time Tap Pack has come to the U.S., much less Toledo. Pollard wasn’t sure where the group would visit during their short stay in the Glass City, but he expects they’ll be looking to sample the food where they can.

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“We’ve been eating our way across America,” Pollard said. “We’re loving the country so far.”

First Published February 20, 2020, 3:09 a.m.