Flying high: New Sinatra-inspired musical by Indiana's Twyla Tharp in Chicago this month

There's plenty of pressure that comes with producing a new stage musical dedicated to the songs of the late, great Frank Sinatra.

But having Indiana choreography claim-to-fame Twyla Tharp lending her creative vision to the project makes everything seem a little easier.

Ron Todorowski, resident director for the national tour of "Come Fly Away," opening Tuesday in Chicago at Bank of America Theatre and running through Jan. 22, says having the guiding force of Sinatra's iconic appeal also adds plenty of cast confidence.

And he should know, since he also stars in dual roles for this musical, portraying both the characters of Marty and Chanos.

"We've had family, including Nancy Sinatra, come backstage after seeing the show to tell us how much they enjoyed it, so we know we can be proud with the stories we are telling in song and dance," Todorowski said.

"And fans have also responded very enthusiastically."

Described as "a one-of-a-kind experience combining the seductive vocals of 'Ol' Blue Eyes' with the sizzling sound of a live on stage big band and the visceral thrill of Tharp's choreography," the stage show stars Todorowski and 14 dancers billed as "the world's best" to tell the story of four couples falling in and out of love.

Using Sinatra's songs and dance segments, the audience experiences the exhilaration of a first kiss, the excitement of a first dance and the bittersweet moments of a first good-bye, all awash in a world of sparkling romance and astonishing beauty.

The score includes beloved Sinatra classics like "Fly Me to the Moon," "My Way," "New York, New York" and "Makin' Whoopee."

"Working with Twyla provides so many opportunity to learn from her creative freedom," Todorowski said.

"When we did 'Come Fly Away' in both New York and Las Vegas, audiences were swept away by the energy."

Twarps previous productions include "Movin' Out," the Broadway musical dedicated to serving audiences a story set to the tunes of Billy Joel.

As for playing two dancer characters, Todorowski said both of the men are very different and complex souls.

"Marty is a bartender and he's head-over-heels," he said.

"Chanos, just the opposite, is a businessman who is confident, with a life of contrast."

And even though Todorowski is dancing for eight shows a week while on tour, he said he never gets tired of performing because of the musical opportunity afforded by breathing new life and spins in all of Sinatra's favorite songs.

"There are so many wonderful stage moments, it's hard to pick just one that inspires," he said.

"But I especially like the dance and song combinations for 'That's Life' and 'One For My Baby.'"