This week, Ira Sternberg spoke with Dondino.
Dondino is a name that should be familiar to listeners who were in Las Vegas in the 70’s and 80’s. He performed in several venues, but his long-term engagement was 12 years at the Four Queens. Dondino has recently returned to his home, Las Vegas, from Branson, where he performed in his own theater with a cast of 30 musicians, dancers, backup singers and opening act.
Born in Italy and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he first set foot on stage at the age of 13. For the first decade of his professional career Dondino traveled the world with his concerts and nightclub act. His tightly choreographed, lush orchestrated shows mixed original work with old standards.
Dondino is the Founder and President of the Read To Me Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting literacy for children, and distributes free new, hardcover, bilingual (English- Spanish) children books to Head Start programs, Ronald McDonald Houses, children hospitals, and charities in need of books for children to take home.