The Rat Pack is taking a break from the Vegas strip and performing at NIU this Saturday.

OK, Ol’ Blue Eyes and the gang won’t be there in person, but Jimmy Sartino and NIU students Kyle Varnold, Chad Sheridan and Saalik Ziyad will portray them in “The Rat Pack.” They will play Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., respectively.

The four crooners will perform their variation on the “First Night” skit, originally performed in 1961.

The entire performance is a set of singing and dancing and comedy skits.

“There are some African-American stereotypes in the show because the other guys used to make fun of Sammy a lot during their shows,” Varnold said. “But it’s all in the name of comedy.”

The performance will be the fourth time the guys have performed “The Rat Pack” in the area.

The previous performances were held in Rockford during the First Night festival. Varnold said they performed three nights during the festival and had a great turnout.

The first night of the festival had a small audience, he added, but the next night had a “packed to the brim” crowd. They performed in front of all ages, from children to senior citizens.

“I would go out into the audience and hit on the older crowd,” Varnold said. “They thought it was cute.”

With such publicity, the Rat Packers were asked to do a show at NIU in early January. However, in order to extend the script, the performance had to be pushed back to this Saturday. That allowed them to add more songs and jokes.

Not only is this weekend’s performance for entertainment, but it also is a benefit show in which proceeds will go to the American Choral Directors Association.

Seniors Sheridan and Ziyad are both music majors, while Varnold is a junior broadcast meteorology major. Varnold and Sheridan both are members of the ACDA.

Sartino is a Rockford native and serves as a substitute teacher in the Winnebago School District and at Boylan Catholic High School.

Even though “The Rat Pack” deals with somewhat dated material, there is no worry about turnout.

“The people that grew up with the music will love the show, but I know there are some our age who like the Rat Pack,” Varnold said.