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When Broadway and television star Robert Neary decided to put together a Neil Diamond show, he didn’t want it to be your typical tribute, singing song after song without much else.

“Being on the Broadway stage and the acting business for almost 40 years, I wanted to put this over the top — really set the bar … where every aspect of the show is an element of a Broadway experience,” he said. “Costume changes (reflecting) the ’70s just escalate the show â€” of course, being an actor on Broadway, I incorporated that creativity aspect of it.”

The costume changes, lighting, stories and multimedia all contribute to the memorable evening, which he first created in 2019 â€” the year after Diamond retired — in partnership with one of New York’s premiere bands, The Mystic. 

During each song, a video clip depicting a part of Diamond’s life, including performances, plays in the background.

“There’s a song called “I Am â€¦ I Said,” which is his most personal song. I tell the story of how this song came about, how he was actually in a deep depressive state when he wrote this song, and then (video) fades into this incredible picture of Neil Diamond in the background, just sitting on the beach in total thought, so everything is intertwined,” he said.

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The interactive night also includes trivia questions, such as what Diamond’s top-selling single was. Most audience members guess incorrectly, and Neary has fun with it, pulling up a surprising clip of Diamond while playing the correct answer.

The show culminates in a 25-minute “Hot August Night” medley. 

“It’s a real concert feel — it’s not just the single version that you’re used to hearing on the record,” he said.

Other standout moments include a saxophone solo; just as audiences might think “Heartlight” is ending, the sax takes center stage.

“It’s a showstopper,” he said.

Born and raised on Long Island, Neary landed a guest role in the television series “Fame” when he was 20 years old, then went on to star opposite Jason Bateman in the film “Teen Wolf Too,” followed by a two-year stint on “General Hospital” as Officer Frank Marino. He moved to Nashville to pursue his love for contemporary gospel music, and then returned to acting, which led to more than 50 television shows, from “Criminal Minds” to “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Weeds.” Additionally, he has performed in more than 25 commercials and movies.

His first stint on Broadway came in 1996 in “Smokey Joe’s Café.” After meeting his wife on Broadway, they toured together in “Aida,” the Elton John/Tim Rice Broadway hit (he played the evil Zoser).

These days, he has placed acting on the back burner, in pursuit of So Good! Though Elvis has always been No. 1 on his list of favorite musicians, Diamond comes in a close second.

“I’ve been a fan since the ’70s. My brother was playing Neil Diamond records from day one. I remember listening to the album and his voice resonated with me. By the time I was in high school, I was a full-fledged fan,” he said.

He taught himself to play piano based on “The Jazz Singer” album; “Hello Again” was the first song he learned to play.

In a career that spanned five decades, beginning in the 1960s, Diamond’s music still resonates with audiences, so much so that the Vilar Performing Arts Center’s show is nearly sold out, with limited tickets to be possibly released.

“I think it’s because, first of all, (nearly) every song was a hit for him — there are over 50 that were huge hits. They just talk to you. It was a great time in history, especially the ones he wrote in the ’70s and ’80s. Everybody has their favorite Neil Diamond song. The younger generation tells me they remember their mom and dad playing his music in the car and at the house. And love songs — he could write some incredible love songs. People say, ‘That was my wedding song,’ or ‘I remember that was our prom theme.’ They just have staying power today. They’re still just happy songs,” Neary said. “And, you know, ‘Sweet Caroline’ — you can’t get a more popular song than that.”

Neary’s tribute has been filmed as a documentary and is now streaming on Amazon; it, along with his shows, continue to garner great reviews.