JERSEY BOYS is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sound and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were thirty.
Photo: Joan Marcus
JERSEY BOYS opened at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway to critical acclaim on November 6, 2005. The JERSEY BOYS National Tour opened to rave reviews in San Francisco on December 1, 2006, played a record-breaking run in Los Angeles and is still breaking house records in cities across North America. When the Philadelphia return engagement launches in December, there will be six worldwide productions of JERSEY BOYS: New York, London, Las Vegas, Sydney, Australia, and two US National tours.
Boy, was I in for a magnificent music history lesson last night as Jersey Boys settled into the Forrest Theatre for its Philadelphia tour run. It was a night of firsts for me. Last night accounted for the first time I made my way to the Forrest Theatre which is significantly smaller than, more intimate than the Academy of Music which I loved. And while I have owned the original Broadway recording of this musical for years, it was the first time seeing Jersey Boys on stage… as well as the original Franki Valli & The Four Seasons who so kindly came out at curtain call! Only at home! Oh what a night!
The cast was led by Philadelphia-area native Brandon Andrus (Nick Massi), Colby Foytik (Tommy DeVito), Jason Kappus (Bob Gaudio) and Brad Weinstock (Frankie Valli) as The Four Seasons, with Barry Anderson and Thomas Fiscella. I was particularly fond of Jason Kappus. His voice made me melt! What a talent. Not only that but he played Bob Gaudio who I actually found to be more intriguing than Frankie Valli because he seemed to be the mastermind, the hit maker. I wanted to get inside Bob’s head. While I have owned the Broadway recording for years, I have only listened to the recording a handful of times so as not to become too invested before seeing the show. So when the music came back to me, I did not realize just how many hits The Four Seasons were responsible for.
Talk about Jersey pride! This group’s musical achievements alone make me proud to be from here. And the harmonies. Bravo! The crowd was cheering during “Sherry,” rocking to “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” and clapping along to “Oh, What a Night” while I connected to “My Eyes Adored You.” These boys may have been making hits awhile before I arrived on this earth but their music, these lyrics are timeless. “My Eyes Adored You” won me over. The group choreography from the late 50s and on also reeled me in. These guys have the full package! Had I been an early teenager when The Four Seasons took America by storm or were at their peak, I would have had their poster on my wall.
Because Jersey Boys is home right now on their tour run, the Jersey jokes are especially appreciated and hysterical. The camaraderie in the theatre was like no other. The story was equally as moving. Watching the group come together, have their Destiny’s Child moments going from a foursome to threesome and twosome and back to foursome… I don’t even know if I got it right, but you get the point… from dealing with the gravity of fame whether it tie to family, finances, or being friends within the group… so much was touched on in Jersey Boys. It’s a great testament to the life of a member in a group, no matter what decade.
The loyalty. Frankie being indebted to Tommy. There was so much beauty and tragedy to take in. Watching the journey, it was a real treat. I learned a lot and was able to fall in love with The Four Seasons decades after their first hit. It’s no wonder Jersey Boys on Broadway was awarded 4 Tony Awards, 2 Outer Critics Circle Awards, and Drama League Awards. The cast and crew have put together a magnificent show here which I am sure is just as wonderful as the current Broadway run. So when Jersey Boys comes to a town near you, don’t hesitate to buy your tickets!
Fun Facts:
Jersey Boys company needs four men to play Frankie Valli: one, six times a week; another, twice weekly; and two understudies.
There are 10 musicians (including the Conductor) in the touring company, many of them appearing on stage.
Jersey Boys in Philadelphia, PA broke the Forrest Theatre’s box office record that was previously held by The Phantom of the Opera and went on to break its own record seven more times.
Jersey Boys runs at the Academy of Music December 6, 2011 – January 14, 2011. The show runs at approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes, including intermission. Tickets begin at $52.50 and can be purchased by telephone (800-447-7400 ), at the Forrest Theatre box office (1114 Walnut St), or online. There will be no performances on Saturday, Dec. 24, Sunday, Dec. 25 and Sunday, Jan 1, 2012.