Long
ago and far away, well not that far, just in New Jersey and not that
long ago just the 1950's and 1960's, there were four lads who were
headed down the wrong road, one that could have landed them behind
bars. Fortunately for them and for the music world, they detoured and
discovered a rhythm and talent that made them headliners. Their
intriguing story is captured for all eternity in "Jersey Boys," with
book
by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music by Bob Gaudio , lyrics by Bob
Crewe and choreography by Sergio Trujillo. They will come and sing
their story, which resembles a Rocky Road ice cream sundae, alluding to
the bumpy road they traveled as well as an ice cream flavor with a base
of
chocolate or vanilla, studded with nuts and marshmallows. For four young kids from the Garden State who flirt with
crime before devoting their time to being crooners, both definitions
apply. They definitely knew how to
capture a sweet sound, a harmonious taste, and their career clearly was a rocky road
journey.
To
get better acquainted with these four charming lads, travel to the
Palace Theater in Waterbury for a high energy introduction from
Wednesday, October 9 to Sunday, October 13 and the meet and greet will
be sensational as the story of Frankie Valli and the Four
Seasons unrolls before your fascinating eyes. Their story is structured
around the four seasons as Tommy DeVito, Spring, Bob Gaudio, Summer,
Nick Massi, Fall and finally Frankie Valli, Winter, each tell their
version of what happened. Along the way, they wrote their own songs,
invented their own sound, sold 175 million records, all before
celebrating their big 3-0.
Through trial and error in experimentation as to who fit the
membership best, as well as criminal trials for misdemeanors, this quartet of
singers struggled to make a name for themselves, to even find a name they liked
for their group. Once Tommy DeVito
and Nick Massi recruited Frankie Valli and later Bob Gaudio, the troupe was set
to explode on the Billboard charts.
Soon Gaudio was churning out hits and songs like “Sherry,” “Big Girls
Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Oh, What a Night,” “My Eyes Adore You,” “Can’t
Take My Eyes Off You” and “Working My Way Back To You,” giving them entrée
into the big time.
Success is not without its price and “Jersey Boys” tells its
tale straight up, warts and all.
All the time on the road plays havoc with the families left behind and
on the guys the fans adore. The struggles for power within the group also take their
toll. Tommy DeVito’s gambling
addiction almost destroys them until Frankie Valli steps forward and
honorably takes on the burden of his debt to the mob.
The guys are great in their roles, making their story real,
their struggles believable, their success sweet and undeniable. Come
hear Brandon Andrus, Nick Cosgrove, Jason Kappus and Nicolas Dromard
bring this quartet of blue collar boys to life strikingly and
harmoniously. This great musical stuffed with memorable tunes will have you wanting to
dance up the theater aisles.
For tickets ($55 and up),
call the Palace Theater, 100 East Main Street, Waterbury at
203-346-2000 or online at www.palacetheaterct.org. Performances
are Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.., Friday
at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Sixteen
million people have cheered after seeing this Tony, Grammy and Olivier
Award-winning musical. Now it's your turn to shout out your joy!
Let four guys from Jersey adore you with their eyes and
their voices as they work their way into your heart.
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