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One jukebox musical worth seeing
"Jersey Boys' at the Forrest
Steve Cohen
Suppose some unknown had replaced Frankie Valli as lead singer of the Four Seasons at the height of the group's popularity in the '50s. It would have been disastrous. The group would have broken up then and there.
Not so with the fictitious Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in Jersey Boys. This musical has been running on Broadway since 2006 and is now making its second national tour. What's most remarkable is the show's endurance even as its Frankies have changed.
Brad Weinstock is the fourth Frankie I've seen since I caught Jersey Boys in its pre-Broadway engagement at the La Jolla Playhouse in California. He fills the role's basic requirements: he's short, looks Italian and possesses a high voice.
Beyond that, Weinstock brings warmth and charisma to his impersonation. His voice may sound a bit artificial when he pushes it into Valli's idiosyncratic high range, but Weinstock's dancing is the best I've seen.
Sick of Mamma Mia
The other surprising thing about Jersey Boys is how it succeeded when other jukebox musicals failed. Musicals based on the Beach Boys, Elvis Presley and Burt Bacharach flopped. The only comparable success has been Mamma Mia, filled with the music of the Swedish pop group Abba but whose story bears no relation to that quartet. But where I got sick of Mamma Mia's stupid story, Jersey Boys continues to hold my interest even after multiple viewing.
How come? Jersey Boys clearly owes its success to its gritty story: Four blue-collar kids climb out of the North Jersey slums to became one of the most successful vocal groups in pop music history by writing their own songs and inventing their own sounds. Their subsequent financial and personal problems only enhance the drama in their story.
Book writer Marshall Brickman and director Des McAnuff added the gimmick of telling the story in four sections, each one introduced by a different band member from a different perspective.
Personal attention
The choreography is another secret to the show's success. When the Four Seasons perform the group's biggest hits—"Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Oh What a Night" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"— the choreography may remind you of the original group. In fact, Sergio Trujillo's dance moves are more elaborate than any steps executed by the real Frankie and his pals.
Jersey Boys also benefits from its close attention to its leading men. Weinstock, like the show's other Frankies, was put through a three-day workshop to learn how Valli sang, talked and moved, before the casting audition took place. During the show's run, a vocal coach is on hand to make sure that Weinstock and his backup singers don't damage their voices.
In addition to Weinstock, this road tour is blessed with a superb "Bob Gaudio," the group's songwriter, in the person of Jason Kappus. Brandon Andrus, Colby Foytik and Thomas Fiscella also are believable and talented in their roles.
Not so with the fictitious Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in Jersey Boys. This musical has been running on Broadway since 2006 and is now making its second national tour. What's most remarkable is the show's endurance even as its Frankies have changed.
Brad Weinstock is the fourth Frankie I've seen since I caught Jersey Boys in its pre-Broadway engagement at the La Jolla Playhouse in California. He fills the role's basic requirements: he's short, looks Italian and possesses a high voice.
Beyond that, Weinstock brings warmth and charisma to his impersonation. His voice may sound a bit artificial when he pushes it into Valli's idiosyncratic high range, but Weinstock's dancing is the best I've seen.
Sick of Mamma Mia
The other surprising thing about Jersey Boys is how it succeeded when other jukebox musicals failed. Musicals based on the Beach Boys, Elvis Presley and Burt Bacharach flopped. The only comparable success has been Mamma Mia, filled with the music of the Swedish pop group Abba but whose story bears no relation to that quartet. But where I got sick of Mamma Mia's stupid story, Jersey Boys continues to hold my interest even after multiple viewing.
How come? Jersey Boys clearly owes its success to its gritty story: Four blue-collar kids climb out of the North Jersey slums to became one of the most successful vocal groups in pop music history by writing their own songs and inventing their own sounds. Their subsequent financial and personal problems only enhance the drama in their story.
Book writer Marshall Brickman and director Des McAnuff added the gimmick of telling the story in four sections, each one introduced by a different band member from a different perspective.
Personal attention
The choreography is another secret to the show's success. When the Four Seasons perform the group's biggest hits—"Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Oh What a Night" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"— the choreography may remind you of the original group. In fact, Sergio Trujillo's dance moves are more elaborate than any steps executed by the real Frankie and his pals.
Jersey Boys also benefits from its close attention to its leading men. Weinstock, like the show's other Frankies, was put through a three-day workshop to learn how Valli sang, talked and moved, before the casting audition took place. During the show's run, a vocal coach is on hand to make sure that Weinstock and his backup singers don't damage their voices.
In addition to Weinstock, this road tour is blessed with a superb "Bob Gaudio," the group's songwriter, in the person of Jason Kappus. Brandon Andrus, Colby Foytik and Thomas Fiscella also are believable and talented in their roles.
What, When, Where
Jersey Boys. Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice; music by Bob Gaudio; lyrics by Bob Crewe; Des McAnuff directed. Through January 14, 2012 at the Forrest Theatre, 1114 Walnut Street. (800) 447-7400 or www.forrest-theatre.com.
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