For all those people that who want to see Jersey Boys but can’t make it to NY or are waiting for the tour to come near them, I just got an e-mail update about the tour and they added 8 new cities. Here are the months you can expect the production to arrive.
Tempe, AZ - September 2007 San Diego, CA - October 2007 Costa Mesa, CA - November 2007 Seattle, WA - December 2007 Houston, TX - January 2008 Tampa, FL - February 2008 Minneapolis, MN - March 2008 Cleveland, OH - June 2008
Since dates over lap with the LA and Chicago engagements, it confirms the rumors that a second touring company is being cast. Here's the same news from playbillUpdated On: 3/19/07 at 10:24 PM
I was there to see them both step into the role (while Deven's out sick) Erik Bates went on Saturday mat (was very Hoff-esque) Eric Gutman went on Saturday eve (was very gritty) Both did well and my-goodness the house was on-fire both performances! Updated On: 4/16/07 at 03:12 AM
I rushed that night and was lucky enough to catch his debut. He was fantastic as Tommy DeVito. He looked nervous at the beginning because I noticed his hands were shaking like crazy while he was doing the card trick with Frankie but he settled in quckly. I felt that he really made the role his own. He has great timing. With the audience that night, I think a few of the lines got bigger laughs then when Deven delivers them. He also has a great voice. When Erich Bergen mentioned that it was Eric's debut during their BC/EFA plea, the applause Eric got from the audience was well deserved. If you people are going to see the tour you won't be dissapointed if Eric happens to be playing Tommy that night. Although I hope Deven does get better from his sinus infection.
This was also the first performance I saw where they had to put the female swings in. I knew Sandra was out already but it ended up being that Jackie was sick that night (she now has a blog by the way http://jackieseiden.wordpress.com/). Heather Ferguson took Sandra's track and Jennifer Evans took Jackie's. Jennifer did a great job that night. I felt she was on par with Jackie's but I love Jackie's take on Mary Delgado. Heather was good to, as longs as she wasn't singing. When the girls were performing "My Boyfriend's Back" she stuck out like a sore thumb. It looked like she was just going through the motions with that whole number. She was the lead Angel and compared to Sandra, I could barely hear her. Which was sad because I was in the front row next to speakers.
There are too many Erich/Erik/Eric's in this cast.
I was in the audience for Erik Bates' first show, and I would have liked to have seen Eric Gutman's as I really like his expressions when he's in the ensemble, but oh well. Bates was kind of more regular guy who happens to have loser tendencies rather than Deven May's endearingly over-the-top, screwed up Tommy, and I'm not complaining since both interpretations work. Jennifer Evans was a little more flirtatious, a little less hard-as-nails as Mary, which also gave the role a different (and good) spin.
I am wondering if something was wrong with Heather Ferguson's mic, because she was hard to hear on Friday, too.
Bates also got a huge round of applause for his first performance, which was lovely to see. I like how supportive this cast is. :)
'"Contrairiwise," continued Tweedledee, "if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."'
~Lewis Carroll
It's not the 2nd tour. From what I've read in blogs, I think they aren't going to be in SF until the later half of the week of 4/23. They'll probably be in SF by 4/30 the latest.
Updated On: 4/16/07 at 01:53 PM