#1
Posted: 11/15/05 at 11:07pm
Just back from seeing Jersey Boys.
I have always been a huge fan of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons so although skeptical when I first heard about this project, I immediately got jazzed about it once I attended a rehearsal a few weeks before the first preview.
Des does an amazing job keeping the action flowing from scene to scene - the the same way he did with TOMMY. I am a huge fan of shows that are able to do scene changes on the fly instead of constantly going to black.
The book to this show also keeps things moving with both humor and pathos. If it seems so "obvious" a device having a group of four guys to have each person tell their side for part of it, it's because of the flawless work of both book writers who make it seem so easy.
The cast is working their you know what off and all seem to be having the time of their lives - and why not? The orchestrations are top notch as are all the performaces. While everyone (as I said) shines in their respective (and sometimes many) roles - in my opinion the show belongs to John Lloyd Young and Christian Hoff. Now don't get me wrong - Daniel and J Robert are incredible as well.
I'm keeping my comments brief (so sorry this isn't more elaborate) but I just wanted to chime in. This is a show that happens to be a jukebox musical simply because of the songs involved - but it really isn't. It's a poignant, intriguing, and hard look at one of America's legendary groups that until now, we knew very little about.
I will also add that I haven't seen an audience react so wildly to a show and so many of its songs and scenes since Hairspray.
John Young stopped the show and got a well deserved standing ovation (and when I say stopped. I mean stopped and held for at least a full minute or two) during "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You"
I will definitely be going back to see this one again - and no, I am not a shill. It's a rare thing for me, personally, to leave a show not wanting it to end. Such was the case with JERSEY BOYS.
p.s. I don't see how Christian and John would not get a Tony Nom this season.
I have always been a huge fan of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons so although skeptical when I first heard about this project, I immediately got jazzed about it once I attended a rehearsal a few weeks before the first preview.
Des does an amazing job keeping the action flowing from scene to scene - the the same way he did with TOMMY. I am a huge fan of shows that are able to do scene changes on the fly instead of constantly going to black.
The book to this show also keeps things moving with both humor and pathos. If it seems so "obvious" a device having a group of four guys to have each person tell their side for part of it, it's because of the flawless work of both book writers who make it seem so easy.
The cast is working their you know what off and all seem to be having the time of their lives - and why not? The orchestrations are top notch as are all the performaces. While everyone (as I said) shines in their respective (and sometimes many) roles - in my opinion the show belongs to John Lloyd Young and Christian Hoff. Now don't get me wrong - Daniel and J Robert are incredible as well.
I'm keeping my comments brief (so sorry this isn't more elaborate) but I just wanted to chime in. This is a show that happens to be a jukebox musical simply because of the songs involved - but it really isn't. It's a poignant, intriguing, and hard look at one of America's legendary groups that until now, we knew very little about.
I will also add that I haven't seen an audience react so wildly to a show and so many of its songs and scenes since Hairspray.
John Young stopped the show and got a well deserved standing ovation (and when I say stopped. I mean stopped and held for at least a full minute or two) during "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You"
I will definitely be going back to see this one again - and no, I am not a shill. It's a rare thing for me, personally, to leave a show not wanting it to end. Such was the case with JERSEY BOYS.
p.s. I don't see how Christian and John would not get a Tony Nom this season.
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka
Updated On: 11/16/05 at 11:07 PM
