Well deserved ovations
When the cast and production crew for "Jersey Boys" arrived in Chicago last week to open their long run, they had just three days for technical rehearsals with the set, lights and sound system at LaSalle Bank Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St.
It's an amazing feat to consider while sitting back and enjoying this amazing two-and-a-half-hour polished parade of personal life stories, mixed with the songs, music and varied personalities responsible for launching the successful careers of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
Sunday's press opening for the show, which is set to run through April 13, 2008, was pure energy, and it's easy to see why this musical has charmed audiences around the country and snared a bounty from both the Broadway box office and the 2006 Tonys.
This is everybody's musical.
It's for anyone who has dreamed and loved, fought anger for friendship and for those who have won and lost.
The story unfolds quickly and neatly. And despite a 40-year career, it doesn't feel like anything has been left out of the story, despite the tough task of trying to share the stories of four interesting performing legends like The Four Seasons.
Academy Award-winning writer Marshall Brickman, who wrote "Jersey Boys," admits he never realized just how popular this musical would become with audiences.
Valli, who attended Sunday's red carpet opening with Brickman and fellow Four Season's member Bob Gaudio, also says the wild interest in the show took him by surprise.
But the story of the rise to success for Valli and Gaudio, along with fellow members Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi, is proof of what talent, dedication and ambition can do to change lives.
The musical uses the group's hit songs and some clever staging and set design to tell how blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time.
The quartet not only wrote their own songs and invented their own sounds, they also sold 175 million records worldwide, all before any of them reached age 30.
And along the way, there are plenty of who's who references ranging from Ed Sullivan and The Beatles, to Neil Sedaka and Dick Clark.
But the real stars in this production are the Chicago cast members: Drew Gehling as Gaudio, Chicagoan Michael Ingersoll as Massi, Jeremy Kushnier as DeVito and the unbelievably talented Jarrod Spector as Valli.
Spector, just 26, is a vocal powerhouse who "becomes" Valli, recreating the singer's famous falsetto pipes with precision.
Another standout is actor Craig Laurie, who plays legendary record producer Bob Crewe with style and flair.
But to everyone and anyone who has ever said this show is designed like sister Broadway smash "Mamma Mia!," it's important to qualify that comparison.
It's NOT like "Mamma Mia!" (a musical I also loved). Yes, both shows use a string of popular artists' songs to weave a story. But this show is so much more distinct and different, because it doesn't have to try so hard to connect all of these songs into a story.
These songs ARE the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
Tickets are $30 to $95 available at (312) 902-1400 or www.JerseyBoysInfo.com or www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.
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