Jersey Boys

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Jersey Boys
The August Wilson Theatre showing Jersey Boys
Music Bob Gaudio
Lyrics Bob Crewe
Book Marshall Brickman
Rick Elice
Productions 2005 Broadway
2006 North American Tour
2007 Chicago
2008 Las Vegas
2008 West End
2008 Toronto
2009 Melbourne
Awards Tony Award for Best Musical
Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album

Jersey Boys is a documentary-style musical based on the lives of one of the most successful 1960s rock 'n roll groups, the Four Seasons. Jersey Boys won four 2006 Tony Awards, Best Musical, Best Actor (John Lloyd Young), Best Featured Actor (Christian Hoff), and Best Lighting Design (Howell Binkley).

Contents

[edit] Productions

Jersey Boys premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse on October 5, 2004 and ran through January 16, 2005[1] The musical opened on Broadway on November 6, 2005 at the August Wilson Theatre starring John Lloyd Young as Frankie Valli, Christian Hoff as Tommy DeVito, Daniel Reichard as Bob Gaudio, and J. Robert Spencer as Nick Massi.[2] Directed by Des McAnuff, the then artistic director at La Jolla Playhouse, the musical uses many of the group's hit songs to tell the turbulent story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons' rise to fame. Ben Brantley of The New York Times wrote, "THE CROWD GOES WILD. I'm talking about the real, mostly middle-aged crowd at the August Wilson Theater, who seem to have forgotten what year it is or how old they are or, most important, that John Lloyd Young is not Frankie Valli. And everything that has led up to that curtain call feels, for just a second, as real and vivid as the sting of your hands clapping together."[3]

The first national tour of Jersey Boys began on December 10, 2006 at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco. On May 3, 2007, that tour's run ended in San Francisco to prepare for its Los Angeles premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre. The next day, a second company debuted at the Curran and ended its run on September 30, 2007, before transferring for an open-ended run at Chicago's Bank of America Theatre. The Chicago production opened on October 5, 2007 with Michael Ingersoll, a Chicagoan, in the role of Nick Massi.[4] The Chicago opening brought Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio to Chicago and was promoted prominently, including a December 9, 2007 puck dropping at a Chicago Blackhawks game.[5] Meanwhile, the First National Tour continues to make its way across the country.

A special holiday return engagement production played at the Curran from November 20 - December 30, 2007, starring Rick Faugno as Frankie Valli, Andrew Rannells as Bob Gaudio, Bryan McElroy as Tommy DeVito and Jeff Leibow as Nick Massi. The majority of this cast became the original Las Vegas cast, which debuted at The Palazzo Hotel on Saturday, May 3.[6]

The musical made its West End debut at London's Prince Edward Theatre in February 2008. The creative team were the same that brought the production to Broadway. Principal cast were Ryan Molloy as Frankie Valli, Stephen Ashfield as Bob Gaudio, Glenn Carter as Tommy DeVito and Philip Bulcock as Nick Massi.[7] Charles Spencer from The Daily Telegraph said, "Overpaid, over-sexed and over here, it will, I suspect be some time before London says Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye) to the PHENOMENAL Jersey Boys."[8] Benedict Nightingale from The Times said, “Oh What a Night. There were times when I felt that the performers were making even the Beatles sound somewhat lacking in musical texture."[9] Quentin Letts from The Daily Mail said, “I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a big thumper of a show with fantastic songs.”[10] The prodution won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical.

The Las Vegas production of the show opened to critical acclaim on Sunday, May 3 at The Palazzo Hotel in the newly built Jersey Boys Theatre. Mike Weatherford from the Las Vegas Review Journal said, “Grade A. A crackling musical staging.”[11] Richard Ouzounian from the Toronto Star said, “The Las Vegas premiere of Jersey Boys at the elegant new Palazzo Hotel is a cheering, stomping, hats-in-the-air triumph. This show is a winner.”[12]

It was announced on Australia Day, January 26, 2008, that the Australian Production would open at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, in March 2009.[13] Since that announcement, the opening of the Australian production has been delayed until July 2009.

The San Francisco/Chicago cast appeared on stage in the 2007 Emmy Awards in a tribute to HBO's The Sopranos.

Due to the huge success of the First National Tour stop at Toronto Centre for the Arts in Toronto, Canada from August 21 to December 6, 2008, an open-ended run began performances on December 12 with a new, mostly Canadian cast that includes Jeremy Kushnier and Jenny Lee Stern from the First National Tour.[14]

An original cast recording was made by Rhino Entertainment, Jersey Boys: Original Broadway Cast Recording. In February 2008, the album was certified Gold, having sold more than 500,000 copies in the US.

[edit] Charity

The West End cast of Jersey Boys appeared as a guest act for the Royal Variety Performance 2008, which was staged at the London Palladium on December 11 in the presence of senior members of the Royal family. The Royal Variety Performance is a gala event held annually at a major British theatre, to raise money for the Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund.[15]

Jersey Boys Chicago has been honored two years in a row at the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids Gypsy of the Year event for being the top fundraiser in the Tour category. In 2008, Jersey Boys Chicago raised $220,000 for BC/EFA.[16]

[edit] Cast

Original Broadway Cast
Original London Cast
  • Frankie Valli -- Ryan Molloy
  • Frankie Valli alternate—Scott Monello
  • Bob Gaudio -- Stephen Ashfield
  • Tommy DeVito -- Glenn Carter
  • Nick Massi—Philip Bulcock
  • Bob Crewe—Simon Adkins
  • Gyp DeCarlo—Stuart Milligan

[edit] Musical numbers

Act I
Act II

[edit] Awards and nominations

Tony Award
Theatre World Award
Drama Desk Award
  • Outstanding Musical (nominee)
  • Outstanding Book of a Musical (nominee)
  • Outstanding Actor in a Musical-- John Lloyd Young (WINNER)
  • Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
    • Christian Hoff (nominee)
    • Daniel Reichard (nominee)
  • Outstanding Choreography (nominee)
  • Outstanding Director of a Musical (nominee)
  • Outstanding Sound Design (WINNER)
Outer Critics Circle Award
  • Outstanding Musical (WINNER)
  • Outstanding Actor in a Musical-- John Lloyd Young (WINNER)
  • Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical--Christian Hoff (nominee)
  • Outstanding Choreography (nominee)
  • Outstanding Director of a Musical (nominee)
  • Outstanding Lighting Design (WINNER)
Drama League Award
Grammy Award
  • Best Show Album (WINNER)
What's on Stage Award
  • Best New Musical (WINNER)
  • Best Actor in a Musical-- Ryan Molloy (WINNER)
  • Best Supporting Actor in a Musical-- Stephen Ashfield (WINNER)
  • Best Set Designer—Klara Zieglerova (WINNER)
Laurence Olivier Award
  • Best New Musical (WINNER)
  • Best Actor in a Musical-- Ryan Molloy (nominee)
  • Best Theature Choreographer—Sergio Trujillo (nominee)
  • Best Director-- Des McAnuff (nominee)
  • Best Sound Design—Steve Canyon Kennedy (nominee)
Dora Award[17]
  • Outstanding Production of a Musical (nominee)
  • Outstanding Direction of a Musical-- Des McAnuff (WINNER)
  • Outstanding Choreography-- Sergio Trujillo (nominee)
  • Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role
    • Jeremy Kushnier (nominee)
    • Michael Lomenda (nominee)
    • Jeff Madden (WINNER)
    • Quinn VanAntwerp (nominee)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Playbill News: Seasons in the Sun: Jersey Boys Opens on Broadway Nov. 6
  2. ^ Playbill On Opening Night: Jersey Boys: A Musical for All Seasons
  3. ^ Jersey Boys--Review--New York Times
  4. ^ Hernandez, Ernio (2007-10-05). "Jersey Boys Begins Chicago Run Oct. 5". Playbill, Inc.. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/111684.html. Retrieved on 2008-01-18. 
  5. ^ "JERSEY BOYS ROCK THE WINDY CITY". chicagoactor.com. http://chicagoactor.com/blog/blog/2007/10/31/jersey-boys-rock-the-windy-city/. Retrieved on 2008-01-18. 
  6. ^ SHNews
  7. ^ http://www.playbill.com/news/article/111965.html playbill article, Oct. 17, 2007
  8. ^ "Jersey Boys: Let's hear it for the Boys", The Telegraph
  9. ^ "Jersey Boys at the Prince Edward", The Times
  10. ^ "First Night: Frankie goes to the West End", Mail Online
  11. ^ ReviewJournal.com - News - SHOW REVIEW: Four versions of Seasons' saga told
  12. ^ TheStar.com | Theatre | Jersey Boys is a hit on opening night in Vegas
  13. ^ BroadwayWorld Photo Coverage of Australian Production Announcement
  14. ^ New Cast Announced for Canadian Production of Jersey Boys
  15. ^ http://www.eabf.org.uk/RVP-PressRelease08.pdf Press release announcing acts for the 2008 Royal Variety Performance
  16. ^ Gypsy of the Year 20 - BroadwayWorld.com
  17. ^ Toronto's 2009 Dora Awards Go to McAnuff, MacKenzie, Eternal Hydra, Sound of Music

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Tony Award for Best Musical

The Producers (2001) · Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002) · Hairspray (2003) · Avenue Q (2004) · Monty Python's Spamalot (2005) · Jersey Boys (2006) · Spring Awakening (2007) · In the Heights (2008) · Billy Elliot the Musical (2009)
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