December 2, 2015

A Sunday Kind of Love with Photos & Recap of Jersey Boys Broadway 10-Year Celebration! #JerseyBoys10

December 2nd, 2015

They ask us, what was the high point of the JERSEY BOYS ten-year anniversary celebration on Broadway? Meeting, reconnecting, and whooping it up with fellow fans? Seeing the greatest show on the planet (two glorious times!) that is still so amazingly powerful, delightful, and exciting after TEN YEARS? Congratulating and celebrating with current and veteran cast members, creative team, and crew members at the swanky post-show party? It was all great!

As always, I keep getting ahead of myself. You wanna begin at the beginning: We arrive on Sunday, November 8 at 2:15pm-ish (This is worth noting, folks, since I have never been early for anything from day one, my friend). The box office line had already heated right up–the crowds were civilized, but big! The ticket office guy cordially separated those picking up tickets by name and those needing to purchase tickets for the show. We get our tickets–best seats in the house–with an extra surprise–an invitation for the evening’s JB 10th celebration at the Novotel!

The first person we run in to? You guessed it–the guy you want to talk to, because the whole thing started with him–yes, Tony Award-winner–Christian Hoff! Such a warm welcome and catch-up time with the awesome actor who put Tommy DeVito on the stage way back at La Jolla Playhouse!

Marvelous catching up before the show with Bob Gaudio’s daughter, Danielle Gaudio-Lalehzar and her family, along with Nick Massi’s daughter Patti Massi-Candeliere and her husband! Later in the evening with Danielle, it was wonderful to meet and chat with Frankie Valli’s daughter Toni, and her daughter Olivia and son Dario! Everyone was so gracious and thanked us for running Jersey Boys Blog!

Almost showtime: Picture this–a totally full house–with entertainment gurus, the press, JERSEY BOYS veteran cast members, and of course, the fans! Everyone around us was dressed to the nines and I suspected–they were in for one of the superb performances EVER!

At the Sunday JERSEY BOYS anniversary celebration performance, the chemistry among the actors playing The Four Seasons and the entire ensemble cast in their multiple roles was electrifying and completely off the charts! The audience was charged with enthusiasm with cheers, laughter, some tears, show-stopping applause, multiple standing ovations, and genuine appreciation for this spectacular cast’s performance!

As always, the show takes the audience on such an emotional roller coaster! The cheers and nonstop thunderous applause (and of course, another standing ovation) could have been heard in Belleville! At the curtain call, JB cast alums and members of the creative team joined the cast on stage and took bows for their work bringing joy to over 4.7 million audience members over the last 10 years with a confetti-infused, magnificent encore of “Oh, What A Night!” The camaraderie on that stage among castmates and creative team members was like nothing ever seen before on that stage! The heart-felt speeches by producer Michael David and director Des McAnuff were followed by a representative from the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment presenting a Mayoral Proclamation to recognize the extraordinary economic impact Jersey Boys has had on New York City! It wasn’t yet party time–as the current and former cast members had a wonderful tribute by Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice, and Des McAnuff in the August Wilson lobby, including a few statistics, such as how many times the Mary Delgado character has said, “Go f**k yourself” in the past decade!

It was party time, right across the street at the Novotel, which was all decked out with a red carpet for the celebration–and the stunning view of Times Square! Family, friends, some food, some music…and the fabulous anniversary cake! So many shout-outs to so many people! Terrific to run into Jersey Boys Tony-nominated orchestrator Steve Orich and his wife Judy! As you guys know, Steve was our first JBB Exclusive Interview way back, when it was all still ahead of us! Wonderful greetings from Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice, and so many reunions, hugs, and high-fives from current and former cast members! Look at me, I’m tearing up!

Also want to send a big thank you and shout-out to publicists Susanne Tighe and Heath Schwartz and everyone at Dodger Productions for inviting us to the most memorable celebration of all time!

That’s why we’re still out there blogging–chasing the timeless music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons and updating the world on JERSEY BOYS, the greatest show ever to hit the Great White Way!

Happy Anniversary, congratulations, and thank you to everyone associated with JERSEY BOYS!

4 Comments »

  1. Thank you for posting this, Susie. It was indeed a wonderful weekend, and one that will remain with me for the rest of my life.

    It began for me on Friday with the fans’ dinner at Patsy’s (thank you Carolyn Miller), where fans from throughout the country were present, and honored by the attendance of writer Rick Elice. Charles Alexander turned it into a bit of a testimonial affair, rightfully acknowledging star Jennifer Naimo and the various fans who did so much to make this wonderful show the success it became.

    At Friday’s performance, there were international fans as well, including ones from Canada and Japan. We had great tickets (thank you Audrey Rockman) and as you said, Susie, enjoyed the show enormously for what must be over 100 times for me now. After the show, many of us retreated for a nightcap at the Novotel until the wee hours of the morning. (Well, I did need to wait for the waiter to return change from a $20 for my $7 diet coke for an hour or so anyway!!)

    Sunday was the real prize, for, as you said, Susie, we saw cast members and creative team people we had met over the past ten years. The introduction of each on stage by Director Des McAnuff was incredible, as was their “Oh What a Night” rendition, which was expertly choreographed, of course.

    Thanks to Des, I too, was fortunate to join you at the Novotel in the evening. So wonderful to catch up with Danielle and family, Bobby Spencer and son, Dodgers’ head Michael David, Christian, Daniel, Michael, Tituss Burgess, Drew Gehling, Jake Speck, Dom Nolfi, and the list goes on and on.

    One embarrassing moment came when Jake Speck yelled out “Howard” and I thought it was John Hickman….guess age does catch up. Another interesting moment came when Barbara Von Borstel, the JB banker, introduced herself, and we discovered we both shared a best friend in her Signature Bank. Finally, Rick Elice spoke about his Cher project, and apparently every Cher song I don’t like (“The Way of Love”, “Turn Back Time” and “Believe”) will be in the show, promised Rick (hope he was teasing)!

    What a marvelous weekend it was, and of course, seeing you and Dale, Susie…that was the best!!! Thanks for writing this great summary and have a wonderful birthday…you have done so many great things for this Blog and the show itself, Susie, and I’m so happy you have been recognized

    Comment by Howard — December 13, 2015 @ 11:16 pm

  2. Susie, I was at this show but not the party, so it’s nice to have this excellent full report. Thank you. I did get to speak to most of the returning Jersey Boys and Girls before the show. 52nd Street was full of them! Never before has so much talent gathered in one place at one time (sorry, We Are the World participants, but I’m entitled to my opinion). Long live Jersey Boys!

    Comment by Charles Alexander — December 15, 2015 @ 4:07 pm

  3. I can only imagine how special it was sitting among the Broadway alums as many of them watched the show from the audience for the first time, how special! Here’s to the next 10 years!!!

    Comment by Courtney — December 18, 2015 @ 7:03 pm

  4. What a shame I missed this wonderful event. So sad I missed seeing all of the original cast members and fans. I had no idea this event was going on.

    I am one of the original JBB Fans and the 1st one Susie ever interviewed when she created this blog.
    So sorry I missed all of you.

    Here’s to another 10 years!

    Comment by Damaris Dugan — January 4, 2016 @ 9:05 pm

RSS feed for comments on this post. | TrackBack URI

Please leave a comment