June 2, 2007

Forget the Beach Boys–Jersey Boys Invade LA!

June 2nd, 2007

Ventura County Star columnist Jeff Favre states that in the early 1960s, a group of young dudes from New Jersey singing catchy four-part harmony became the top pop idols everywhere in the country except Southern California.

That’s because the West Coast was and remains Beach Boys territory. Brian Wilson and his bandmates even delivered a sonic smackdown to their Jersey rivals in 1963 when they declared that “Surfers rule Four Seasons you better believe it.”

Despite the West Coast’s seeming disinterest in Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the decision was made to premiere a musical about the group in La Jolla a few years ago. When audiences went wild for Jersey Boys, the show’s co-writer, Rick Elice, knew they were on to something.

Favre talks to Rick Elice and JB national tour’s Frankie, Christopher Kale Jones about the incredible success of the Four Seasons (everywhere but Southern California, that is) and the megahit Jersey Boys.

Here’s a preview of what Elice and Jones had to say:

Elice:

This was the one area that the Four Seasons didn’t sell well. After five days of performances the box office exploded. I knew coming into New York, the area where this music was created, it could be huge. I also knew we wouldn’t have big advance sales, because Marshall and I had never written for Broadway. But once the first crowds saw it, they became our crusaders and spread the word.

Jones:

I got the soundtrack and started working on the songs. Then I was cast in a new musical Zhivago at the La Jolla Playhouse, which Des was directing. When it came time for auditions, I was out of town, but they called me from New York to California to audition. Then I was sent back to New York for the second audition. The next day I was in. And two months later we opened in San Francisco.

3 Comments »

  1. I had the pleasure of chatting with Christopher Kale Jones for a long time after Thursday night’s show. His performance was wonderful, with a powerful transformation from the young Frankie to the more mature Frankie with an amazingly powerful voice. His dance acrobatics on “Beggin’” were astounding.

    Chris is downplaying his landing the Frankie role above. Once he saw Jersey Boys, Chris knew he was the perfect Frankie. He immersed himself in everything Jersey Boys, much as Oprah Winfrey did when she embraced The Color Purple twenty years ago. Chris didn’t stop until he got the role–and it took a lot more than “two takes on a Sunday afternoon.”

    Chris was so generous with his time on Thursday to me, a complete stranger, after performing 27 songs. He was focused during our entire discussion, never once yawning, looking at his watch, sighing, or telling me how tired he was. (He actually looked ready for another full performance.) Our two cars were the last in the Ahmanson parking lot. You were kind and considerate, Chris; thank you.

    Comment by Howard Tucker — June 2, 2007 @ 8:17 pm

  2. Who wouldn’t pass up an interview with you, Howard? With all the friendships you made with the B’way cast, your informative style of reporting and knowledge of the Four Seasons/Jersey Boys, I knew Christopher or any of the 1st Nat’l cast would never pass up spending time with a true fan.

    At the Curran Theatre, Chris, and the “boys” always fully accommodated their fans at the stage door, the swings and ensemble cast members even spent time chatting, posing for photos and signing as well.

    The entire “Jersey Boys Family” are made up of true Broadway professionals and down-to-earth people that truly are giving us a gift on stage that we will never forget.

    Thanks Howard, for reminding us of how cool and accommodating our 1st Tour Cast is! We miss them here in SF!

    Comment by Mike B. Magbaleta — June 4, 2007 @ 2:03 pm

  3. The article doesn’t mention that the Beach Boys borrowed the vocal hook from “Walk Like A Man” in “Surfers Rule”. That has the younger kids wondering on YouTube which song was first. Kids, the Beach Boys were imitating the Four Seasons, just in case you didn’t think that the Four Seasons referred to was the GROUP, not the seasons of the year.

    And oddly enough, “Electric Stories” from late 1968 was a Top 10 hit on KGB San Diego! So apparently, the Four Seasons did have appeal in California, if only with a wildly different style of Four Seasons song.

    Comment by Ted Hammond — December 4, 2009 @ 10:09 pm

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