Jersey Boys—This Season’s Indisputable Broadway Musical Hit
December 10th, 2005Get this: Last Friday, after 24 hours of Oprah-fueled media hype, The Color Purple sold around $350,000 worth of tickets. Just a few blocks south, Jersey Boys, which Oprah hasn’t even seen yet, has sold about $400,000 worth of tickets almost every day this week. According to production sources, $400,000 days have pretty much become the norm and advance ticket sales are quickly closing in on the $15 million mark.
According to Michael Riedel of the New York Post, lots of Garden Staters are coming to the show but so are those from Long Island, Westchester, elite Manhattanites, and one Tony voter in particular!
What’s fueling the success of Jersey Boys? Here are some of Riedel’s thoughts:
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Is it the book written by Brickman & Elice?
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Is it the Four Seasons’ story, told in such a straight-forward manner?
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Jersey Boys has also clicked with mainstream media outlets that normally shun stories about Broadway, which they dismiss as “too New York” and “too elite.”
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Maybe it’s the fact that many editors, reporters, producers and correspondents are baby boomers who have a great fondness for the Four Seasons.
As the Broadway season reaches midpoint, Jersey Boys must be considered a contender for many Tony Awards, including the all-important Best Musical.
I love Riedel’s last line. He says, “God bless Oprah, but she’s no Sherry baby.”
Comment by calexan — December 11, 2005 @ 6:26 pm