Jersey Boys Keeps It Real
June 6th, 2010The national tour production of JERSEY BOYS begins its run at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis on Wednesday June 9 and plays through July 3.
Jay Harvey has a fascinating preview story with interviews from JB director Des McAnuff and co-writer Marshall Brickman. Here’s an excerpt of the article:
It’s been a wise choice not to get swept away by nostalgia or show-biz glitz in recounting the male vocal group’s phenomenal success and decline in the early 1960s. The public apparently didn’t need any sugarcoating on the story.Nostalgia wasn’t entirely irrelevant to Des McAnuff, who was artistic director of the La Jolla Playhouse in California when he was brought on board to direct “Jersey Boys.”
“I come from a rock ‘n’ roll background, and I was really interested in the story of the band,” McAnuff said by telephone from Stratford, Ontario, where the native Canadian is artistic director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.
“It has a particular kind of appeal — it’s sexy — and we’ve all been fans of various artists and groups. I wanted authenticity, and guys actually playing. The best way to get at the truth is to create a band,” he said.
Visit IndyStar.com to read the full article.
