February 5, 2006

Jersey Boys–The One Bona Fide Hit of the Season

February 5th, 2006

San Diego Union-Tribune theater critic Anne Marie Welsh made a recent trip to the Big Apple to experience a sampling of Broadway and off-Broadway productions. Welsh notes that the Broadway season so far has proved that unpredictable, with just one bona fide (and artistically deserving) hit opening since August, the La Jolla Playhouse-spawned Jersey Boys.

At a Saturday Jersey Boys matinee, the audience was clapping along before San Diego native Christian Hoff (as Tommy DeVito) swaggered on and the boys sang the first lyrics of “Silhouettes.” Welsh was impressed by John Lloyd Young as both a strong singer and an exceptional actor, who inhabits Frankie Valli so fully that we feel him take on physical dimension as he grows from 16-year-old jazz crooner to seasoned, saddened veteran.

Welsh thinks Young and director Des McAnuff are shoo-ins for Tony nominations, with Hoff and Daniel Reichard (as songwriter Bob Gaudio) likely contenders in the featured actor category.

2 Comments »

  1. I gave the show a plug today on my blog…
    http://mradequate.blogspot.com. It’s just what boomers need now that we are getting to the bad birthday!! Love the CD!!!

    Comment by susan silver — February 5, 2006 @ 6:00 pm

  2. I think Daniel Reichard is fabulous as Gaudio and deserves a nomination and a win for the Tony this year. His two songs, Cry for Me” and “Oh What a Night” are show stoppers.

    Comment by Ann — February 5, 2006 @ 8:01 pm

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