February 26, 2010

The Hard-Working Women of the Jersey Boys National Tour!

February 26th, 2010

Sara Fitzpatrick Comito of NaplesNews.com has a fabulous feature on hard-working women of the JERSEY BOYS national tour: Sarah Darling, Denise Payne and Kara Tremel.

Here’s a preview:

Don’t expect a huge ensemble cast with that number at Barbara B. Mann Performing Art Hall’s presentation of the rock and roll-charged biography, however.

The Four Seasons’ whirlwind rise to fame — 175 million records sold and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame status — is reflected in a carefully orchestrated backstage costuming maelstrom culminating in 16 changes for Darling, 18 for Payne and 12 for Tremel. There are 49 wigs involved.

Not that they’ve timed it, but the women know who has the quickest of the quick changes: Tremel has one costume transformation that must take place within a 10-second window.

If you’re thinking wardrobe malfunction, not to worry. These are trained professionals, according to Payne.

“We have a great team that runs the show, very highly organized. We haven’t really had too many problems.” That’s great, considering the girls have to run up and down stairs in high heels.

It’s the dizzying blizzard of tulle, crinoline, wigs and sequins behind the scenes that completes the illusion and sets the stage for the romance, ambition, jealousy and anger always simmering just below the surface.

“It’s the story of what people wouldn’t know, how things went down,” Tremel said, whose roles include Valli’s first wife, Mary Delgado (a multi-dimensional character in herself), who vacillates between forced bravado and guarded vulnerability.

“There was gambling, drinking; there are arrests. It would be like watching ‘TMZ’ today,” she said, referring to the celebrity tell-all TV show and Web site.

Darling plays Lorriane, a fictional composite of a girlfriend to the Valli character, among others. She agreed, “There’s a lot of general life stuff. (The Four Seasons) had their successes, but also their failures when they were really struggling.”

“But the songs keep coming,” Tremel added.

Read the full feature on NaplesNews.com!

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