Jersey Boys 2nd Natl Tour Heads to Durham 10/30-11/18; Production Supervisor Richard Hester Says Show’s Energy Is Palpable!
October 27th, 2012The JERSEY BOYS second national tour will be playing in Durham beginning Tuesday 10/30 through 11/18 and reporter Dawn Baumgartner Vaughn has a terrific interview with production supervisor Richard Hester, who was in Johannesburg at the time, working on the show’s upcoming South African debut. Here’s a preview:
“The Four Seasons’ songs were hits all over the world and hits now,†Hester said. “The reaction so far internationally is pretty much the same.â€The U.S. tour of “Jersey Boys†will be at the Durham Performing Arts Center beginning Tuesday and running through Nov. 18. Even in the U.S., Hester said, while people know who Frankie Valli is, they don’t know about him. The Four Seasons all had prison records, and the oldest was 39, Hester said, so as a ‘boy band,’ they weren’t covered in the press.
“ ‘Jersey Boys’ is the first time people have heard the other names,†Hester said, noting that the show is done with the real Jersey Boys’ blessing. “To their credit, they tell the story warts and all.â€
Hester said when he was offered the job, it was at a time when there were multiple jukebox musicals, but only “Mamma Mia!†had worked. He was skeptical, but, working in New York at the time, looked forward to working in La Jolla, Calif., and with the director.
“When we did the read-through, I realized it was really special,†Hester said. “I went from thinking it was a stupid idea eight years ago, and now have done nothing but ‘Jersey Boys’ ever since.â€
There haven’t been many changes to the show in its various productions.
“It works like gangbusters. Each time we do the show – South Africa is the ninth production – we can make it look better,†he said. Hester said the technology is better, and they upgrade as the technology improves. LED screens are used as well. “The show structure is incredibly sound. It works in Australia and it works in Vegas.â€
Visit HeraldSun.com for the full interview.
“…and the oldest was 39″
Don’t think so…in 1962 Nick was 35 and Tommy 34.
Not sure if they fudged their birth dates like Frankie.
Comment by Ray — October 27, 2012 @ 12:37 pm