Jersey Boys Blog

Photo courtesy of Linda Lenzi at BroadwayWorld.com.

By Mike Magbaleta, JBB Special Correspondent

My day started at the SF Airport where I met Linda (Tiggerbelle on the JBB Bulletin Board), who recognized me from my picture on the blog. We spoke briefly, then boarded our redeye flight to JFK. We arrived in NYC at 6:10AM, then I took the Long Island Railroad east to my old home at Islip, NY, walked around a bit to check out my old HS, my cousin’s home, part of the town, then hopped on the westbound train back to Manhattan.

At Penn Station, I took the “A” train to the World Trade Center site to pay respects to my fallen classmates that perished there. I took the subway back up to Penn Station, then walked to the Empire State Building. From there, I walked through midtown to the garment district, and had lunch at the 24 hr. diner on 8th Ave and 34th St. After lunch, I figured the Theatre District and Times Square were not too far, so I hiked up to 54th and 9th and started my quest of photographing all “on Broadway” marquees before the event.

I got to the August Wilson Theatre and waited for Linda and Irene, who were meeting at the theatre. I sat by the stage door and saw John Lloyd Young go in and out a few times, and a few of the stagehands (thanks for not striking on the 21st!) doing the same. Irene arrived first, then Linda, who was attending the show with Irene’s daughter Jennifer. When they entered the theatre, we left before meeting again at the Marriott before 5PM.

Since I finished taking photos and purchasing souvenirs early, I headed up to the View Lounge to see if they needed assistance. Entering the venue an hour early was cool because I saw where everything was and would plan the evening accordingly. When the event started, there was a steady rush of fans entering and had no idea how big the event would get! I gathered up my “Jersey Boys Fan Club” membership cards and walked the revolving lounge to see what I could start off with.

After meeting the famous East Coast fans (Hi Charles, Melissa, Howard, Charly, Damaris, Beverley, Lulu, Frank, Wanda, Audrey, “JoJen” and many, many more…..) and fellow bloggers that I’ve known only by their nicknames, I decided to get in line for autographs since I wanted to have the OBC sign my Jersey Boys book. I totally forgot about the “special guests” and while in line, saw Frankie Valli walking with Judy Parker and Bob Gaudio towards the table. About five minutes later, the OBC supporting cast and swings arrived. The Jersey Boys, along with Tommy DeVito and Joe Long rounded out the group a short while after. Imagine if Bob Crewe, Des McAnuff and Joe Pesci were in attendance….. What a pleasant surprise to witness the ultimate gathering for all Jersey Boys’ fans ever, especially in an intimate setting where there are no security guards or barricades separating us from our favorite musical and theatrical groups!

At the table, I made it a point to thank each VIP for their individual contributions to stage and song, and also to take photos of each Four Season with their respective Broadway alter ego! I had to thank John Lloyd Young for his contributions to my son’s high school drama program’s presentation of “Guys and Dolls.” When I approached him, John recognized me by name (due to my nametag…..), but knew who I was after remembering the e-mails and letters I sent him, in addition to earlier BC/EFA donation checks. We chatted a bit and although I was bummed out not seeing the OBC perform live, I still promised to see him onstage, whether it be in a musical or in concert. John was the last cast member to leave the event, and showed what a classy person he is and what the fans mean to him!

After that adrenaline rush, I walked the perimeter and thanked both Michael Longoria for his totally cool Joe Pesci and Peter Gregus for the “Bloomfield via Fairfield” scene, which was my favorite part in the play that does not involve song, but rivals “Who’s on First” for comedic content. I then watched both auctions, which were for a great cause and my favorite item up for bids was the cast signed bowling ball which was extremely cool! I loved the photo of the cast wearing their “wife beater” t-shirts that actually turned from “one of a kind” into 2/2 after tying bids had the organizers set up another photo shoot because of it’s popularity. A winning bid of $4,500 became “9 large”!!!!!

I really enjoyed Irene’s speech, Charles Alexander’s tribute, David Cace’s introductions and Wanda Libardi’s gift presentations to the cast. After the event ended and we said our goodbyes to those that had to leave immediately, a few of us headed down for an “after-event” gathering at the Atrium Lounge. We had a few more drinks and appetizers while sharing nationwide Jersey Boys news, rush experiences, National Tour casts and shows, and sharing tips and tricks to get those elusive August Wilson tickets.

Time really flew at the “after gathering,” and 9:30 PM suddenly became 2AM, then we all left the hotel for our rooms, home, and in my case, back to JFK….. All in all, it was a “totally mindblowing” Jersey Boys/Four Seasons/Broadway experience and a nice short trip back to the city where I had spent some time as a teenager….. The friendships we all started within two years of the production’s opening night, the formal meetings and introductions at the event and the chance to meet the OBC, Brickman & Elice, plus original Four Seasons up close was something that will remain in my memory for the rest of my life!

“Oh what a night, October 21, 2007″….. Many thanks to you, Susie & Dale Skarl for giving us this forum to discuss “our” musical, otherwise we’d always be the last to know…; Irene & Buz Eizen (super philanthropists and exceptional friends with true hearts of gold…..); Howard Tucker for always sharing his kindness and reporting skills with the fans; the Jersey Boys “East Coast” fanbase for their hospitality and kindness towards this CA Kid; Frank Rovello for providing the World with the official Four Seasons website; Charles Alexander for his expert reporting on all things Four Seasons/Jersey Boys in the Yahoo Group and JB Blog; David Cace with Eisner, LLP for sponsorship and his knowledge of everything Four Seasons; Dodger Theatricals; and BC/EFA.