June 30, 2009

What Makes YOU Love Jersey Boys?

June 30th, 2009

Lindsay Christians of 77Square.com wonders why she LOVES Jersey Boys:

I have heard it said that we fall in love because of how the other person makes us feel. That’s why I love “Jersey Boys.”

“Jersey Boys,” the story of the Four Seasons, is a polished, video-enhanced major musical running indefinitely at the Cadillac Theatre in Chicago. The marquee boasts that more than one million people have seen this production — the woman sitting in front of me at a recent matinee had already seen it three times. Unless she got a $25 rush seat, by my estimation, she paid more than $100 for each ticket. Ridiculous. Especially during a recession, what show is worth that?

But halfway through “Sherry,” fighting an urge to sing along, I begin to understand: “Jersey Boys” makes people happy.

The thing that makes me fall in love with “Jersey Boys” is the music. This was the music of my mother’s childhood and, by extension, my own. We sang along to “Dawn (Go Away)” on the way to the Baskin Robbins, made up dances in elementary school to “My Boyfriend’s Back,” teased my little sister with “Big Girls Don’t Cry” when she fussed as a toddler.

These songs, and Frankie Valli’s memorable voice, capture a part of the past that’s bright, buoyant, made sweeter by the patina of age. Nostalgia can be sweet: “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” has never sounded so good.

As one born long past the Four Seasons’ heyday, I probably could not have listed more than the most famous Four Seasons tune — “Oh, What a Night,” and then that’s because it’s been excessively covered. Still, to my surprise, nearly every part of this ultra-polished, stylized musical hits some kind of chord.

So, what about YOU? Why do you love JERSEY BOYS and what keeps you coming back for more???

4 Comments »

  1. I love the Jersey boys because when I was small (I’m 22 now) my mom played Frankie Valli a lot. She got really sick and went through hell so I would get her Four Seasons and Frankie Valli albums. She has severe depression and anxiety now because of what she went through BUT I got us tickets to see the Jersey Boys and she is soooo excited!! I grew up with these songs and music is powerful, it helped my mom so much. My mom is beyond psyched and so am I! Thanks guys xoxo

    Comment by Christy — June 30, 2009 @ 11:08 pm

  2. I fell in love with “Jersey Boys” when it first opened in LaJolla. I grew up with the music of the Four Seasons, and this brings back so many memories of my teen years. I’ve seen several casts in different cities, and each one is terrific. Everything in the show is important – music, acting, singing, dancing, everything. But what I like best is how each actor takes such care of his character. Each cast is a great group of people who care about their craft in general, and “Jersey Boys” in particular. I can’t wait to make another trip to Las Vegas to see it again.

    Comment by Brenda — June 30, 2009 @ 11:46 pm

  3. I was a Four Seasons fan originally. Back then we really did not know a lot about their private lives. I found the story compelling and the way it is dramatized in the show is incredible. All of the dialog and moments stay in your heart and mind. I have seen the show in NY, London and 11 times the tour group. Every show and every cast is worthy of awards. There is no break in the quality of the casts, crew and productions. I have never seen this with any other show and I have seen over 150 live shows in my lifetime. Everytime I see the show it is like seeing it for the first time. When you have seen the show you enjoy the reactions of the people around you who are seeing it for the first time. I am seeing the show again in NYC in October and sure hope to catch up to the tour group again soon. I send thanks to the writer, director, producer, casts and crews and especially to Bob Gaudio, Tommy Devito, Nick Massi’s family and of course Frankie Valli for sharing this wonderful story with us.

    Comment by Gladys — July 1, 2009 @ 7:54 am

  4. I started as a Four Seasons fan since the VJ days. I had known that Frankies’ first recording was My Mother’s Eyes on the Corona label in 1953. Surviving in the music business 56 years and never hearing a scandal, paying off debts, owning the masters and most of the song rights, having a partnership with Bob Gaudio just from an handshake, something the show didn’t discuss was the charity over the years Frankie has done with hearing loss and disease, discussing the private lives of all the group members. Seeing the show in Ft. Lauderdale and going to a lecture with Rick Elise are the reasons why I love the show. If you look at the career of FV4S the success of the show all over the world shows how wrong the critics were in never giving them their due. When you listen to the later Philips, Motown, Private Stock, MCA, Curb, and Frankies’ latest album you hear great music from professionals that know what they are doing in the studio and the greatest lead singer of all time.

    Comment by Marty — July 1, 2009 @ 9:39 pm

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