| There are those Broadway musicals that claim to | | | | New Jersey, Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman |
| be musicals, but turn out to be little more than | | | | realized that there was a much deeper story to |
| plays with some songs thrown in. The "Jersey | | | | be told about the four boys from New Jersey. |
| Boys" promises to not only be a musical, but a | | | | The Potential is Realized |
| full-scale concert! It couldn't be otherwise with the | | | | In the beginning of "Jersey Boys", the first two |
| incredible music of Frankie Valli and the Four | | | | acts surround these four Italian guys from Jersey. |
| Seasons from beginning to end. | | | | They are played out along with a score of musical |
| The Journey to Broadway | | | | numbers. "Jersey Boys" is a fresh way to tackle |
| This is the tale of four budding singers who went | | | | traditional biographies. Unlike so many biographies |
| from singing under a street lamp in Jersey to | | | | written now, this production was actually done |
| singing under the big lights. Who are the main | | | | with the characters collaboration. |
| characters of this story? They are Francis | | | | The "Jersey Boys" musical was such a success |
| Stephen Castelluccio, Frankie Valli's given name, | | | | that Frankie Valli found himself once again in the |
| and his group the Four Seasons. | | | | spotlight and landed a role on the successful HBO |
| Frankie Valli got his start singing with a trio in | | | | drama "The Sopranos". Not surprisingly, playing a |
| 1951, but the group later disbanded. The remaining | | | | mob captain named Rusty Millio. |
| members of the Four Seasons started by singing | | | | The "Jersey Boys" musical opened October 5, |
| with various bands at various times, but achieved | | | | 2004 at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Francisco, |
| little success with any of them. In 1960 the four | | | | California. It ran through January 16, 2005 and |
| members came together and the famous group | | | | then on November 6, 2005 it opened on |
| was formed. Frankie Valli's unique ability to sing | | | | Broadway at the August Wilson Theater. The |
| both tenor and falsetto gained popularity and | | | | "Jersey Boys" musical opened to high ticket sales |
| secured them a coveted spot on the show | | | | and great reviews. The current Broadway |
| American Bandstand. | | | | production stars Jarrod Spector as Frankie Valli, |
| Rick Elice, Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, and Marshall | | | | Sebastian Arcelus as Bob Guadio, Dominic Nolfi as |
| Brickman sat down to dinner one night to discuss | | | | Tommy DeVito and Matt Bogart as Nick Massi. |
| the idea of creating the "Jersey Boys" musical. | | | | The once aspiring singers, Frankie Valli and the |
| Rick Elice and co-writer Marshall Brickman, who | | | | Four Seasons were inducted into the Rock and |
| won the "Best Screenplay" award with Woody | | | | Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. They were also |
| Allen for "Annie Hall", had no experience creating | | | | welcomed into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in |
| musicals. Despite that fact, they certainly went | | | | 1999. |
| ahead to write a winning one. | | | | The "Jersey Boys" musical follows the lives of |
| Since there was no large fan-fare surrounding | | | | four average guys through their modest |
| Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons like there was | | | | beginnings, to the formation and the conflict within |
| with The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, both | | | | their music group, a little mob activity and finally |
| Elice and Brickman were hesitant to take on the | | | | their rise to fame. Along with some excellent |
| assignment. Especially since Bob Guadio was | | | | choreography, the music reminds us of an era |
| interested in creating a production as extravagant | | | | past. The "Jersey Boys" musical is a dazzling |
| as "Momma Mia". However, after a conversation | | | | production and is sure to have you leave the |
| among the four about Frankie Valli's and Bob | | | | theater singing. |
| Guadio's experiences they had during their lives in | | | | |