Jersey boys

I'm a huge musical theatre fan. Recently I had the privilege of watching "Jersey Boys" with my good friend Geoff (who is also a huge musical theatre fan), and it was brilliant.

"Jersey Boys" is the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (as the poster explains), one of the biggest American bands of the 1960s. Apparently they're still pretty well-known; I say apparently because ironically, I didn't really know who they were before watching the show. I'd heard a few pop culture references about them in TV shows, but that was about it. In any case, I really enjoyed the show.

The story of the group's rise to fame from the poor, rough and trashy suburbs of New Jersey is told from four different perspectives. Frankie Valli, the small and charming lead singer with a powerful falsetto. Bob Gaudio, the songwriting genius who wrote all the group's number one hits. Tommy DeVito, the hotheaded guitarist who got into huge trouble with loan sharks. Nick Massi, the quiet bassist who quit the group after Tommy became sequestered in Las Vegas by the loan sharks chasing after him. The group enjoyed huge success, but behind the scenes and in their personal lives, things weren't so great. For example, Frankie split up with his wife because the group's touring put a huge strain on their marriage, and a few years later his daughter Francine died of a drug overdose. But they all kept going in their own ways, and in the end the Four Seasons made it to the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame.

Yeah, I had a great time watching the show. The actors (whom I thought were Americans but discovered later were Australians, doesn't matter) were all amazing, and the music was great. I was surprised to find out that Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons were responsible for loads of songs that are still really well-known today, like "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" (I LOVE this song) and "Big Girls Don't Cry".

Musicals are awesome. I hope to catch another show or two before the year is up.

G.