Theater Review - Jersey Boys

Jersey Boys
Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice
Music by Bob Gaudio // Lyrics by Bob Crewe
Directed by Des McAnuff
When: Saturday, July 10, 2010
Where: August Wilson Theater, NYC
What: Musical, Professional Theater, Broadway

Posts like this are really only done for my own personal "history" -- a "what I was doing then" kind of thing to look back on in a few years.  I realize that no one who reads this (well, there may be a few) will have any desire to see this whatsoever (and, honestly, I'm one of those people, too...had no desire to see this thing).

Anyway, I'm a fan of Frankie Valli and the Four Season.  I was raised on their music by my folks and it's catchy 60s pop.  This is the story of how the group came to be.

I can see you liking this Broadway show if you fall into one of the following groups:

1. You are from New Jersey -- Every time "Jersey" was mentioned, the crowd went crazy...and I rolled my eyes.
2. You are Italian -- Valli and his bandmates were "good" Italian kids -- getting into trouble, spending time in jail -- like all Italians, right?  While that could certainly have been their life, I couldn't help but feel like I was simply watching the "stereotypical" representation of an Italian kid from Jersey.
3. You are over 50 -- Despite popular belief, I'm not there yet.  Since I've actually only just begun my third decade, I don't quite fall into this category, but, if you do, I can understand that there would be some kind of nostalgia there for you.

To me, the show was poorly written (seriously, I honestly feel like I could have written better dialog) and only adequately staged.  Admittedly, the singers were quite good.  The young guy playing Frankie Valli had Valli's high-pitched squeals down to a tee.  His fellow bandmates were good as well.  It was fine to watch, but that's the only adjective I can use to describe it -- fine.  I can't really get excited about this in either a bad or good way because it was just...fine.  I don't understand how this show still sells out nearly every showing after five-plus years in New York City.  It's really nothing special.

Anyway, here's a few YouTube clips of the original Frankie Valli:

Can't Take My Eyes Off of You (seriously, one of my favorite songs ever):

Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me) (My second favorite Frankie Valli song):

December 1963 (Oh What a Night) (Wow...this clips sounds kinda awful...):

Can't Take My Eyes Off of You (Lauryn Hill cover -- pretty awesome, too -- plus it comes from the Mel Gibson movie "Conspiracy Theory" and who doesn't love Mel Gibson nowadays?):