| rev:text
| - There are two types of people who are likely to attend a show like Jersey Boys. The first is made up of primarily those individuals who remember the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons from their childhood. The second is made up of primarily those who have been exposed to the music through its repeated plays on oldies radio stations and its immersion into popular culture. Alas, I am one of the latter members of this audience, and so the meaning behind the music perhaps holds less significance to me as it would to those who can remember those drive-in movie dates, long poodle skirts, and the authentic spirit of the era.
I must confess that I had my reservations regarding this show after seeing the Clint Eastwood film, which was ultimately a melancholy and somber approach to its source material. But what connects this show to its audience, and perhaps what separates the Eastwood film from its audience, is the revelation that the music itself is what the audience members were buying a ticket to experience. The film and play share most similarities. However, the tone of each is entirely different. The play immerses itself in the soundtrack of medleys with which we are familiar. The film relies heavily on creating a drama that, while mildly interesting, does not carry with it enough suspense or verisimilitude to connect us with the characters.
I was genuinely surprised to discover that the stage version does manage to connect its audience to its characters. However, as mentioned before, it does so through entirely different means. The focal point may be on the lives of the band members, but their music plays out as an accompaniment that presents a true soundtrack to their lives and takes that with which we are already familiar and creates a dual presence along its story arc.
Simply put, the play gets that we are already invested in the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, while the Eastwood film asks us to first invest in the characters and provides the music as an afterthought. This tone shift from its original source material causes the film version to fall flat on most fronts. However, the play appeals to our nostalgia for its timeless music and draws us in to an interesting narrative from there. It is for this reason that it is easy to see why Jersey Boys is one of the highest rated musicals in Las Vegas.
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