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| - Review #300!!!
It's taken me close to four years to hit this particular review milestone, but I won't be surprised if this incredible Broadway Musical is still running in Sin City as my millennial review approaches. Jersey Boys is just that good - it's an amazing crowd pleaser!
The Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 2006 tells the story behind the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons as they climbed to the top of the music charts from their lowly beginnings in the streets of Newark. The show features all of the major hits of the Four Seasons, including "Big Girls Don't' Cry", "Sherry", Walk Like a Man", "My Eyes Adored You", and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You".
Jersey Boys is a triumph, and it's success no fluke. Yes, the tunes are totally recognizable, but its major achievement (one which is missing from many current musicals) is a very strong book. The show doesn't just plop down its hit songs arbitrarily either; instead, a dramatic arc is created by using the song as a cap to each chapter of the exceptional story. When a song appears, it has that one-two punch of nostalgia and surprise that moistened eyes and raises goose-flesh for the audience.
The Four Seasons songbook is huge and full of songs most people know, even if they don't know The Four Seasons sang them. That said, what really surprises people is the story. It's an incredible story filled with things you could never make up. The fact that it's true (or at worst an amalgamation of truths) makes it even more compelling. Jersey Boys leaves audiences singing the songs they remember while learning something about one of pop music's most beloved singing groups.
To ensure that the Frank Valli's character always sounds pitch-perfect while singing the very demanding lead vocals, two different exceptional actors alternate in the role and each takes four performances weekly.
Unlike some other Broadway musicals that were transplanted to Vegas, the show retains the full running time in lieu of being condensed to 90 minutes. This is adapted to the realties of Vegas timetables by tossing the traditional 15-minute intermission, and replacing it with an 8-minute "pause". Audience members are encouraged to either stay seated during the break, or dash to the restrooms. Those who choose the former are treated to black and white clips of America during the era of the Four Seasons.
Whether you grew up on the music of the Four Seasons, or just love a good musical with a great story, I highly recommend that you catch a performance of Jersey Boys next time you're in Las Vegas!
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