JERSEY BOYS
DELECTABLE IN
DES MOINES
JERSEY BOYS, the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical, received rave reviews in Des Moines at the Des Moines Civic Center, where it opened Friday, July 9 (performances began July 7) and will play through Sunday, July 25. From Des Moines, JERSEY BOYS will play Louisville’s Kentucky Center for the Arts Wednesday, July 28 through Sunday, August 15.
DES MOINES REGISTER
The Des Moines Register’s Sophia Ahmad’s writes “Near the end of the first half, JERSEY BOYS actors portraying The Four Seasons dance with their backs to the audience. Singing at the top of their lungs, the quartet is greeted with wild cheers and applause at an imaginary stadium concert. At that moment, the audience had a glimpse into the bright lights, fame and sensationalism that surrounded the ‘60s rock band The Four Seasons. And such is the story of JERSEY BOYS, the mostly rags to riches tale of four guys from New Jersey who emerge from rough streets to sell more than 100 million records, making them one of the best-selling groups in history. But with any musical, it’s the singing that upstages any action. The cast lights up the stage and gives our modern audience an experience beyond blotchy black and white television footage and sounds from scratchy records. The music is fresh, bright, and modern, even after more than 40 years.” To read the entire review, click here:
KCCI TV
KCCI-TV’s Steve Berry raves “The big question on Friday night was: Can JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, do justice to a group that sold nearly 175 million records? Though there’s a wealth of musical material, could that music translate into an entertaining stage production? The concept certainly works here and that’s because JERSEY BOYS plays more like a musical documentary, with a storyline that can stand alone, even without all those incredible hits thrown in. JERSEY BOYS follow the unlikely success of a group of guys who, through perseverance and great sound – and darn good songwriting – produced hit after hit, even in the face of the British invasion. The acting and singing are on par with the best I’ve seen on any stage. It’s funny, it’s poignant, and it flat-out rocks. I’ve reviewed a score of Civic Center shows, most of which I’ve liked thanks to the Civic Center’s stellar selection process. And JERSEY BOYS tops the list. Little wonder it won best stage musical at the 2006 Tonys. In a word, this show is breathtaking. Get your tickets everybody because this little gem hits the road on July 25th. The dialogue itself is worth every penny. Throw the music in and the singing is absolutely phenomenal. I really recommend people getting in. It’s a three week engagement. Get your tickets, they’re gonna go fast.”
STAR 102.5 RADIO
Star 102.5 Radio’s Luke Matthews raves “JERSEY BOYS is #1 with a bullet. I heard all of the hype. I had seen the glowing reviews. I had anticipated its arrival for months. JERSEY BOYS delivered on all fronts. Friday night at the Civic Center will likely go down as one of my favorite nights that I’ve spent watching a Broadway show. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing just about every top production that has come through Des Moines. The music of JERSEY BOYS is infectious and undeniable. You can’t help but tap your feet or sway your hips to the sounds of ‘Walk Like a Man,’ ‘Bye Bye Baby’ or ‘December 1963 (Oh, What a Night).’ Friday night’s crowd applauded with the beginning of each song as if they had forgotten they were at a Broadway production and were actually at a concert. JERSEY BOYS doesn’t disappoint when it comes to all-around entertainment. The dialogue is raw and funny, the songs are fantastic and the cast is spot on. Don’t walk, run to the ticket counter and treat yourself to the best night of theater you’ll have all year.” To read the entire review, click here:
http://luke.star1025.com/2010/07/12/jersey-boys-is-1-with-a-bullet/
NEWTON DAILY NEWS
The Newton Daily News’ Mandi Lamb raves “Dazzling the audience with more than 30 classic songs spanning 40 years of music from the legendary 1960s pop/rock band The Four Seasons, JERSEY BOYS is equally compelling in its story of the four men who emerged from the streets (and jails) of New Jersey to become one of the best-selling musical acts of all time. Opening on Broadway in 2005 and capturing four Tony Awards in 2006 for Best Musical, Best Actor, Best Featured Actor and Best Lighting Design, the “Jersey Boys” touring cast shines with the talents Ryan Jesse (as Bob Gaudio), Steve Gouveia (Nick Massi), Matt Bailey (Tommy DeVito) and especially Joseph Leo Bwarie (Frankie Valli), whose amazing voice range and stirring renditions of the band’s hit songs “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Walk Like A Man” are so reminiscent of Valli himself. Catching an inside glimpse into the dynamics and trials of the band members is fascinating — DeVito’s slippery personality, Gaudio’s songwriting genius, Massi’s underrated talent and Valli’s quiet but honorable personality. In fact, the story itself is as entertaining as the tunes of JERSEY BOYS, which is arguably the best venue for experiencing the music of the Four Seasons today.” To read the entire review, click here:
http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/07/12/r_vddyiicmqnoshsb6g_r77g/index.xml
The cast of JERSEY BOYS is lead by Matt Bailey (Tommy DeVito), Joseph Leo Bwarie (Frankie Valli), original Broadway cast member Steve Gouveia (Nick Massi), Ryan Jesse (Bob Gaudio), with Jonathan Hadley and Joseph Siravo.
The ensemble of JERSEY BOYS includes Michelle Aravena, Candi Boyd, Christopher DeAngelis, John Michael Dias, John Edwards, Alayna Gallo, John Gardiner, Buck Hujabre, Denise Payne, Nathan Scherich, Brian Silverman, Courter Simmons, Ryan Strand, Kara Tremel, Mark Verdino and Kevin Worley.
JERSEY BOYS is the winner of the 2006 Best Musical Tony Award®, the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album and the 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical.
Directed by two-time Tony Award® winner Des McAnuff, JERSEY BOYS is written by Academy Award-winner Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and choreography by Sergio Trujillo.
JERSEY BOYS opened at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway to critical acclaim on November 6, 2005. The JERSEY BOYS National Tour opened to rave reviews in San Francisco on December 1, 2006, played a record-breaking run in Los Angeles and is still breaking house records in cities across North America. There are six current productions of JERSEY BOYS: New York, London, Las Vegas, Toronto, a US National tour, and Melbourne, Australia.
JERSEY BOYS is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. It’s a journey of how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were thirty.
The Original Broadway Cast Recording of JERSEY BOYS was produced by Bob Gaudio, and was recently certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The cast recording is now available on Rhino Records. JERSEY BOYS: The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (Broadway Books) is the official handbook to the smash Broadway hit.
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