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This is the true story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were 30!”
Having witnessed this musical evolution of Frankie Valli’s life, I have a new respect for the entertainer and the Jersey Boys who individually and collectively overcame a lifetime of struggles in order to bring their love of and commitment to music to the forefront. Frankie, as a young boy, used his voice to defy naysayers who never believed he would get out of his Jersey neighborhood, let alone become part of a group that transformed their inner voices and vocal talent into a platform that would hold them up in a world that was constantly throwing curveballs in order to sidetrack their dreams. Frankie believed the only way to make it out of his tough Newark, New Jersey neighborhood, was to join the army, get mobbed up, or become a star, and Frankie obviously chose the latter.
As a young and determined youth who wanted to make a difference back in the ’50s, 7-year-old Francis Castelluccio fell in love with music after his mother took him to see the infamous Frank Sinatra perform at New York City’s Paramount Theater. When he decided to pursue his dream to sing, Frankie realized that he had a voice of impact, yet he didn’t fully realize his potential until he was invited by Tommy DeVito to sing with The Variety Trio and the whole community realized he had the voice of an angel. Later, Frankie partnered up with his buddies Hank Majewiski, Nick and Tommy Devito to form a 4-member group that went through a myriad of trials, tribulations including name and member changes (Nick Massi and Paul Baudio) before becoming what is known today as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. With every music milestone accomplished, Frankie and The Jersey Boys suffered relational and financial setbacks that seemingly made Frankie even more determined and destined for success. Throughout the years though, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons gained respect worldwide and sold more than a million records from 1962 to 1978. In 1990, Frankie Valli and his boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.
This current theatrical production which is a Tony and Grammy award-winner is a culmination of the entire catalog of Frankie and The Four Seasons’musical rise and fall and rise again to fame! Each of the actors is equally talented with a tremendous range of vocals that capitalize on the sound that catapulted this phenomenal group to success in spite of the constant turmoil they faced with proving to the world that their inner voices would prevail. If you are truly a fan of Frankie Valli, “Jersey Boys” will take you back to real music and real words with hits such as “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like A Man,” “Working My Way Back To You,” “Rag Doll,” “Bye, Bye, Baby,” and more.
This Broadway series is at the Winspear Opera House thru May 27th
