TribLIVE: From the age of the audience and the stage set-up, you might think that the Benedum Center is hosting yet-another oldies concert.
Think again.
“Jersey Boys,” which is making a return appearance through Sept. 23 as a nonsubscriber offering of PNC Broadway Across America — Pittsburgh, is far more than a stroll down the golden-oldies path.
7 comments:
I had this pre-determined notion that this show was going to be a half-baked chick flick melodrama with no meaning. I can tell you the reason for this: it has a similar name to Jersey Shore, the horrible, horrible tv show. Anyways, people were getting really hyped about it, so I figured I'd look into it a little more. At first, the info I found about it was not dissimilar to that of the article: old-tyme. A little more research, and now I want to try and get tickets if I can afford them! What a cool show!
I like this kind of theatre. Seeing it for the first time I was really captured by the story. Seeing it later times I wasnt as drawn in and would have just listened to the music. I think its a good way to describe the story of a legendary group while having people experience their music. I saw Buddy Holly in london which is the same format of Jersey Boys. It opened me up to knew groups that I probably wouldnt have been as interested in if I didnt see the musicals.
I got to see Jersey Boys in LA and I loved the show. I cant say I was a big fan of The four seasons prior to seeing the show but something about the way the show was written and acted made me really like it. They seamlessly wove the four seasons classic hits into the play in such a way that they kept the story going. Its always interesting to be able to see into the behind the scenes of a group or persons you're familiar with because it gives them more depth and helps you to really understand their motives and struggles.
I was lucky enough to receive a backstage tour of this show as part of our sound mini. I'm sure this is true for any traveling show, but I was really impressed by the setup, and how no space was wasted. The entire show package was very meticulously designed, and apparently has worked very well so far. The article states, "The show will not suit all ages or tastes." The sound person who gave us the tour talked about how different productions do very differently depending on the area. He didn't expect Jersey Boys to do very well in the 'heartland', for example, but said he was surprised at the turnout in some red states. That's something I hadn't considered before for traveling shows, that the local culture would actually affect sales as well as the average wage, ticket prices, population density, etc.
I've seen Jersey Boys, and I have to say it is quite an enjoyable show to see, even if you aren't familiar with the music. The show's story is interesting and can draw you in very easily, which it certainly did to me. I hate to see articles like this call themselves reviews. They are reviews in the basest sense of the word, but they say hardly anything about the actual artistic quality of the show. They merely seem like articles that are advertisements for the show.
Although I haven't seen Jersey Boys, just by the way this article describes the show, I can only imagine just how great it could be to experience being captivated by such a story. It's great to know that the actors were able to convey the characters superbly while being aided by the director and design team members. Being able to put an audience in another world and show them a bit of history within a certain time slot is extraordinary and that is what I love so much about theatre. We are able to create an alternative world that so many people can interpret differently, whether positive or negative.
Like Dan said this article is more a summary than anything. It is no way a review. It mentions a few songs and the subject matter not how the set/other technical aspects aided in the portrayal of the material. I too have seen the show and it was much more than just songs and subject matter. The show was engaging and showed the progression of the story and the eventual break up of the Four Seasons. I also liked how it incorporated real issues like drug usage etc. It was not a censored idealized show but showed the real issues and struggles of the Four Seasons.
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