Tuesday's Show

Jersey Boys at the Palazzo is a cinematic journey through the lives of Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi and Bob Gaudio and their rise to stardom as The Four Seasons. Their voices fit together in perfect harmony yet each of The Four Seasons had a distinctly different personality that becomes apparent as they take turns telling their side of the story.



The show, written by Marshal Brickman and Rick Elice, begins with four blue-collar kids working their way from the streets of Newark, N.J., to achieving their dreams of being famous. Their captivating journey to stardom is told through sensational performances and some of the band’s hit songs like “Big Girls Don't Cry," “Sherry,” "Oh, What a Night" and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”



“We put Jersey on the map,” says DeVito, played by Jeremy Kuschnier, who is the first storyteller for the evening. “Ask four guys how it happened and you get four different versions but they all start here.”



As he narrates, the other characters play out the live version of his recollection of how the band came together. He floats in and out of his role as both a narrator and an active part of the scenes.
DeVito personifies everything about the unscrupulous activities that were a familiarity in their home town. He is street savvy and always has a way out of every situation even if it means turning to a loan shark to stay afloat or doing “favors” for friends in the mafia.
After DeVito introduces the audience to his band and his life in Jersey he describes hearing Valli’s stunning falsetto and taking him under his wing as the new singer for his band.
Soon afterwards, both DeVito and Massi serve almost rotating jail sentences while Valli works to perfect his voice. It’s not an ideal start, but their ambition stays the course and the band picks up where it left off once they are all out of jail.



DeVito is the guiding force for the band and recommends that they need one more guy to complete their sound. His friend, Joe Pesci, initiates a meeting between Bob Gaudio, played by Erich Bergen, and the rest of the band.



Already a one-hit wonder at the age of 17 with his song, “(Who Wears) Short Shorts,” Gaudio becomes the final piece of the puzzle. Next they meet up with Bob Crewe, played by John Salvatore, a producer who helps set the boys up with a gig singing back-up for various artists.
Gaudio takes over as the storyteller and explains how he contrived the band’s first No. 1 song, “Sherry.” This is also the first Four Seasons' song in the show, and the anxious audience explodes with applause at their electrifying performance. The classic songs and impassioned actors transport the audience back to a time when they first fell in love with the Four Seasons.
The show progresses with seamless transitions between acts that flow together more like a movie than a theatrical production. Props and staging move on and off the stage in seconds without interrupting the developing story line.



After three No. 1 hit songs in a row, Gaudio realizes his potential for making money as a both a composer and member of the band. He approaches Valli and proposes that they agree to split everything they make as a way of earning money on both ends. They shake hands and a lasting partnership is born.



In some ways their story relays the typical rock 'n' roll lifestyle of many bands that quickly rise to fame and then ultimately falter in the wake of their success. As more of their lives are revealed it becomes apparent that much of their real life is a stark comparison to the happy-go-lucky melodies and lyrics conveyed in their music.




After an eight-minute intermission, the show starts again with Massi as the narrator. He explains that while Gaudio was always looking into the future, he failed to see some of the problems that inevitably led to DeVito’s and his own departure from the band.



With just two of them left, Gaudio explains that he has never really liked being in the spotlight and convinces Valli to find four new singers and perform as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
A new band is born with Valli as the frontman and Gaudio writing songs behind the scenes. They turn out “Bye Bye Baby,” but another hurdle arises as Gaudio fights to get a special song he wrote for Valli, played on the radio.



Finally his persistence pays off when “Can’t Take My Eyes off You” becomes another instant success. Valli explains how everything seems to be going right before being confronted with the sudden death of his youngest daughter, Francine. This heart-wrenching scene is another humanizing moment in the story where the characters become more like everyday people on the road of life despite their celebrity status.



The show flashes forward 20 years when all of the original band members reunite for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They are together again, but at clearly different places in their lives. Each of them leaves the audience with a few last words before departing the stage.



Valli explains that he is “still chasing the music,” before making his final exit.This compelling story, combined with riveting performances and endearing music, reiterates why The Four Seasons had some of the greatest hits of all time.


Information from www.vegas.com