Oh What A Night

This evening Polly and I attended the LA opening of Jersey Boys at the Ahmanson Theater downtown. It was nice of Ruth to invite us to the show and opening night party at Our Lady Of Angeles Cathedral.

Polly looked good enough to eat, all dolled up in a black evening dress. I was in jacket, tie and a fabulous disposition. We had some time before the show so Polly gave me a tour of the area The Los Angeles Music Center, a complex comprising several venues, Disney Hall, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Mark Taper Forum and the Ahmanson Theater with a central fountain with outdoor dining.

Sunshine, wine, the cool california air and a nice cigar all made the pre show people watching a memorable affair. We saw Jason Alexander (Seinfeld), Melina Kanakaredes (CSI:NY), Kate Burton (Greys Anatomy).

With show time approaching we made our way to our seats. While waiting for the show to start we talked about our early training on theater etiquette from our old principle, Bill Dickinson at the School for the Creative & Performing Arts where Polly and I met 25 years ago. He was passionate about instilling a strict set of values concerning behavior at the theater. Needless to say Polly and I were well behaved.

The show started on time. In a nutshell, Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. 4 guys from Jersey singing beneath a lamppost and their journey from that street corner to international stardom. You got to like a good rags to riches story and where that takes a guy. How it effects his family life and relationships. The story well told and the music, singing and dancing top notch.

Very entertaining. I laughed, I cried. A touching scene where Frankie takes a phone call to find out that his 23 year old daughter just died. A lot of silence and his back towards the audience created dramatic tension.

I love musicals. It doesn’t make me gay. A cock in my ass. . . that would make me gay.

The sets were simple, versatile and did what they needed to. From night clubs, to street corners to bowling alleys there was a cleverness of less is more in the set design. It was a strong story with interesting characters (like a teenage Joe Pesci). The story interwove the lives of driven artists, wives, mothers, daughters, drinking, gambling and womanizing.

A ton of music and nostalgia. I told Polly about an record album (remember them?) that my folks had, called Sing along Rock n Roll. Do Wop songs from the early years of rock.

At the end of the show, the real live, Frankie Valli and other remaining band mates came on the stage along with Joe Pesci, the writers, producers and the director for a nice LA showbiz warm and fuzzy.

After the show we met Ruth backstage. Here she is in her portable office. These are all the wigs from the show. Polly and Ruth both went to CCM (Cincinnati Conservatory of Music) getting their degrees in theatrical hair and make-up. Guess we all knew what we wanted to do with our lives and did just that.

We went to the after party and had a great time.

If your not familiar with the music in question, check out the video below. This is from a few of months ago when the cast was on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. This is the same show that Ruth hooked me up to see VIP style at the NBC Studios in Burbank. To read that post Click Here

"Jersey Boys" on The Tonight Show


The Four Seasons • Big Girls Don't Cry