LANCASTER, Pa. — How did four kids from New Jersey become one of the greatest pop successes in music history?
Turns out, with a lot more controversy in between the iconic songs than fans may have known at the time.
The musical Jersey Boys takes fans and newbies alike back with nostalgia, romance, music and dance in its regional theatre debut at the Fulton Theatre in Lancaster. It's another big step for the theatre, as the musical has only ever been seen on national tours, on Broadway or on the West End in London.
"It's an amazing exclamation point to the Fulton's season," Joey Abramowicz, who plays Bob Crewe in the production said.
"Beggin', Rag Doll, Can't Take My Eyes Off You, everything goes silent," Jonathan Mousset, who plays Frankie Valli, said. "You can hear a pin drop."
Taking a step into bio-musicals always brings back that nostalgia for audiences, Mousset said. But for this particular run, he's already experienced more than he bargained for at times.
"I've had people in the audience come back to me after shows with tears in their eyes saying, 'This was the music I danced with my husband before I married him,'" Mousset said.
But that aforementioned controversy is brought to the surface in this show, something perhaps overlooked in the group's heyday.
"I think they [the fans] never really understood all the drama behind the scenes," Mousset said. "They didn't understand the debt they were in. They didn't understand their ties to the mafia."
"Yeah it was pretty and shiny when they had Sherry and Big Girls Don't Cry, but their lives were imploding," Abramowicz said.
With the fun, the memories and the drama, Jersey Boys is a glamorous production that audiences have been waiting more than two years for thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The show was originally scheduled for the 2020 season, making this production even more precious to the cast members.
"I'm a big believer that people are where they're needed when they need to be there," Abramowicz said.
"It gives an entire generation of patrons, it's a love letter to them. It's the soundtrack of a generation," Mousset said.
Performances of Jersey Boys runs at the Fulton Theatre now through August 7th.
For more information, visit the Fulton's website.
