Lauren's Locales: "Jersey Boys" Change Music
By Lauren Bonney
While it's nice to spend your weekends on campus, sometimes we all need a change of scenery. A trip to San Francisco is always a refreshing change of pace and offers so many sightseeing opportunities. Typically when we think of San Francisco we think about tourist spots like Pier 39 or Golden Gate Park, but an evening at the theater can be just as much a great experience.
San Francisco offers fantastic venues with amazing musicals, plays, operas, ballets and concerts. Some of the most notable venues are the Orpheum, the War Memorial Opera House and even the Palace of Fine Arts. The Curran Theatre, a well-respected venue in San Francisco, is currently featuring "Jersey Boys."
This musical is a wonderful story about legend Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The 2006 Tony Award-winning smash hit follows the engaging story of how a group of blue-collar boys from small-town New Jersey became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time.
Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi wrote their own songs, created their own unique sound and sold over 175 million records worldwide all before the ripe old age of 30. Think of them as the American version of the Beatles.
Some may mistakenly believe they have never heard of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. While these names are sometimes unrecognized by people our age, their songs are unmistakable.
In the beginning of his musical career, Valli was the first of his kind. The lead singer is known for his unusually powerful falsetto voice - a sound that had never been heard before, let alone popularized. His voice changed the sound of American rock and pop.
The musical takes the audience on a journey through these musicians' strugles to make it big in the music industry. If you think musicals are not your style, you may very well change your mind once you give "Jersey Boys" a chance. Its plot is much grittier than your average musical, as the audience gets to feel as though they have experienced the harsh realities of New Jersey during the 1960s.
This is an absolute must-see, but the show is only playing until April 28 so grab your tickets and head to the Curran for a stellar night with "Jersey Boys."
Contact Lauren Bonney at lbonney@scu.edu.