This story is for every woman whose boyfriend or husband has rolled his eyes when she tells him that she wants to go to a musical.
We say that this is the show that husbands drag their wives to, says Michael Lomenda, who plays Nick Massey in the upcoming production of Jersey Boys at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Ive looked out at the audience and seen guys pumping their fists as if it was the Superbowl. Its a guys guy musical.
Just look at the subject material. The Emmy Award-winning production is a largely accurate rags-to-riches tale of Frankie Vallie and The Four Seasons, who were not choir boys. They were in and out of jail regularly, says Lomenda, and the musical alludes to mob ties, guns, booze and gambling debts. (The website warns audience members about authentic Jersey language.)
The musical is more like a play with music rather than scenes that are strung together to hold the music together. Since hes only 32 years old, Lomenda didnt grow up when The Four Seasons were topping all the pop charts. But when he got the role of the groups bassist, he was amazed to discover how many of the songs he knew. He remembers when Lauryn Hill released a cover tune of Cant Take My Eyes Off Of You when he was 18. Id put it on in the summer and play it over and over and over.
Other songs in the show include Walk Like a Man, Big Girls Dont Cry, My Eyes Adore You and December 1963 (Oh What A Night.)
Their music, says Lomenda, has been underscoring my life.
His character, Nick Massi, not only provided the groups big bass voice and bass guitar, but he also did a lot of the arrangements that gave The Four Seasons their signature sound. And growing up in Alberta (hes from Stettler), its not surprising that hes the one given all the low notes. You tend to talk a lot lower when youre from Alberta, he says, somehow managing to put a smile in his voice, too.
Lomenda says he and the rest of the cast are thrilled about bringing the show to Vancouver, a city they all want to explore. Dont tell the shows producer but both times he came here as a kid, he got sick. Im hoping it was a freak occurrence, he says.
Tickets: , 1-855-985 2787 or TicketMaster.ca
Win tickets to the Sept. 5 performance by going to the page at WEVancouver.com
