home news reviews bio credits photos media links contact blog
the blog
recommendations, news &
notes from the trenches
Tony Award Winner (Best Performance by a Lead
Actor)
Drama Desk Award Winner
(Outstanding Lead Actor)
Outer Critics Circle Award Winner (Outstanding Lead Actor)
Theatre World Award Winner (Outstanding Broadway Debut)
Drama League Award Nominee (Performer of the Year)
...for "Frankie Valli" in the Original Broadway Cast of JERSEY BOYS
ARCHIVES NOVEMBER 14, 2005 - JUNE 11, 2006
click here for: June 11, 2006 onward
click here for archive: July 28, 2004 - November 6, 2005
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Saturday, June 10, 2006
The 60th Annual Tony Awards air tomorrow night on CBS. In my early research for JERSEY BOYS, I uncovered an old press release that said, "Frankie Valli believes no one can succeed alone." Whether I win or not, there are a lot of people to thank, and I'll do that here on the blog early next week.
Wednesday, June 7, 2006
By Michael Kuchwara of the Associated Press: "The 'Boys' are Big Tony Contenders." Click here to read the article.
Thank you to Broadway fans who voted me "Best Breakout Performer of 2006" on Broadway.com's 7th Annual Audience Awards.
|
|
Yesterday afternoon was the 2006 Theatre World Awards Ceremony at Studio 54. Thank you to friends Charlie Siedenburg and Nina Shreiber, Alison Franck and my father for attending with me. Thank you, too, to JERSEY BOYS producer Ed Strong for being there. Ran into friends Sammy Buck, Scott Denny, Daniel Acquisto and Dan Debenport, who were all working at the event, as well as Stacy Baer, Candi Adams, Randie Levine Miller and others. It was a very touching ceremony. Twelve winners, six men and six women, were honored for their outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway debut performances. The honorees were Harry Connick, Jr. (The Pajama Game), Felicia P. Fields (The Color Purple), Maria Friedman (The Woman in White), Richard Griffiths (The History Boys), Mamie Gummer (Mr. Marmalade), Jayne Houdyshell (Well), Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), Ian McDiarmid (Faith Healer), Nellie McKay (The Threepenny Opera), David Wilmot (The Lieutenant of Inishmore), Elisabeth Withers-Mendes (The Color Purple), John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys). Each nominee was introduced by a former Theatre World Award winner. I was introduced by actor John Rubenstein who won his award for the original Broadway production of PIPPIN. The emcee was the Star-Ledger's Peter Filichia and the other presenters included past Theatre World Award winners, Lucie Arnaz, Maxwell Caulfield, Ralph Fiennes, Harry Groener, Liza Minelli, Patricia Neal, Ken Page, and Jonathan Pryce. |
Each presenter told the story of their first breakout performance and their experience of winning the Theatre World Award, then they introduced each of us and presented us with our awards. It was a warm and moving meeting of past, present and future in that room, and I am honored to have been a part of it. An overwhelming thank you to Harry Connick, Jr. for predicting in his Theatre World Award acceptance speech that I deserved to take home the Tony Award this coming Sunday. No matter what the outcome on Sunday, I'll never forget that Connick, an idol of mine for 15 years, had the humility and grace to say that. At the end of the ceremony, all of the current winners, past winners and presenters gathered to sing "Happy Birthday" to 90-year-old Theatre World founder, John Willis.
And, of course, thank you to Theatre World for inducting me into this historic fraternity of New York theatre luminaries.
Here's an article about the event, written by emcee, Peter Filichia. And click here for photos.
Sunday, June 4, 2006
Peter Marks writes about JERSEY BOYS and the 2006 Tony Awards in today's Washington Post. Click here for the article.
I haven't been able to check or answer my e-mail in literally two months, but I was able to look at a few messages, today. After an incredibly stressful week and the intense pressures of the Broadway awards season, what an overwhelming and happy feeling to read the following words from some fans:
"I was fortunate enough to meet you and the other "Boys" after the show in the lobby. What really made the evening complete was when I took a picture with you, got your autograph, and you asked me if I was an actress, I said yes, and you told me to stay strong. Those words stuck in my brain and really got me thinking about how much I love the performing arts, and how I want to "make it" someday. Although I'm only a 16 year old finishing her Sophomore year in high school, I know this is what I want to do with my life. Thank you so much for your encouragement." -- Jessica
"At the point in the show where you guys sing Sherry, Big Girls and Walk Like A Man, I feel like the audience is celebrating both The Four Seasons AND the four of you. But somewhere during the song "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," you cross over that line. When the horns come out, the audience is celebrating Frankie Valli's highlight of his career, but by the time you finish that song the audience is celebrating the unbelievable talent that is John Lloyd Young. Like I said, there were tears. I think they were tears of pride for you and your amazing accomplishment as a performer." -- Lyn
"Saw your wonderful show this past Tuesday. You're the best. Your performance is nothing less than phenomenal... The American Bandstand scene brought back personal memories for me. I am from Philadelphia and I am one of the "original regular dancers" on that show. I was there the day Frankie Valli made his first appearance on the show. Seeing you perform Sherry was recapturing the moment for me all over again." -- Eddie
Thank you to fans, Jessica, Lyn and Eddie, above, and to all the other fans and friends who are writing me during this busy time. When I get a chance to catch up on my e-mail, I'll express my appreciation to you all, individually. For the time being, though, thanks to all of you for your words of encouragement, your congratulations and your best wishes for the Tonys. Broadway can be tough, but your words certainly help soften it. With sincere appreciation, JLY
Friday, June 2, 2006
What a week, and it's not over, yet. Tomorrow morning JERSEY BOYS appears on NBC's Weekend TODAY. Wednesday, we also appeared on the TODAY Show for Katie Couric's farewell. I hear that with approximately 8 million viewers it was the highest rated TODAY in TODAY Show history. We performed a version of "Bye, Bye, Baby" for Katie, with alternate farewell lyrics by JERSEY BOYS scriptwriter, Rick Elice. Click here to read the lyrics. Then, to end the broadcast, we performed another farewell number with lyrics and arrangement by Tony-winning HAIRSPRAY composer, Marc Shaiman, along with HAIRSPRAY's Harvey Fierstein. We had to arrive at the TODAY Show studios at 5:45 a.m., and then later we had a matinee and evening performance of JERSEY BOYS. It was certainly an exhausting day, but someday we'll be able to tell our grandchildren about being a part of this historic event.
To see video clips of our May 31, 2006 appearance on TODAY, click here.
Thanks to Joan Hamburg for having me and JERSEY BOYS director, Des McAnuff on her WOR Radio program Thursday morning.
In the midst of these great appearances and our 8-show weeks, we've also been busy rehearsing for these appearances as well as for our very important upcoming appearance at the Tony Awards, the evening of Sunday, June 11th on CBS.
Last night First Lady Laura Bush attended JERSEY BOYS with daughter, Barbara. Thanks also to Greg Victor, Dr. and Mrs. Barry Kohn and Roger Alan Gindi for waiting backstage to say hello after the performance.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Today Corine Dana Cohen e-mailed me this caricature, drawn by Sam Norkin:
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Profiled today by Mark Rotella in the New Jersey section of The New York Times.
photo: Dith Pran/The New York Times
Saturday, May 27, 2006
One of the great joys of being an actor is performing for a live audience. Sometimes it's unlike anything else you could ever describe. At JERSEY BOYS we often get multiple standing ovations during the show, which, for us, is still breathtaking each time it happens. Tonight, though, something happened at JERSEY BOYS that's never happened before: people in the audience began to stand at the beginning of a song, all the way through it, and as the song ended the rest of the audience jumped to its feet. As the JERSEY BOYS and I came together to sing the final song of the show, a man in the orchestra stood. Soon thereafter an audience member on the opposite side of the auditorium stood. Then whole sections began to stand. As we performed our final song together as a cast, we watched this happening. We were all so moved that many of us, including me, were fighting back tears.
The JERSEY BOYS audience often thanks us at the stage door for giving them such an incredible experience. And I am always so grateful for our warm and enthusiastic audience response. Tonight, though, I'll never forget. So to tonight's audience: thank you.
Friday, May 26, 2006
The New York Times' Ben Brantley discusses John Lloyd Young and JERSEY BOYS in his overview of the season. Listen to his NPR interview.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Click here for a Broadway.com interview with all four of us JERSEY BOYS.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
JERSEY BOYS, Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard, J. Robert Spencer and I will appear on Regis & Kelly on Thursday morning (May 25th).
Photos from Sunday night's Drama Desk Awards are posted on Broadwayworld.com.
Monday, May 22, 2006
|
|
Early a.m. and
just returned from the after party for the 2006 Drama Desk Awards.
They always say an actor is only as good as his material. Well, I
believe that. So I should have had our book writers Marshall
Brickman and Rick Elice write my acceptance speech for the
Outstanding Actor award I won tonight because I forgot to thank them.
Marshall and Rick wrote one of the best roles I've ever played, and the book
for
JERSEY BOYS is, hands down, the reason the show works so
beautifully. So, thank you, Marshall and Rick. Fran Drescher, pictured with me at left, presented me with my Drama Desk Award. |
Sunday, May 21,
2006
Tonight are the Drama Desk Awards. JERSEY BOYS is nominated for Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Book of a Musical (Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman), Outstanding Director of a Musical (Des McAnuff), Outstanding Choreography (Sergio Trujillo), Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical (John Lloyd Young), two for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Christian Hoff and Daniel Reichard), and Outstanding Sound Design (Steve Canyon Kennedy). Good luck to everybody, tonight!
I'd always heard of the almost mythic influence Bill Clinton wields over the people around him, but his visit to JERSEY BOYS this past Wednesday was simply uncanny. Click here to see what I mean.
Broadwayworld.com has posted an interview with me from the morning of the Tony nominations. Click here to read the interview.
"The real thrill of the smash hit, 'Jersey Boys' lies not in the mimetic
rendering of old Four Seasons songs, but in the sheen of conviction exuded
by John Lloyd Young, the young actor playing Frankie Valli. His
performance turns what might have been karaoke imitation numbers into
personal cris de coeur, and it rips through the synthetic fabric of a
by-the-numbers biomusical."
Ben Brantley discussing
JERSEY BOYS in today's New York Times
Friday, May 19, 2006
|
|
Yesterday was the New Dramatists Annual Gala Luncheon. This year Chita Rivera was the honoree. New Dramatists' Artistic Director Todd London said some beautiful words to honor Chita Rivera, as did her close friend, composer, Fred Ebb. New Dramatist, and eloquent, poetic playwright Dominic Taylor was honored with an award that will send him on a trip to Antarctica! He and I chatted with mutual friend playwright Deb Baley Brevoort and realized all three of us had the common connection of having attended Brown University. Congrats to Dominic on his upcoming adventure. There were performances by Daphne Rubin Vega and a magnetic Ben Vereen. Had fun meeting my neighbors from around the block from THE COLOR PURPLE, fellow Tony nominees, LaChanze, Brandon Victor Dixon, Brenda Russell and Allee Willis. |
Also chatted with fellow Brown alum and
Tony nominee, Kate Burton, friend Laura Flanagan, friend and
playwright Julia Jordan (who was there with her new baby boy!), as
well as buddy Dr. Barry Kohn, Marian Seldes, Joe Stein,
Susan Birkenhead, Sheldon Harnick, Joyce Randolph,
Jamie DeRoy, Michael Cerveris, Ron and Lynn Cohen and
others. It was a very fun event, honoring a very accomplished woman.
I was proud to be there and excited to be in such great company.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
A glimpse into yesterday's eventful day...
|
morning... |
noon... |
night... |
Wednesday,
May 17, 2006
Thank you to all the friends, family and fans who have called or e-mailed to congratulate me on my Tony nomination. It truly means so much to me to have heard from all of you. Keep watching the blog for updates on all the exciting events leading up to the big day, June 11th!
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Another great
day for
JERSEY BOYS. The 2006 Tony Awards nominations
were announced this morning, and
JERSEY BOYS received 8:
Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Marshall Brickman & Rick
Elice), Best Performance by a Leading Actor (John Lloyd Young),
Best Performance by a Featured Actor (Christian Hoff), Best
Direction (Des McAnuff), Best Orchestrations (Steve
Orich), Best Scenic Design (Klara Zieglerova), Best
Lighting Design (Howell Binkley). Congratulations to
everybody at
JERSEY BOYS and to all the other nominees.
The Tony Awards will be held on Sunday, June 11th at Radio City Music Hall and will be broadcast on CBS.
Last night I performed "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" at a benefit for Safe Space (click here for their website). And later, the entire cast of JERSEY BOYS closed out the performances at the Annual Gala Benefit for Manhattan Theater Club at the New York Hilton Ballroom.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Congratulations to the whole JERSEY BOYS family on our 2006 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Broadway Musical as well as to JERSEY BOYS lighting designer, Howell Binkley, for his award for Outstanding Lighting Design. And thank you very much to the Outer Critics Circle for recognizing me with the Outstanding Lead Actor award. A warm thank you to my fellow JERSEY BOYS, Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer for being such strong, dedicated and capable teammates. Congratulations, too, to all the other Outer Critics Circle Award winners from shows this season, on and off-Broadway. An awards ceremony will be held Thursday, May 25th at New York's famous Sardi's Restaurant.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Thanks to the Theatre World Awards for choosing me as one of their 2006 recipients. Six male and six female recipients are chosen each year, honored for a breakout performance in a major New York debut. An invitation-only awards ceremony will take place on June 6th at New York's STUDIO 54. Congratulations to all the winners. Here's the complete list: Harry Connick, Jr. (The Pajama Game), Felicia P. Fields (The Color Purple), Maria Friedman (The Woman in White), Richard Griffiths (The History Boys), Mamie Gummer (Mr. Marmalade), Jayne Houdyshell (Well), Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), Ian McDiarmid (Faith Healer), Nellie McKay (The Threepenny Opera), David Wilmot (The Lieutenant of Inishmore), Elisabeth Withers-Mendes (The Color Purple), John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys). www.theatreworldawards.org
Thursday, May 11, 2006
|
Thanks to JERSEY BOYS fans Ariana and her mom, Joan, winners of the third lunch I auctioned for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative. We enjoyed lunch at the theatre district's Rino Trattoria, near the August Wilson Theatre, where JERSEY BOYS plays. Ariana and her mom brought along family friend, Clay, also known as Mrs. Charlie Calello! (music arranger Calello was a long-time member of the Four Seasons) I'll post photos when I have them. Tonight was Broadwayworld.com's third anniversary party at Tony's DiNapoli Restaurant. Had fun visiting with Alison Franck, JERSEY BOYS' Daniel Reichard and Christian Hoff, Jamie McGonnigal, Ben Toth, Isaac Robert Hurwitz, Ryan Davis, Jeff Marx, Richard Ridge, Michael Cerveris, Matt Cavenaugh, Julie Garnier, Broadwayworld.com's Robert Diamond, Craig Brockman, Linda Lenzi, Ben Strothman, Walter McBride and others. Click for photos. |
|
Last night, attended the opening night party of Broadway's TARZAN, after our performance of JERSEY BOYS, along with J. Robert Spencer, Christian Hoff and Daniel Reichard. Here are photos from Broadway.com from TARZAN's opening night and party, including one where we JERSEY BOYS truly "go ape!"
Monday, May 8, 2006
|
|
Today was a busy "day off" for JERSEY BOYS. The four of us performed at The New York Pops Gala at Carnegie Hall. We also performed at The Actors' Fund of America's Annual Gala honoring Jujamcyn Theatres President, Rocco Landesman, at Cipriani. Photos from the Actors' Fund Gala, including the one to the left, are available at Broadwayworld.com. Thank you to the two busloads of friends, fans and family who all came from Schuyler, New York and other western New York towns this past weekend to see JERSEY BOYS! |
Friday,
May 5, 2006
|
Congrats to all involved with JERSEY BOYS and to the rest of the winners. Photos
are available at
Broadwayworld.com. |
|
Wednesday, May 3, 2006
Thanks to Plattsburgh High School's Joy Demarse and company for attending JERSEY BOYS, today. Joy brought a student bus group of fifty from Plattsburgh, New York, where I graduated high school. Joy directed me as "Jack" in BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS back when I was a P.H.S. student.
Earlier in the morning, we had a photo shoot outside JERSEY BOYS' theatre with our friend and original Four Season, songwriter and producer Bob Gaudio. Here's a candid from our shoot:
Daniel Reichard, J. Robert Spencer,
Christian Hoff, John Lloyd Young and Bob Gaudio outside
JERSEY BOYS
photo: M.T.
Tuesday,
May 2, 2006
Happy birthday, today, to dear friend and mentor, Theo Bikel,
and tomorrow, May 3rd, to a new important friend and mentor, Frankie
Valli.
Charlie Siedenburg was along with me, today, as I was doing some work for the Actors' Fund of America at the Channel 13 WNET studios. On our way out, we ran into theatre legend, Zoe Caldwell. After introducing myself to Caldwell, she complimented JERSEY BOYS. She called it "criminally good." Looks like JERSEY BOYS has the Zoe Caldwell seal of approval (she certainly has mine)! Afterward we had lunch with my good friend, stage manager and director Emily Wells.
|
Had fun later
in the day picking up my Drama Desk Awards nomination certificate at a
cocktail reception for the 2006 Drama Desk Awards nominees.
Congratulations to my friend, Leslie Kritzer, who picked up a
nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for THE GREAT
AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL. Cavorted with fellow
JERSEY BOYS nominees Daniel Reichard and bookwriter
Marshall Brickman, as well as SWEENEY's Alex Gemignani, THE
WEDDING SINGER's Stephen Lynch and lead producer Margo Lion, some
of the HISTORY BOYS, friend Rich Topol who's honored with the
ensemble cast of AWAKE AND SING and met fellow lead actor nominee
Harry Connick, Jr. (of THE PAJAMA GAME). Enjoyed visiting,
too, with Paper Mill Playhouse's Angelo Del Rossi. Leslie
Kritzer and I both had early triumphs onstage at Paper Mill, so
it was especially nice to be able to visit with Del Rossi on this
prestigious occasion for the two of us Paper Mill alumni. |
|
Monday, May 1, 2006
|
|
Had the second
of five auctioned lunches with a
JERSEY BOYS fan last week. This one was with Gene
Singer, CPA and Lieutenant with the NYC Auxiliary Police.
Visited with his wife, Pat, over the phone. Gene and Pat are
die-hard
JERSEY BOYS fans, having seen
the show five times already! We enjoyed our lunch at the
theatre district's Puleo's Restaurant, who graciously donated
our meal to benefit Broadway
Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Phyllis Newman Women's
Health Initiative.
With the first real week of
spring weather upon us, I allowed myself for the first time since
JERSEY BOYS opened to venture
out after the show both Thursday and Saturday and Sunday nights with
friends including Christian Hoff, Becca Ayers,
Scott Denny, Valerie Phillips, Alison Franck and Sammy
Buck to the theatre district's Bar Centrale. Ran
into friends Roy Miller (producer of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE)
and Heather Hawkins, ran into SWEENEY's Michael Cerveris,
as well as Jamie McGonnigal and Laura Benanti, fresh
from THE WEDDING SINGER's opening night party. |
Outside, visited with FESTEN's Ali McGraw whom I thanked for the very kind backstage note she sent our cast after she saw JERSEY BOYS. The lesson: there's a lot going on out there, which I've been missing for months, rushing home every night to rest for the next day of JERSEY BOYS! (And: Happy Birthday to JERSEY BOYS stage manager, Michael Clarkston, who had a party Saturday night at 10th Avenue's 44 1/2.)
| We were all
overjoyed to meet original Four Seasons member, Joe Long,
Friday night at
JERSEY BOYS. Joe came
backstage afterward to meet
JERSEY BOYS' "Joe Long,"
Steve Gouveia, and the rest of the cast. Tonight is the gala opening of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, which I am excited to attend with Alison Franck. Congrats, in advance, to friend, Producer Roy Miller on his show's opening night. I reported here on the blog years ago (!) how much I enjoyed the abbreviated presentation of the show I saw at the National Alliance of Musical Theatre in its earlier stages, and now, lo and behold, here it is opening on Broadway. Congrats, Roy (and see you tonight!) |
|
Thursday,
April 27, 2006
Today is the second of four lunches with a fan of
JERSEY BOYS I auctioned to
benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
and the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative. I will be
having lunch with fan, Gene Singer, Lieutenant with the NYC
auxiliary. Puleo's Restaurant in NY's theatre district has
donated our lunch. Thank you!
Breaking news: this morning, the Drama Desk Awards nominations were announced. JERSEY BOYS received a total of 8 nominations! One for Outstanding Musical, one for Outstanding Book of a Musical (Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman), one for Outstanding Director of a Musical (Des McAnuff), one for Outstanding Choreography (Sergio Trujillo), one for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical (John Lloyd Young), two for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Christian Hoff and Daniel Reichard), and one for Outstanding Sound Design (Steve Canyon Kennedy). Congratulations to all the nominees, and especially to those from the home team at JERSEY BOYS!
The 2006 Drama Desk Awards will be held on May 21st at the LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
|
|
Last night I attended The Actors' Fund of America's and Philips Electronics' presentation of "Simplicity--A Look at the Future." The event took place at Pier 94 in Manhattan and was hosted by Actors' Fund Board Member, Bebe Neuwirth. "Simplicity--A Look at the Future" was, as described by Phillips, "an interactive environment showcasing an extraordinary collection of future products, services and solutions. All of the products were arranged and grouped in 'pods' throughout the room." Click here for photos from Broadwayworld.com. To see some of the innovative products showcased at this event, click here. Today was day two of the 20th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition. Julia Roberts, Harry Connick, Jr. and Ana Gasteyer presented the winners and runners up. The winning bonnet was made by the Broadway company of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. THE COLOR PURPLE won for best skit. |
|
Total contributions to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the Actors' Fund and Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative among all the participating shows, Broadway, Off-Broadway and on National Tours was over THREE MILLION DOLLARS! In total, JERSEY BOYS fans and audiences alone contributed $116,224.74 of that three million dollars. And
through this website, alone, between the auctioned lunches with me and
your individual donations, you helped to contribute
$12,292.95! Thank you. |
|
Congratulations to friends composer/lyricist, husband/wife team Larry O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin on the announcement of their Broadway show, LEGALLY BLONDE, for April of 2007. Click here for an article.
Monday,
April 24, 2006
Today and tomorrow the Broadway community comes together at the
New Amsterdam Theatre (home of Broadway's THE LION KING) for the
20th Annual
Easter Bonnet Competition. Tickets are available to the
public -- visit this
link.
Each Broadway show that participates has created a skit that showcases their
themed Easter bonnet. A panel of judges choose the best bonnet, and on
Tuesday, a winner is announced. There are also awards for those shows
who have raised the most for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
and the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, which benefits
women battling breast cancer. I'll let you know how
JERSEY BOYS fared in that
element of the competition. The four of us
JERSEY BOYS, Christian Hoff,
Daniel Reichard, J. Robert Spencer and I will be
presenters at the event along with Kelli O'Hara, Michael Cerveris,
Victoria Clark and others.
I am overwhelmed and honored to be nominated for a 2006 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Lead Actor for "Frankie Valli" in JERSEY BOYS. Congratulations to fellow nominee, Tony-winner Michael Cerveris, with whom I've become friendly at events this season and who was classy enough to invite my mother backstage to give her a tour after she saw his show. Congratulations, as well, to JERSEY BOYS lead producer, Michael David, and all the cast, crew and creative team, (and especially fellow Seasons Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer) on the show's nomination for Outstanding Broadway Musical. Other JERSEY BOYS nominees include Christian Hoff (Featured Actor), Des McAnuff (Director), Sergio Trujillo (Choreography) and Howell Binkley (Lighting Design).
The Outer Critics Circle is the organization of writers and commentators covering NY theatre for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway. It is celebrating its 56th season of awards for excellence in the field of theater. The award winners will be announced on Monday, May 15th and the annual awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 25th (4pm) at the legendary Sardi's Restaurant.
Congratulations, too, to JERSEY BOYS music director and conductor, Ron Melrose, on his wedding, Saturday, to Alexandra Carlson. JERSEY BOYS' Christan Hoff, Daniel Reichard, J. Robert Spencer and I were ushers Saturday morning at Ron and Alexandra's beautiful ceremony at the Universalist Church at Central Park. Original music for the ceremony was composed and performed by Jenny Giering.
Thank you to New Jersey State Council on the Arts chair, Carol Ann Herbert and husband, Harold, for visiting with me between Saturday's JERSEY BOYS performances and introducing me to New Jersey Assemblyman, Patrick J. Diegnan and wife, Anita.
Sunday,
April 23, 2006
Through just after Easter, the Broadway community raises funds for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
and
the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative which benefits women
battling breast cancer.
JERSEY BOYS' fundraising at the
August Wilson Theatre ended today. Thank you to audience
members Bob and Agnes who won an auction from the stage to have
dinner with us
JERSEY BOYS after the matinee
performance (the auction ended at $1,300). Altogether, between
collections at the theatre as well as numerous items auctioned off on Ebay,
you helped
JERSEY BOYS raise over
$110,000 for these causes.
One of the items up for auction on Ebay was lunch with JERSEY BOYS' "Frankie Valli," John Lloyd Young! Four lunches brought in a total of $5,735.95 -- thank you!
The following fans sent me individual donations for BC/EFA at the theatre:
Charles Alexander, Jimmie and Pat Anderson (in memory of Tommy Wiseman), Donna Aufiero, Carol Ruth Axelrod, Rich and Marlene Ayers, Patricia A. Ball, Kathy Bartsche, Catherine Beckmann, Veronica Bruscini, Leeann Bruzek, David A. Cace, Dan Caradoni, Dorian Chui, Cindy Ceen (in memory of Rex C. Woodard), Evan Cohen DDS, Virginia Coroniti, Harry Day, Kristen DellaRocca, Rich Delloff, Michele DelSordo, Jerry & Andrea Demuth, Mia DiRaimo, Karen Doskow, Damaris Dugan, Betty Eaton, Brenda Edgington, John H. Emmet, Bob Foster, Pat Fowler, Fran Gatto, Gina Gleeson-Bentz, Irwin & Phyllis Goodfriend, Lois Halpern, Kathryn Hanson, Linda Hayashi, Mary Jo & Margie Hillman, Sally Hines, Frank Ingrasciotta, Georgine Kaczmarek, Nick Kaster, Elinor A. Koehl, Tracy A. Kuntz (TCM), Erin Kuntzelman, Kayla Kuzbel, Danielle Lalehzar, Sue Lasbury, Karen Longest, Victor Mancuso, Lillian Mangum, Sheila McNulty-Bobholz, John Meglino and family, Anastasia Meyers, Jonnie Miller, Linda & Christopher Montague, Nicole Nardizzi, Carol Onuma, Rebecca Pisano, Bill Pritchett, Coleen Raccuglia, Hilary Ranucci, Jean Reese, Barry Rogan, Robert Romano, Frank Rovello, Shannon Rymsza, Fr. David Sambor, Shannon Scanio, Sid Seidenberger, Jim & Sara Sevey, Elisa Halpern Sheftic, Joan & Jerry Shevlin, Doreen Shulman, Holly Sieger-McElroy, Bonnie Simms, Pamela Singer, Susie & Dale Skarl, Marilyn Smith, Bobbi Soroka, Kathy Spinner, Lisa Spodak, Ben Stiefel, Sandy & Dave Stortz, Nancy Taylor, Gayle Kamen Weinstein, Robin Wilkinson, Thea Wudyka, Mary Wychowski, Rev. Mike Yarbrough, Frank York (who donated proceeds from his business), Barbara Young, Amanda Zeller
A big thank you to all of you, who, together, through this website, helped me to surpass my personal goal of $5,000!
Between the auctioned lunches with me and your individual donations through my website, you contributed $12,292.95 to BC/EFA! Congratulations!
Friday,
April 21, 2006
Happy Birthday to
JERSEY BOYS' "Tommy
DeVito," Christian Hoff!
Wednesday,
April 19, 2006
Today the Drama League announced their 2006 award
nominations. The Drama League Awards are New York's oldest
theatre awards, pre-dating the Tony Awards by 12 years. This
year's awards ceremony takes place on May 5th.
JERSEY BOYS is
nominated for Distinguished Production of a Musical. Christian
Hoff and I are
nominated among approximately 70 other performers for the Distinguished Performance Award,
all of whom will sit on the dais
at the ceremony. One performer from among the 70 will be named Performer of
the Year. The four of us
JERSEY BOYS were
already announced as honorary co-chairs of the event.
Congratulations to Rick Elice, Marshall Brickman, Des
McAnuff, Bob Gaudio, Frankie Valli and all the creative team, cast and
crew for our nomination for Distinguished Production of a Musical! For an article about the Drama League Awards and a list of
nominees, please click
here.
|
|
From today's New York Daily News: |
Tuesday,
April 18, 2006
Congratulations to friend Joe Calarco, whose production of
URINETOWN at D.C.'s Signature Theatre just won 8 Helen Hayes
Awards, including Best Director (Joe Calarco) and Best Musical.
Yesterday, April 17th, I participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of the Actors' Fund of America's Lillian Booth Actors' Home in Englewood, NJ. Presiding over the ceremony were Actors' Fund President, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Actors' Fund Executive Director, Joe Benincasa. James Earl Jones, whose father is a resident of the home, recited Shakespeare in honor of the Bard's 442nd birthday! The Actors' Home is a retirement home run by the Actors' Fund, and named for Lillian Booth, a major benefactor. The facility and grounds are beautiful and the atmosphere inside and out is joyous. Met Actors' Home resident Barbara Belle Newman, who wrote the song "A Sunday Kind of Love," which is featured in the beginning of JERSEY BOYS. Barbara's a big fan of the JERSEY BOYS CD!
|
|
I was privileged to visit with some other luminaries attending the event including Joyce Randolph ("Trixie" from TV's THE HONEYMOONERS), Actors' Home namesake and benefactor Lillian Booth, Celeste Holm and husband Frank Basile, THE SOPRANOS' Dominic Chianese, Abby Schroeder with husband and Actors' Home resident, songwriter Aaron Schroeder, who wrote such songs as Elvis's "It's Now or Never;" even actor, Bill Britten (remember him as TV's Bozo the Clown?). All in all, it was a beautiful afternoon, a meaningful ceremony and a great chance to witness and explore, firsthand, one of the many essential social services the Actors' Fund supports. Thank you to Home administrator, Jordan Strohl, for the tour. Some of the friendly staff at the Actors' Home promised to send me pictures, which I'll post when they come. To learn more about the Actors' Fund (and to contribute) please visit www.actorsfund.org. |
"Young never did talk with Frankie
Valli before the show started, but he did pay him a visit. He saw Mr.
Valli perform live at the Flamingo in Las Vegas one night (unbeknownst to
Mr. Valli). At the time, Young had just been offered the role and
didn't want to jinx his first Broadway job. So he just watched him on stage
and took notes on napkins, gathering more information for his character."
John Lloyd Young
discusses
JERSEY BOYS with New Jersey's Upstage Magazine.
Click
here to read the article.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
|
|
Video from April 6th's Drama Desk Panel with John Lloyd
Young, Sutton Foster, Kelli O'Hara, Jonathan Pryce and
choreographers Sergio Trujillo, Casey Nicholaw and Kathleen
Marshall is viewable now online:
Richard
Ridge's Broadway Beat. Also, here's an article about my first lunch to benefit BC/EFA with auction winner, JERSEY BOYS fan Kara Angelastro. Thank you to Kara for her generous donation to BC/EFA and for Tony's DiNapoli Restaurant for donating the lunch. |
Friday,
April 14, 2006
Here's some interesting history on the sound of the Four Seasons
and some behind-the-scenes info on how
JERSEY BOYS re-creates
that sound:
The signature
sound of the Four Seasons, originally called "The Four Seasons, featuring
the sound of Frankie Valli" was created by having Valli record his vocal
part twice and then running them back together. If you listen to the
original recording of "Sherry" you will hear TWO Frankie Vallis! This
technique was called "doubling," and the Four Seasons were one of its
earliest pioneers, using it on some of their most famous songs.
When we recorded the
JERSEY BOYS cast
album, we were able to do exactly the same thing in the studio. If you
listen to the
JERSEY BOYS CD carefully you'll hear TWO John Lloyd
Youngs on some of the signature up-tempo Seasons songs (for instance, track
#5, "Sherry"). Other vocal parts are doubled, as well, just as in any
choral arrangement.
To recreate that sound live, onstage, JERSEY BOYS uses live offstage or onstage singers just like in the chorus of any other musical, (except a doubler sings in unison with the lead vocal line, not in harmony). Doubling is a way to layer support under a sound, not a replacement for it, which is why you'd hear it if I made a vocal mistake: there's no place to hide. You can always hear me singing every single note every time I open my mouth; the doubling is there to help recreate that full studio Seasons sound, NEVER to replace my voice or sing for me. Doubling is not used on any of my ballads or solo numbers during the show; it's only those signature four-part harmonies (which, in reality, can have as many as ten voices onstage and off supporting each of the four vocal parts). It happens in parts of the show where I'm not one of the singers: look for other characters onstage singing in the early scenes of JERSEY BOYS where the "Variety Trio" is performing -- those are doublers.
It's very rewarding to know the authentic signature Four Seasons recording studio sound we all remember is being recreated live every single night onstage at JERSEY BOYS.
On to other news:
Today is the first of the three lunches-with-a-fan I've auctioned so far to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative. Hoboken resident, Kara Angelastro won the auction with a bid of $1,625. (Thank you, Kara.) We meet, today, at Tony's DiNapoli Restaurant in New York City. Kara writes:
"I am always thrilled to help out a good cause especially because seeing Jersey Boys provided such a positive experience for my family! We took my mom to see Jersey Boys for Christmas while she was going through a rough time, not only could she identify with the play since we all grew up in Jersey but it brought us all closer together and gave us something to talk about! So helping a cause John Lloyd Young supports is the least I can do to say thank you!"
Thursday,
April 13, 2006
Just for
JERSEY BOYS fans: Check out the new Frequently
Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)!
Monday, April 10, 2006
|
|
"Proud Jersey girl" and
JERSEY BOYS fan,
Christie, writes that as a nervous, expecting mother, when she
was carrying son Niccolas she'd sing him "Let's Hang On."
Now Niccolas "is growing fast and learning new things everyday.
The new challenge is learning to walk. The song my husband
sings to Niccolas is 'Walk Like A Man.'" Christie sent this photo of Niccolas in his "Walk Like a Man" JERSEY BOYS onesie. I wouldn't normally push JERSEY BOYS merchandise, but I know the young moms, aunts, grandmas, etc. who read this blog might be dying to know where to get the onesie Niccolas is wearing. (For girls, they also have a "Big Girls Don't Cry" version.) I looked online, and, unfortunately, it looks like the only place to get them right now is at the August Wilson Theatre, where JERSEY BOYS is playing. For those of you unable to easily make it to our theatre in NYC, I'm going to pressure our stage managers to list some for auction on Ebay, where we are selling things to benefit Broadway Cares. Check back often here to see when some have been listed. |
Our Broadway Cares fundraising has been going very well.
Thank you to the individual fans, above, who have contributed over $3,000 to
the cause so far. Broadway Cares also benefits the Phyllis
Newman Women's Health Initiative, which assists in the fight against
breast cancer. Breast cancer survivor, Kathy Lassen, visited
JERSEY BOYS, and she
told me about her t-shirt line for breast cancer survivors, their
families and friends. Here's the
website.
Tonight the other JERSEY BOYS and I will perform at the Dramatists Guild's Annual Benefit, at New York's Millenium Hotel, hosted by playwright, John Guare, saluting the playwrights, composers and lyricists who created this season's most exciting musical moments. The benefit will raise money for the Dramatists Guild Fund. Also appearing at the benefit: Meryl Streep and daughter, Mamie Gummer (introduced by playwright Christopher Durang), in a tribute to late playwright Wendy Wasserstein, the casts of THE COLOR PURPLE, RING OF FIRE, GREY GARDENS, and SWEENEY TODD, and James Earl Jones and Courtney B. Vance will perform a scene to honor late playwright, August Wilson. Kathleen Marshall directs the benefit, and the JERSEY BOYS will be introduced by our writers, Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice.
Saturday,
April 8, 2006
As
JERSEY BOYS'
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Phyllis Newman Women's
Health Initiative spring fundraising comes to a close, the producers
have given permission for us to auction off a walk-on role in a
JERSEY BOYS performance
on Ebay to a fan who wants to be a Broadway star for a day!
Click
here to see this exciting auction.
Thursday, April 6, 2006
|
|
Today's Drama Desk Luncheon panel at Sardi's was a lot of fun. Jonathan Pryce of Broadway's DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS also joined the panel. Broadway Beat's Richard Ridge was an excellent moderator, well-prepared with great questions. Click here for photos by Ben Strothman of Broadwayworld.com. Thanks to college buddy and L.A. writer, Austin Winsberg, for visiting JERSEY BOYS last night! Last week JERSEY BOYS was visited by Glenn Close, Antonio Banderas and the real Hal Miller (portrayed by Tituss Burgess in the show). For photos from Broadway.com, click here. |
Monday,
April 3, 2006
|
Kelli O'Hara from THE PAJAMA GAME has been added to
the Drama Desk Luncheon Panel on Dancing on Broadway
previously announced here on the blog. O'Hara and
PAJAMA GAME choreographer, Kathleen Marshall, will join
me and
JERSEY BOYS choreographer, Sergio Trujillo, as
well as Sutton Foster and her choreographer for THE DROWSY
CHAPERONE, Casey Nicholaw. Panel is moderated by
Broadway Beat's Richard Ridge, is open to the public, and
happens at Sardi's restaurant, this Thursday morning 11:45
a.m. to 2:30 p.m., April 6th. Click here for a
Broadway.com article about the event.
|
|
|
Foster,
O'Hara, Young |
Friday,
March 31, 2006
Tonight was an eventful night at
JERSEY BOYS.
Christian Hoff announced from the stage that he and wife, Melissa, are
expecting. Then, to top it all off, JERSEY BOYS' Erica Piccininni
experienced her own life-changing event: her boyfriend Andrew emerged from
the wings in a tuxedo, got down on one knee and proposed to her in front of
the cheering crowd. (She said yes.)
Wednesday,
March 29, 2006
Got the following message from a fan:
Dear Mr.
Young,
My name is Trisha Reich and I recently saw Jersey Boys with my sister and my
mom. Seeing this play was a stepping stone for us. For about 10
years we have made it a point to see at least one play a year, we missed the
year of 2005, because our family was hit with a tragic event. My
sister's 19 year old son was a marine serving in Iraq, when every military
family's worst nightmare happened. Jan. 1 2005, 3 marines knocked on
my sister's door to advise them that their son LCPL Brian P. Parrello was
killed in action. To make a long story short Brian is our home town
hero (West Milford, NJ). Brian and a fellow Marine CPL Fol were known
to their unit as the "Jersey Boys." My sister and Brian would go once
a year to see a play, just the two of them. JERSEY BOYS was the first
play she has gone to since Brian's death. When you sang "Fallen Angel"
the 3 of us were crying. We felt it was like a sign from Brian,
letting us know that our Jersey Boy was O.K. I wish I could thank you
all personally for making this night so special to us. The JERSEY BOYS
cast is full of talent that will not go unnoticed.
Thank you
again,
Trisha Reich
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
|
|
Saw Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of THE PAJAMA GAME. Loved Kelli O'Hara in LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, and she does a complete turnaround from that role, here, playing a hard-nosed union leader. She and Harry Connick, Jr. have great chemistry, and Megan Lawrence nearly steals the show in Act II. I'd say see it, but it's already sold out! Photos from yesterday's opening of JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS are posted on Broadwayworld.com. Had fun hanging out with lots of buddies including Nina Shreiber, Joe Drymala, Ryan Davis, Trisha Jeffrey, Cindi Rush, Kevin DelAguila, Alison Franck, John Buzzetti, Eric Woodall, Thom Clay, BREL director Gordon Greenberg, BREL producer Dan Whitten, Stacy Levine, BREL lighting designer Jeff Croiter and others. Pictured with me at left is friend Kate Wetherhead of Off-Broadway's current SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL, playing the Lucille Lortel Theatre. |
The BREL cast, Natascia Diaz, Robert Cuccioli,
Rodney Hicks, Gay Marshall and Eric Svejcar
were excellent and the Zipper
Theatre was a perfect mood-setting space for this nostalgic show.
Monday, March 27, 2006
|
|
My friend
Iris Bahr is starring in the new Larry the Cable Guy
movie, LARRY THE CABLE GUY: HEALTH INSPECTOR. Click
here for their
website.
Tonight I'm attending the opening night of JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS, directed by buddy, Gordon Greenberg at NYC's Zipper Theatre. Thanks to all who have sent in their donations to BC/EFA (see above). I will begin to list everybody who donates here on the blog! |
 |
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
"The first 12 minutes [of the movie
TOOTSIE] are excruciating and humiliating and
somehow -- maybe it's because I'm Catholic -- it appealed to me."
John Lloyd Young on discovering he wanted to be an actor
Listen to this interview with
Wisconsin Public Radio's
"To the Best of Our
Knowledge"
Sunday,
March 19, 2006
This weekend a Fox TV special featuring
JERSEY BOYS aired in
the New York metropolitan area. To watch the
JERSEY BOYS segment,
click here
and find the "Hooray for Broadway: Spring Celebration" clip.
An abridged version of one of the best new musicals out there, SARAH, PLAIN & TALL, just began previews downtown at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. Don't forget to bring your Kleenex. This show is touching, warm, well-acted, funny and unbelievably good. Directed by Joe Calarco and written by the award-winning writing team, Larry O'Keefe, Nell Benjamin and Julia Jordan, SARAH, PLAIN & TALL stars Becca Ayers, Heather Ayers, Gene Biscontini, Kenneth Boys, Herndon Lackey and Kate Wetherhead. For ticket information, click here.
Friday,
March 17, 2006
"Foster, Marshall, Nicholaw, Trujillo, Young Set for Drama Desk
Panel" Thursday, April 6th. Open to the public. Click here
for
details.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
|
|
Photos from
the red carpet at Monday's premiere of the remastered LIZA
WITH A Z are posted online at
Broadwayworld.com. The Bob Fosse-directed 1972 television special, about to be rebroadcast exclusively on SHOWTIME (April 1st), is now available on DVD. Seeing the show for the first time, ever, and on the big screen at the Ziegfeld Theatre was a lot of fun. The star-studded audience reacted as though it were a live performance. Liza Minnelli's 60th birthday was the day before. Alan Cumming presented her with a cake and the audience sang her "Happy Birthday." Afterward, the screening was followed by a lavish reception at NYC's SUPPER CLUB. |
Photos from last week's bash at
Madame Tussauds for DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS are now online at
Broadway.com.
Monday,
March 13, 2006
|
|
Last night I accompanied Paper Mill Playhouse casting director Alison Franck to the opening of the Playhouse's CARNIVAL, directed by Erica Schmidt. A cast led by Elena Shaddow as "Lili" was excellent in this dark and visually-arresting production. Had fun visiting with Paper Mill buddies at the party afterward at Martini's in downtown Millburn, N.J. Photos by Linda Lenzi from the opening night party are posted on Broadwayworld.com. Thanks, Linda! Will run
into Linda again tonight at Showtime and BC/EFA's gala
premiere of
"LIZA WITH A 'Z'" at New York's famous Ziegfeld Theatre. |
|
|
"If you have the confidence
that you need in order to succeed as an actor, you know when you're
waiting tables or ushering in a theater that it is just for now, and
not forever, and you're just waiting for the role to come along that
is going to break you out of that." |
||
Sunday,
March 12, 2006
Some of
JERSEY BOYS' youngest
fans:
|
2-year-old Miranda, below,
likes to
|
Above, Ryan and Christopher proudly wear the t-shirts I sent them as a thank you for the great video their dad sent of 2-year-old Ryan singing along to our JERSEY BOYS Today Show TV appearance. |
|
Thursday,
March 9, 2006
Tonight Broadway's DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS celebrated the addition of its new cast members Rachel York and Jonathan Pryce. Stopped by the party at Times Square's Madame Tussauds after our performance tonight of JERSEY BOYS. Thanks to Broadway.com's Bruce Glikas for the photos with the wax Jennifer Lopez and Tony Bennett. Can't wait to see them. (3/15/06: photos now on Broadway.com)
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
|
|
Photos from Monday's NOTHING LIKE A DAME concert (written about, below) have been posted on Broadwayworld.com. |
|
Daniel
Reichard, John Lloyd Young, Christian Hoff |
Tuesday,
March 7, 2006
There's a video interview online with Broadway Beat's Richard Ridge from my February 23rd Sardi's caricature unveiling: click here.
|
|
Last night the girls from
JERSEY BOYS, Heather
Ferguson, Jennifer Naimo, Erica Piccinnini and
Sara Schmidt appeared in Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS'
annual
Nothing
Like a Dame concert on the stage of Broadway's Imperial
Theatre. The girls appeared along with other stars of the
New York stage, including Cynthia Nixon, Bebe Neuwirth,
Tyne Daly and others.
|
Friday,
March 3, 2006
"Downtown theater can be grueling.
Just ask John Lloyd Young, who, not so very long ago, found himself onstage
with a gaping head wound from a self-inflicted gunshot in the unforgiving
heat of summer."
Click to read this article from
offoffonline.com.
Thank you to friend David Ellenstein for attending JERSEY BOYS last night. David is the artistic director of San Diego's North Coast Repertory Theatre in California, and he directed me in one of my favorite roles to date: "Danny Saunders" in THE CHOSEN, opposite Theodore Bikel. After the show, David, Alison Franck and I had a bite to eat at Sardi's and then went to over to the Leisure Time Bowling Alley at Port Authority to watch the newly-formed JERSEY BOYS bowling team. JERSEY BOYS stage manager, Richard Hester, got two strikes in a row and chased each strike down with a full pitcher of beer. Good morning, Richard!
I've been seeing a lot of commercials on TV for A LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. I love this show. Have run into its new stars Katie Clarke and Aaron Lazar around town, and I'd love to see them in it. I wonder if it's possible outside of my JERSEY BOYS schedule to see it again. Of all the Broadway shows that opened last season, PIAZZA is probably my favorite. If you haven't seen this show, go.
Thursday, March 2, 2006
|
|
Just found
photos online from a visit earlier in February from THE SOPRANOS'
James Gandolfini. Click here for more photos from Broadway.com. |
|
Daniel
Reichard, Christian Hoff, James Gandolfini, |
|
|
JERSEY BOYS fan, John,
writes: It did! High-speed Internet users,
|
And here's
another message I received from fan Evan Gadda, in Reno, Nevada:
"Dear Mr. Young,
I am a handicapped musical theatre major at the University of Nevada Reno.
Even though I am confined to a wheel chair I still manage to direct four
shows, and I have done twenty two roles. When I hear you sing Frankie Valli
you take me back to when I was a kid again, and you make the pain of my
disability disappear. I don't think you performers know what you do for a
person like me. When I hear you sing, it gives me a means of escape from
this chair and it makes me feel normal.
Warm Regards,
Evan Gadda
Reno, Nevada"
Monday, February 27, 2006
|
|
Elle, a JERSEY BOYS fan, has created a new JERSEY BOYS fansite: Big Men in Town. Tonight I was a co-host of the annual gala for the New York Musical Theatre Festival, click here for the NYMF website. Congratulations to friend Isaac Robert Hurwitz, one of the festival's founders. JERSEY BOYS' Tituss Burgess also appeared at the gala to sing the closing number. Photos from the event, including the one at left, from Broadwayworld.com.
|
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Friend Daniel Acquisto sent a picture of him, Sammy Buck and me at Sardi's last Thursday:
(l-r: Daniel Acquisto, John Lloyd Young, Sammy Buck)
Friday, February 24, 2006
 |
Yesterday afternoon was the unveiling of my caricature at Sardi's. Thank you to Mom, Dad and everyone who attended, including some friends and colleagues from the very earliest days of my New York theatre career. Among them: Cheryl Mintz, who stage managed my first-ever professional production out of college at Princeton's McCarter Theatre, Vera Novacek who let me sleep on her couch when I first moved to New York, Alee Ralph who gave me my first theatre internship and college buddy Maggie Edelman who introduced me to him, and director Gary John LaRosa who gave me my Equity card. Thanks again to everyone who attended, and SPECIAL THANKS to Sardi's for an unforgettable honor. The photos here are from Broadwayworld.com's coverage of the event.
And here are more photos from
Broadway.com. |
|
As I walked into that fourth floor room where the unveiling was held, I passed the caricatures of Lillian Gish and Helen Hayes, two actors who had celebrated, durable, long and illustrious lives and careers. Receiving a Sardi's caricature this early on thrusts an immediate obligation on me to live up to the careers of the other luminaries portrayed on those walls, a challenge I'm happy to assume...
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Arrived home late Monday night from an out-of-town funeral, just in time for our important Letterman appearance, yesterday. The David Letterman show was a blast. Had a rehearsal with the cast at the LATE SHOW studios at the Ed Sullivan Theatre at around 4 p.m. and then went back to the August Wilson Theatre to get into costumes and mics and go back to the studio where the show tapes everyday at 5:30 p.m. JERSEY BOYS' Jen Naimo is a big Matthew Fox fan, and she and many in the cast were excited to see him backstage. The performance was a lot of fun, in front of a live audience (just like at home at the August Wilson), except in this case, Letterman keeps his studio at a balmy 48 degrees! It was like singing outside in the cold. Tough. I was wearing my scarf and winter coat right before being called out onstage... Minutes after our performance there, we we were back at our theatre, nice and warm, changing into Act I costumes for our 7 pm show. Most exciting of all, we were all able to get home in time to watch our Letterman appearance on TV with the rest of the country. Check back within the next few days for photos, video or both.
Tomorrow New York's Sardi's Restaurant in the theatre district will add me to their famed collection of caricatures. The caricature will be unveiled in a brief ceremony and reception at the restaurant. Some select family, friends, JERSEY BOYS cast and crew and business acquaintances will be there to celebrate. Of course, I'll share a photo of the caricature when I have one.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
|
|
Be sure to
catch the cast of
JERSEY BOYS on David
Letterman tonight on CBS. An article by Mark Kennedy of the Associated Press is making its rounds in national newspapers this week. Click here to read the article. |
Saturday, February 18, 2006
The cast of JERSEY BOYS will appear on CBS/TV's THE DAVID LETTERMAN SHOW, Tuesday, February 21st, 2006.
Friday, February 17, 2006
I recently experienced a death in the family, and thank you to Charlie Siedenburg for reminding me of the following passage from Chaim Potok's novel, THE CHOSEN, (I did the dramatic adaptation of THE CHOSEN at Paper Mill Playhouse in 2004).
In THE CHOSEN, the Orthodox Jewish father of Reuven Malter tells his son that, whatever his specific choices of faith and career, he must choose life:
"Human beings do not live forever, Reuven. We live less than the time it takes to blink an eye, if we measure our lives against eternity. So it may be asked what value is there to a human life.... I learned a long time ago, Reuven, that a blink of an eye in itself is nothing. But the eye that blinks, that is something. A span of life is nothing. But the man who lives the span, he is something."
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
|
The
JERSEY BOYS
Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard, J. Robert Spencer
and I performed at the
Drama League's 21st Annual Spring Gala benefit concert in a
program also including
JERSEY BOYS' Tituss
Burgess and performers Michael Cerveris, Kelli O'Hara, Aaron
Lazar, Rachel York, Harry Connick Jr., Liz Callaway, Julia Murney,
Mary Testa, Marian Seldes, Richard Easton, Katie Clarke, Tina
Fabrique, Liz McCartney, Clark Thorell, Roz Ryan and others.
The performance was directed by friend Joe Calarco with music
direction by
JERSEY BOYS' Ron
Melrose. Thank you to Patti Lupone and
Alex Gemignani (of Broadway's SWEENEY TODD) and Carolann
Page for stopping backstage after
JERSEY BOYS, today, to
congratulate the cast. Thanks, too, to friends Joey Liao and
Isaac Robert Hurwitz who saw the show tonight. |
|
Friday, February 10, 2006
Thank you to Bruce Willis and daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallullah and friends for coming backstage tonight after JERSEY BOYS to say hello to the cast.
Tuesday, February 7, 2006
A couple years ago, I was interviewed for Actorslife.com, an online resource for actors. ActorsLife.com's Joanna Parson conducted a post-JERSEY BOYS follow-up interview with me, which can be read here.
Monday, February 6, 2006
Back from a week-long vacation to Chicago and ready to jump into JERSEY BOYS again. It was a welcome break after ten months of daily training, rehearsals, previews, opening and the holidays.
|
|
Saw some Chicago theatre: Frank Galati's "after the quake" and Richard Greenberg's THE WELL-APPOINTED ROOM at Steppenwolf; Mary Zimmerman's PERICLES at the Goodman; and a one-act play at the Lookingglass Theatre. THE WELL-APPOINTED ROOM was my favorite. It's a searing and riveting world-premiere of the newest Greenberg play, two separate one-act plays set in the same apartment before and after September 11th, 2001, with top-notch direction by Terry Kinney and funny, nuanced performances by actors Tracy Letts, Amy Morton, Josh Charles and Kate Arrington. Two plays by Greenberg will bow on Broadway this year, THREE DAYS OF RAIN, starring Julia Roberts, and THE HOUSE IN TOWN at Lincoln Center. I hope THE WELL-APPOINTED ROOM gets a New York production, too. It's a fantastic, frustrating play, and for this New Yorker, its 9/11 themes resonated greatly. Here's a review of the Chicago production: Chicago Sun-Times. |
|
Also visited the Art
Institute of Chicago and browsed the collection's treasures.
Favorites among them: Monet's stacks of wheat, Chagall's
windows, the extensive collection of Joseph Cornell shadow
boxes and Breton's "The Song of the Lark."
|
