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)

...as "Frankie Valli" in the Original Broadway Cast of JERSEY BOYS

ARCHIVES JUNE 13, 2006 - JULY 7, 2008

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current blog entries

archives:
July 23, 2008 - August 28, 2009
June 13, 2006 - July 7, 2008
November 14, 2005 - June 11, 2006
July 28, 2004 - November 6, 2005

Monday, July 7, 2008

Thank you to everyone for acknowledging my birthday on the 4th with their cards and gifts! 

I enjoyed visits at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, too, from those who came to see the workshops of MYTH, a new show that was being developed there.  The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center in Waterford, CT, has been the birthplace of many new plays and musicals since its founding in the late 70s.  Recent Best Musical Tony winner, IN THE HEIGHTS was being developed there at the same time I started rehearsals for JERSEY BOYS.  MYTH, by John Mercurio, is off to a great start, and I loved my role in it; Orin, a disaffected rock star who is ready to step out of the fast lane to find love.  His storyline is based on the Orpheus myth.  Directed by Jeremy Dobrish with music direction by Tom Kitt, the show was being developed with actors Pamela Myers, William Parry, Brandon Espinoza, Dylan Collins, Dane DeHaan, Marva Hicks, Deborah Lew, Kelly McCormick, Maureen Silliman, Paul Oakley Stovall and Wes Taylor.  Those who saw it experienced the first-ever public readings of this new show.  We had rewrites every day, so each performance was different, and each audience effectively saw a different show.
 

Monday, June 23, 2008

Saw A CATERED AFFAIR on Broadway a few nights ago.  Congratulations to friend Leslie Kritzer on her excellent, understated performance.  The show also stars Harvey Fierstein, Faith Prince, Tom Wopat and Matt Cavenaugh.  Hurry to see this one: the show closes at the end of July.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Here's a very accurate peek into what I was up to on my last trip to LA.  Click here.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Only in New York!  Today two separate people scaled the New York Times building in New York, a pretty scary stunt.  I happened to witness the second guy from when he was about halfway up the building.  Here's an article about this odd piece of news.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Congratulations to friend Iris Bahr on her Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show for DAI (ENOUGH).  Click here for an article.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Thank you to everybody for their enthusiasm about the upcoming LES MIS concert at the Hollywood Bowl.  Also appearing, among others, will be Rosie O'Donnell (as Madame Thernardier) and Tony Award winner Brian "Stokes" Mitchell (as Javert).  Very excited to appear with Lea Michele, who plays "Wendla" in my very favorite recent Broadway show, SPRING AWAKENING.  She'll play "Eponine" in this concert.  And, last but not least, my dear friend and former JERSEY BOYS stagemate, Jennifer Naimo, will also appear in this concert!

Last night I appeared at the George Street Playhouse annual gala, celebrating friend David Saint's 10th year as Artistic Director.  Enjoyed visiting with friends, the Diegnan's, the Herbert's and the Benincasa's as well as Arthur Laurents, Tyne Daly, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, Jim Walton, Barbara Walsh and Broadway lighting designer, Howell Binkley.  And very surprised and happy to visit with Audrey and Spencer Rockman who live only five minutes from the New Brunswick, NJ, Hyatt, where the gala was held!

A hearty congratulations to friend, Leslie Kritzer, on her SECOND Drama Desk Nomination, this time for Broadway's A CATERED AFFAIR.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Excited to be playing "Marius" in an all-star concert of LES MISERABLES this summer at the Hollywood Bowl.  Click here for a link to an article that ran today on Broadwayworld.com.  When I first got to New York, I was doing a play with Target Margin Theatre Company when I got an audition for "Marius" in the Broadway tour, and I made it all the way to final callbacks.  So in the auditions for this production, I reached back inside, pulled out and dusted off my natural high-baritenor for the creative team, who weren't so sure what to expect a few years and a very-surprising-falsetto-turn later.  Very glad I'll finally get a shot at this role I've hoped to play since 1987!

(P.S.  Another recent JERSEY BOYS alum is also in this cast!)

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Enjoyed visiting with my very talented photographer friend Brad Calcaterra Friday.  He did the photo on the main page of my website.  Here's a link to his website.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Happy birthday to friend, Michael Cassara!

Photographer B.C. Kagan has posted some shots from our most recent photo shoot together.  Click here.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Still out there seeking the next project and making headway.  As you know, I will not announce anything until it is safe to.  Many of you have sent me letters begging for something new!  I assure you, I'm as impatient as you.  Hang in there!

Saw some fun stuff this past week.  Tonight it was IN THE HEIGHTS on Broadway, for which I had a special affinity, since I LIVED in Washington Heights, at 181st Street and Riverside, when I first moved to New York City.  It was fun to see Anna Louizos's excellent set which recreated the exact view I remember from my apartment's window.  An attractive, energetic and fun cast led by the show's conceiver and writer Lin-Manuel Miranda made the evening especially enjoyable.  I also saw PASSING STRANGE a few days ago, on Broadway at the Belasco Theatre.  A transfer from the Public Theatre, this is a riveting show with a heavy rock score and an emotionally devastating second act.  Enjoyed saying hello to the cast members backstage afterward and chatting with one of the show's producers, Chase Mishkin, who was in the audience.  Congrats to Chase and her fellow producers for bringing such a brave new work to Broadway.  And last night I saw former Brown University classmate Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's offbeat play, BOOM, at Ars Nova Theatre, directed by Alex Timbers, who was one of our assistant directors a few years ago when we began rehearsals for JERSEY BOYS on Broadway.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Monday, April 7, 2008

Yesterday was Jennifer Naimo's final performance in JERSEY BOYS.  She invited me to celebrate after the matinee with her and her husband Tim and friends from the cast and crew of the show.  We assembled at Cafe Iguana on West 55th Street.  Congrats to Tim, too, who'll have his wife back with him in California (she's been away from home in NYC all this time she's been doing the show).  Enjoyed visiting with JERSEY BOYS enthusiasts Kathy, Laura, John and Norene, and catching up with the cast and crew I used to see daily.

Enjoyed SOUTH PACIFIC, yesterday at Lincoln Center Theatre.  Congrats to cast members and friends Becca Ayers and Victor Hawks, and thanks, Becca for the backstage tour.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

In the weeks leading up to my Tony Award win for JERSEY BOYS in 2006, I spent an afternoon with a kind older Asian photojournalist in the park near my home in Jersey City.  As we worked on a portrait for an article for the New York Times, he talked to me about his photography technique.  Mopping his forehead periodically that hot day with a rag he kept in his pocket, he energetically paced around the park and surrounding cafes where we shot, finding different locations to shoot a photo and setting up angles and taking lighting readings, speaking a mile a minute.  I followed this little man around, trying to keep up with his energy.  I remember thinking, who IS this guy?  He was absolutely captivating.

It wasn't until we shook hands at the end of our shoot and he introduced himself to me that I knew who he was:  Dith Pran, the photojournalist whose work in war-ravaged Cambodia inspired the 1984 film, KILLING FIELDS.  I was a little embarrassed at the obvious contrast between the danger and terror of his early career and our relatively frivolous photo shoot of a Broadway actor in a public park, and I said so.  He said this kind of peaceful work was his hard-earned retirement.

I just read today that Mr. Pran passed away last week, March 30, at age 65, after a battle with pancreatic cancer.  Here is the photo that came out of our shoot.

photo: Dith Pran/The New York Times

Thursday, April 3, 2008

My first play in New York was Rinne Groff's THE FIVE HYSTERICAL GIRLS THEOREM for the Obie-winning Target Margin Theatre.  Last night I had the honor of performing a homecoming of sorts by returning to sing a few songs at their annual gala honoring author Agapi Stassinopoulos.  Thanks to Artistic Director, David Herskovits, for the invitation.  Target Margin's always-offbeat and imaginative productions continue next with a musical adaptation of Aristophanes' THE FROGS in a joint production with Classic Stage Company.

With tonight's rave New York Times review for the Lincoln Center Theatre revival of Rogers and Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC and the rave reviews days ago for the new revival of GYPSY, starring Patti LuPone and Laura Benanti, it sure looks like the classic American musical is alive and well this season on Broadway.  I saw this production of GYPSY in previews and thought is was superb, and I'll be seeing SOUTH PACIFIC (and my friend Becca Ayers, who's in it), this weekend.

Saw these guys tonight at the NYC's Producer's Club.  Here's the kicker, this is an all a cappella sound: no instruments whatsoever.  The guy who does the percussion is amazing.  www.ballinthehouse.com  

Monday, March 31, 2008

I want to acknowledge the abundant stream of kind letters from all of you.  Though I can't keep up with answering every single one, I am still very happy to receive them and will continue to reply when I can!  At the very least, I'll try to acknowledge questions here on my blog, including this frequently-asked one:  I've been asked a lot whether my Lincoln Center concert will be released on CD.  Unfortunately, it won't be.  It was just a live, one-time event.  But there may be recording in my future, so please continue to watch the blog for news.

Monday, March 24, 2008

It's pretty widely known that soon after I got cast in JERSEY BOYS, I went to Las Vegas to spy on Frankie Valli and take notes, when he was performing at The Flamingo.  What's not so widely known is that I was petrified of what was ahead of me, singing two-dozen songs in high falsetto, 8 shows a week.  I didn't know how I was going to physically do it.  Sometimes encouragement comes in unexpected ways.  During that same trip, after having seen Frankie live, and still white-knuckled with fear about how I was going to survive the seemingly-impossible physical challenge of singing the JERSEY BOYS score, I went to see one of the several Cirque du Soliel companies.  The physical abilities of those acrobats were so astounding, and their bravery so stunning (especially the trapeze artists who performed without a net) that suddenly a deep calm came over me and I realized, "If they can find a way to do this, then I can find a way to sing two dozen songs."

This YouTube video brought that Vegas epiphany back to the forefront for me.  Enjoy this astounding clip of the "Great Chinese State Circus" (and thanks to Wendy for bringing it to my attention).

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Just a quick plug for the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Beth Henley's CRIMES OF THE HEART, especially for the excellent and touching performance of Jennifer Dundas, as "Lenny."  The show is directed by Kathleen Turner in her stage directing debut.  Saw it last week with friend, director Joe Calarco, who's off to San Diego's Old Globe Theatre to direct one of my favorite Tennessee Williams plays, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, with Michelle Federer as "Laura." 

The New York Post today says there is a possible revival of Burt Bacharach's PROMISES, PROMISES coming down the pike!  Does anyone remember Jack Lemmon in THE APARTMENT, on which this musical is based?  His young, up-and-comer bachelor "C. C. Baxter" is one of Lemmon's funniest performances and certainly one of my favorites of his roles. 

Monday, March 10, 2008

Attended the opening night performance of Paper Mill's STEEL MAGNOLIAS last night.  Congrats to friend, actress Kate Wetherhead and her husband, Jeff Croiter, who's the lighting designer.  The great cast includes Kelly Bishop as "Clairee," Charlotte Booker as "Truvy," Beth Fowler as "Ouiser," Monique Fowler as "M'Lynn," Kelly Sullivan as "Shelby" and Kate Wetherhead as "Annelle."  The show plays the Paper Mill Playhouse through April 6th.

Friday, March 7, 2008

I wanted to share an interesting recommendation with women out there who read this blog.  It's called "The Mouth," a new open mic and "talkfest" for women that's just getting its first legs.  It's billed as "The View" meets Performance art, as host Liz Taylor weaves together open mic performances with thematically related insights and anecdotes from the audience.  All types of performance -- storytelling, theatre, poetry, music -- welcome.  Listeners valued!"  It's the first and third Sunday of every month, 3-5 pm at the Times Square Arts Center, 300 W. 43rd St. at 8th Avenue, 5th Floor.  Roy Arias Studios & Theatre.  Studio phone number: (212) 957-8358.  You can contact Liz for more information at: eappleby@comcast.net

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

An interesting review of Saturday's concerts from: Backstage.com.

Wow: what a mountain of letters!  Thank you for all the Valentines, letters wishing good luck for the concert and letters of congratulations.  It's going to take hours to go through all of them, and it's always so much fun to read your thoughts.  The person who guessed the most songs in my concert was Melissa Aldrich!  Congratulations.  Thanks for sending in your lists, there were a lot of good ideas there for me to consider for the future.  My favorite suggestion, made by many, is "My Cherie Amour."  What a great song -- maybe I'll put that into my repertoire.

Heard about the fun get together after my concert.  My family was in for three days only, and I ignored them completely the first two, because I was preparing so feverishly for the concert.  So after the concert I only had a few hours to visit with them before they went home the next morning.  The strangest thing about what I do is that my family often comes to see me precisely when I'm intensely working and it's almost impossible to see them!  Glad I got a few hours with them this time.

Monday, February 25, 2008

"No wasted notes. No pointless gestures. No throwaway song selections. In his concert debut,
Saturday night at the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center, John Lloyd Young approached his
material with the precision of an actor, and a falsetto that few performers of any kind can match."

NJ Star-Ledger reviews John Lloyd Young's solo concert debut at Lincoln Center
click here

Thank you to 60s music expert, Charles Alexander, who writes liner notes for Four Seasons' records, for this glowing letter!

What a thrill to see Javier Bardem and Marion Cotillard win their Oscars last night.  Theirs were my two favorite performances among those nominated this year.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Thank you to everyone who came to my concert debut, yesterday.  What a warm welcome you all gave me.  It was a new experience, a fantastic experience and, ultimately, a fun experience to try on a different hat for a day.  If it's in the fates for another concert down the line, it will be a lot of fun to do it again!

Friday, February 22, 2008

"There is one song that will probably follow me around the rest of my life, and it's the same song that's followed
Frankie around during his life. We've got a really great problem in common."

John Lloyd Young discusses his solo concert debut
at Lincoln Center with The Newark Star-Ledger's Jay Lustig

click here for the article

Thursday, February 21, 2008

The concert is only a few days away!  I know there's some bad weather predicted for the East Coast.  I hope that everyone who plans to come in from out of town can make it.  But for those of you who live in town, bad weather might mean last-minute seats become available.  So be sure to visit the Lincoln Center website for information about the standby lines before each performance.  See you all in a few days!!

Just a reminder: please be prepared that unlike the August Wilson Theatre, at Lincoln Center there will not be a "stage door" area and the chance to greet people after either concert.  But I will be looking for you in the audience!!

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Had a great rehearsal yesterday for my Lincoln Center concert, which is only days away.  After rehearsal, we were driving one of the backup vocalists home and I told her all about what a great audience we're going to have.  I said that I'd been accustomed to seeing a few familiar faces every night in the audience, but at Lincoln Center tons of the familiar faces are going to be there in the audience all at the same time!  I can't tell you how great that's going to be to look out there and feel like I'm performing amongst friends.  You helped sell out this concert the day it went on sale: thank you.  I appreciate you all so much. 

I went to see another concert in the Allen Room a few weeks ago, and it is really a magical experience to sit in that space with the floor-to-ceiling view of Columbus Circle behind the stage.  I'm looking forward to getting up on that stage with my great musicians and performing again for all of you.  Imagine yourself there now; in the blink of an eye you will be!  For those of you who can't be there, if this concert is successful, there will be more...

The next day, I look forward to kicking back after three months of preparation for this concert and enjoying the Oscars. 

To prepare for this concert, I still had to sing two to three hours a day, so singing-wise, it was as if I never left JERSEY BOYS.  Except this time, I did the singing at home, in my kitchen.  I've re-discovered the joy of Fresh Direct, and I've done a lot of cooking while practicing: the freezer is full.  Anyone want lasagna??

P.S.  Happy belated birthday to Howard Tucker.  (I hear his entourage has grown a few score since last I saw him -- maybe I should be thanking Howard for selling out my concert!  Or is it Gary's entourage?  I hear conflicting rumors...  Maybe entourages overlap?)

See you soon,

JLY

Saturday, February 9, 2008

I'm a little disappointed it's the weekend, now, because I'm becoming addicted to the new HBO drama, IN TREATMENT, which airs every weeknight.  IN TREATMENT allows the audience to peek in on a therapist -- Gabriel Byrne -- and his patients' weekly sessions.  One patient's session airs each night, and then the following corresponding weekday is the patient's next appointment.  It's a great concept, and I'm really enjoying it.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

My concert at Lincoln Center is a month away.  Have been busy rehearsing for it and training vocally, still working with my trusted voice teacher Katie Agresta, every week.  Singing Four Seasons songs in JERSEY BOYS was fun and certainly a challenge, but finding and choosing songs that I want to sing is even more rewarding.  I can change the key, and I can even drop the song from the list completely if it's not working the way I want it to.  It's very rewarding to know that everything I sing in this concert, I've chosen myself.  Some of you have made some pretty astute guesses as to what I'm singing.  No one's guessed so many, though, that anyone will leave unsurprised.

Many of you who plan to see the concert are asking if there's a stage door.  I don't know the answer to that, but I want to emphasize that there is a possibility that the concert itself will be our only glimpse of each other!  If that's the case, then I've just got to make this concert all the more personal.  And of course it will be, since it'll just be me and you out there:  I'll have no guise of character to stand behind (which is the scary and fun part of putting this together).

Happy to see this year's Oscar nominations announced.  Now here's hoping the writer's strike will be resolved and we'll get to see the Academy Awards.  Though James McAvoy certainly seems to have a long career ahead of him, I was hoping he'd get a nomination for ATONEMENT, which I just recently saw.  His performance was excellent in that film.

Monday, January 14, 2008

About a month ago, I went to San Diego, California to perform at the La Jolla Playhouse annual gala honoring Des McAnuff.  While I was there, the San Diego-based "Jersey Boys Podcast" did an interview with me.  Here's a summary from their website and a link to the page where you can download and/or listen to the podcast.

"Show #059 of the Jersey Boys Podcast has been posted and it includes a great interview with John Lloyd Young. The topics covered in the interview includes: what John is doing now and in the near future including his upcoming concert on Feb. 23, 2008; his thoughts on supporting service through fundraising; his praise for his dedicated fans; the Tony Award wins; his feelings about leaving the cast of Jersey Boys; and Michael Longoria's strengths as the new Frankie Valli on Broadway."

click here for a link to this podcast

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

This past weekend, I finalized the play list for my upcoming concert at Lincoln Center.  The songs are great, all 22 of them!  For those of you who write letters, send me your fantasy list of what you imagine those 22 songs will be.  I'll acknowledge here on the blog the person who guesses the most songs I actually do in the concert!

Friday, January 4, 2008

Thank you for making our collective 2007 total donations toward the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation $22,050!!  I only began soliciting donations for cystic fibrosis research in October, which means we raised that amount in only three months.

Excited to see Elaine Stritch perform this weekend at the Cafe Carlyle.  Here's a link to Stephen Holden's New York Times review.

Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy New Year!

This past weekend I saw the movie, JUNO.  What a great cast, all around.  I recommend this movie.  Seeing my pal, Davis Duffield, go on tomorrow night in CYRANO DE BERGERAC, starring Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner (who's also in JUNO and gives such a touching performance).  CYRANO... is Davis's Broadway debut, and I've been looking forward to seeing him in it.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Today I started putting pen to paper and began working on the script for my concert in the American Songbook Series at Lincoln Center on February 23rd.  I am already imagining the affectionate and enthusiastic reception some of you have promised when I walk on that stage for my first song!  So many of you have written to express how much you're anticipating this concert.  And so am I!  Imagine the feeling of being seated with your friends in the Allen Room, when the lights come down on this warm, intimate space, a floor-to-ceiling wall of glass behind the stage opening up on a panoramic view of Columbus Circle and the New York skyline behind it.  If I'm not too dumbstruck by the surroundings myself to sing, I can promise you that the songs I've carefully chosen are excellent, some of my (and surely your) most personally beloved songs from the 60s and 70s.  (Click to hear the "Cara Mia" clip from below -- that will be one of them!)  Now I just have to try to come up with some interesting things to say between them! (I think I'll figure that out...)  Isn't it going to be fantastic to reunite for a short hour-or-so, somewhere in between my growing absence from JERSEY BOYS and before whatever big thing comes next?  Can't wait to see you all.

Best wishes,
JLY

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas!  And I have a small gift for fans.  Someone posted video of my "musical madlibs" version of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" from last week's "Don't Quit Your Night Job" sketch comedy show at NYC's Zipper Theatre.

Here's the link to my musical madlib.

And here's a link to some of Don't Quit Your Night Job's other musical madlibs!

Friday, December 21, 2007

I'd like to thank all of you who have sent and/or have been sending donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  Because of your help and generosity, before the year is out you will have helped me hand over more than $20,000 in donations, so far, for cystic fibrosis research.  Thank you!

JLY

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Just in time for New Year's, here's a YouTube link to last year's New Year's Eve in Times Square performance.

Here's some YouTube from the La Jolla gala honoring Des McAnuff in San Diego.

Friday, December 14, 2007

My appearance at San Diego for the La Jolla Playhouse gala honoring Des McAnuff was a lot of fun.  Thank you to the band, Charles Czarnecki, Ken Dow and Kevin Dow for backing me up just as well as they did on Broadway, where they are musicians at JERSEY BOYS.  Great to see JERSEY BOYS' Donnie Kehr and Steve "Hoops" Snyder, as well as JERSEY BOYS Broadway-alumni, Steve Gouveia (now "Nick Massi" on the National Tour), and guitarist, Joe Payne, too.  Stayed at the amazing Estancia Hotel and Spa, and can't wait to stay there again. 

Enjoyed the week.  Started it out by attending the NY premiere of the new Daniel Day-Lewis film, THERE WILL BE BLOOD at New York's historic Ziegfeld Theatre.  Attended the Actors Fund of America's benefit performance of MARY POPPINS, which was great to see after sitting on an American Theatre Wing panel discussion with star, Ashley Brown, a few weeks ago.  And tonight I saw XANADU with some friends I made during my JERSEY BOYS run. 

I can't wait to get to 45th Street to see all the new plays there, THE SEAFARER, ROCK & ROLL, THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION and AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY.  It is exciting in my new day-to-day life as a "civilian" to be able to see things again, when otherwise I would have been working onstage myself!

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Just arrived in San Diego, where I'll be appearing as part of a gala benefit for the LaJolla Playhouse in honor of departing artistic director, and director of JERSEY BOYS, Des McAnuff.  I'm very flattered to be a part of this.  LaJolla is where JERSEY BOYS originated, and they are very proud of the show and of Des, as I am.

Thank you for the overwhelming amount of letters you've all sent.  It's been nice to see just how much support I've got behind me as I embark on the future.  There's really so much to look forward to!  I appreciate your encouragement.

***

Love New York pizza?  I remember when I was a kid, I lived in Omaha, Nebraska for a few years, and pizza is a totally different experience in the Midwest.  (I really missed NY pizza...)  Check out this article: now anyone across the continental U.S. can have an authentic New York pizza delivered to them!  Thanks to my mom for sharing this interesting link.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Thank you to all the JERSEY BOYS fans who saw me off a week ago, my final day at the show.  I'm enjoying my first time off in years, writing, driving, thinking and enjoying something I forgot existed: peace and quiet!

And thank you to young JERSEY BOYS fan, Kathryn, who just sent me this interview I did for her a while ago.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

One of his more recent backstage visitors provided him with some sage wisdom. "Mandy Patinkin came backstage a few weeks ago," said Young. "He told me, about ten years after Sunday in the Park with George had closed, they had asked him to do some kind of commentary or interview about it. He hadn't really thought about it in a long time, so he put the CD [on in] his car to refresh himself on the experience. He had to pull over on the side of the road; he was sobbing because it hit him so hard. And he said, 'It's going to happen to you,' and I said, 'I know you're right,' Young recalled with an audible smile. "'I just hope it doesn't happen when there are a lot of people around.'"

John Lloyd Young's JERSEY BOYS "Exit Interview" with Playbill.com

click here for full article

Monday, November 19, 2007

As you probably know, the stagehands strike will continue, and shows are cancelled through the 25th of November.  I have played my last performance!  Without going into details, believe me when I tell you that I prefer it this way.  I'm not afraid to get emotional onstage in character, but I was truly dreading the whole idea of any formal farewell.  What I am encouraged to hear is that many of you who would have otherwise been at the show on Wednesday, plan to say farewell at the picket line, instead, between 7:30 and 8, when we actors need to be there to sign in.  So I look forward to saying a "goodbye for now" to all of you on Wednesday night at the picket line outside the August Wilson Theatre! 

To the fans of JERSEY BOYS: I am forever grateful to all of you for your support, enthusiasm and affection.  At times, you were my ONLY support.  It can be a difficult job to star in a Broadway show, and JERSEY BOYS has certainly had its arduous, trying and frequently lonely personal challenges.  You've always been there, though, and the most rewarding part of my entire JERSEY BOYS experience has been getting to know you, reading your letters, shaking your hands, taking pictures and seeing the joy the show has brought you.  Though I won't be taking a formal final bow before you, I do bow to you in gratitude, and I am so excited to know I'll be seeing so many of you at my Lincoln Center concert in February and at all my future appearances, wherever they'll be.

A very warm thank you to all of you.  Keep in touch.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

In light of this strike, which could mean I won't have my "final performance," of JERSEY BOYS on November 21st, I want to make it clear that, if that's the case, I've had a final performance, on November 9th, and it was wonderful.  I just didn't know it was the last one!  I am very happy with my two-year run in JERSEY BOYS, and I am at peace with the possibility that November 9th was my final show. 

Labor disputes are extremely important.  There are much larger issues at stake for all my colleagues out of work and all my producer colleagues with empty theatres than whether I get to have a final time at bat as "Frankie Valli."  I appreciate the outpouring of sympathy, very much.  It's hard to say goodbye to such a great role, no matter what.  But I also hope we can all come together and wish the two disputing parties a swift resolution, through my final scheduled performance on November 21st and beyond, if necessary.

In the meantime, please continue to make dinner reservations in the theatre district and support the establishments which have been a virtual second home to so many of us who work on Broadway; see an off-Broadway show, all of which are still up and running; go to a comedy club; see one of the few Broadway shows not affected by the strike.  There's so much to do in midtown Manhattan until Broadway's back!

I've been trying to go to a Theatre District restaurant each night, after signing in at the picket line.

Tonight, instead of being onstage at JERSEY BOYS, I'll be at Times Square's Tony's DiNapoli for dinner.  Tony's is a major supporter of Broadway, and I'm going to do my part to support them at this difficult time.  Hope to see YOU there tonight, too!  Visit www.tonysnyc.com to make a reservation.  Or call 212-221-0100.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

The stagehands strike is still ongoing, with no visible resolution in sight.  Each night the cast assembles at the theatre anyway, to sign in with our actors' union representatives and demonstrate that we were willing and able to work.  In the meantime, we've found imposed upon us nights free, for the first time in years for some of us.  My friend Blake and I are fans of jazz guitarist and vocalist, John Pizzarelli.  Blake met me at the picket line outside of JERSEY BOYS at 8, and we went over to New York's famous Birdland Jazz Club to hear the John Pizzarelli Quartet.  They will be playing at Birdland through Saturday evening, so, as the strike persists, if you planned to see a Broadway show and can't, hop over to Birdland on 44th Street and check out Pizzarelli and Co!

www.birdlandjazz.com

www.johnpizzarelli.com

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Two years ago tonight was the opening night of JERSEY BOYS on Broadway!  It's been a rewarding and tumultuous two years, and it's exciting that the core Original Broadway Cast is still together for this landmark day.  In only a few weeks, I'll depart and only a few weeks after that, Daniel Reichard will follow.  It's a very lucky time right now for us and for the audiences who see us during this small window of time while the original four of us are still performing together.

Thank you for the overwhelming interest in my upcoming February 23rd concerts at Lincoln Center Jazz's The Allen Room.  A lot of people have been asking where the stage door is.  I don't know!  What I do know is that I will not be able to emerge between the 8:30 and 10:30 shows.  As for after the final show, I don't know how things work, so I think the best thing to do is, if you have tickets, it's best to direct that question to the venue itself (i.e. the staff of Lincoln Center Jazz). 

I'm eager to begin work on putting this concert together in the coming months and happy to know I'll see so many of you there!

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Thanks again to everyone who sent donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation a few weeks ago, when I offered up a contest for the chance to win a fresh, signed copy of the new JERSEY BOYS companion book.  Additional donations have continued to come in, which I am proud to continue to forward to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  The final total is nearly three thousand dollars more than when I last blogged about this. 

Thanks to the following additional donors, you helped raise the total to $14,676!

Thanks to all the donors including:  Laurel Avery, Joseph Leo Bwarie, David Cace, Judy Carrasco, Kazumi, Alicia and Jamie Costantino, Alberta Egan, Robin Koval, Kayla Kuzbel, Brian Lim, Helen Ratcliffe, Samantha Roberts, Maddi Niebanck, Lucy Rochetti, Karen Swanson, Patricia Washlick, Mansie Yue Williams.

Isn't it amazing to see what people can do when they come together around a common cause?  I am so happy with the generous amount we've contributed together to this charity.  Thank you.

It is privately a very emotional time for me, wrapping up this experience that has taken up so much of my time, energy and emotional investment for nearly three years, and, yet, the clarity with which I view a somewhat uncertain future is actually beginning to become quite exhilarating.  I am very honored to have earned your loyal and friendly support during my time at JERSEY BOYS, and I hope you all continue to stay in touch and to follow me into my future endeavors.  To know you'll still be there on the other end makes the future look pretty bright!

Monday, October 29, 2007

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Yesterday, I wrote about young Maddi Niebanck and her great fundraising.  But she isn't the only precocious fundraiser out there.  Just went through the envelopes and letters people gave me at the "fans of JERSEY BOYS" event this past weekend, and re-discovered $100 from Samantha Roberts for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  Samantha donated the proceeds from her yard sale.  She is the granddaughter of the event's organizer, Irene Eizen, and they both had their birthday, October 22nd!  Thank you, Samantha!

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Last week had a fun, busy, and rewarding end.  Friday, I attended the annual Friar's Club Roast, this year honoring veteran comedian Pat Cooper.  Lisa Lampanelli was the roastmaster, and the jokes were dirty, funny and shocking over the nearly-three-hour roast.  It was a lot of fun.  Congrats to buddy, Randie Levine-Miller who was named Friar of the Year.  Here are some photos by Linda Lenzi of Broadwayworld.com.

Sunday evening after JERSEY BOYS, the fans of JERSEY BOYS treated the cast to a reception at the New York Marriott Marquis.  Thank you to Irene Eizen for coming up with and then executing the great idea!  In attendance were the legendary original FOUR SEASONS, Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio and Joe Long (who replaced Nick Massi when he left the band).  All proceeds from the reception and ensuing silent auction of JB memorabilia went to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. 

It was so great to see all of you, and very fun to finally meet some of you who have been corresponding with me.  Thank you for making the trip to honor the Original Broadway Cast.  We appreciate you as much as you appreciate us.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Thank you to all of you who donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  I'll be sending out five personalized signed copies of the JERSEY BOYS coffee table book.   The 20th person who donated was Paulette Fourty.  The 10th person who donated after October 12th was Wanda Young.  And it was a three-way tie for the highest donor:  Charly O'Clarit, Buz & Irene Eizen (for the Newell Foundation), and Lish Garnett. 

The total amount you helped raise for Cystic Fibrosis research is $11,853!!  I'll post the final total when the last of the checks have arrived.

Thank you so much to the following donors:

Melissa Aldrich, Christina Andrea, Lenora Antunes, Mary Cae Ariano, Lisa Arkin, Cynthia Bambace, Kathy Bartsche, Nicole Basile, Rosemary Bonnevie, Lori Borelli, Carol Boyd, Dorothy Brown, Carol Callister, Jody Cardillo, Eileen Conway, Virginia Coroniti, Adrienne Cronin, Nancy Davison, Nancy Dela Cruz, Damaris Dugan, Brenda Edgington, Dina Fong, Paulette Fourty, Joan Fuller, Elaine Gampel, Lish Garnett, Jeanette Haas, Lois Halpern, Carol Ann Henicle, Maria Hickey, Kim Krahulec, Courtney Liddle, Karen Hsu Patterson, Gayle Kamen Weinstein, Kimberly King, Sally Lawrence, Eunice Lee, Lori Leone, Sharon Lippett, Nancy Mattern, Theresa McKeown, Dona Miller, Heather Myers, Patricia Natoli, Charlotte O’Clarit, Buz and Irene Eizen (Newell Foundation), Cherri Pitcock, Sara Rand, Patricia Rittereiser, Lucy Rochetti, Audrey and Spencer Rockman, Grace Ruggiero, Linda Salamone, Pamela Singer, Stacey Siringano, Susie and Dale Skarl, Jennifer Slater, Faith Steinberg, Lila Luehring Stillman, Margie Smizaski, Sandy & Dave Stortz, Karen Tsu Paterson, Vanessa Shyu, Samantha Toy, Howard Tucker, Kent Van Gelder, Michelle Walpole, Thea Wudyka, Gillian Young, Wanda Young

NEWSFLASH! 

Someone just unexpectedly trumped the top three donors with a very, very generous check.  Thank you to Rosemary Bonnevie, who will be receiving the 6th signed JERSEY BOYS book!

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Thank you to all of you who have been sending in donations for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  I'm going to throw in another JERSEY BOYS coffee table book for the 10th person who donates between tomorrow October 12th and the last day of the contest!  Results will be posted here on the blog after October 15th with a list of donors and an announcement of the people who won the books.  The book is released October 16th, and as soon as I receive my copies, I'll sign them and send them out to the winners. 

So far, in only a week and a half or so, you have helped raise more than $4000 for Cystic Fibrosis Research.  As many of you know, I lost my birthmother to cystic fibrosis when I was very young, and bringing attention and support to this important charity has a lot of personal meaning for me.   I send my deepest appreciation to all of you who are joining me in that effort.

Astounded at the great tally, I contacted the Executive Director of the Greater New Jersey Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Robin Vogel, to ask her to thank you for your help.  She writes, "The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is so grateful to John Lloyd Young and his loyal and generous fans.  The key to curing cystic fibrosis is the ability the Foundation has to fund our vital research programs.  Your support makes this possible and will lead to the day we can say that CF stands for Cure Found!" 

Visit www.cff.org for more information about the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Great to see JB fans Beverley and Irene at the stage door yesterday.  Looking forward to seeing them and many other fans at the big "meet the JERSEY BOYS cast" fan event, coming up on October 21st to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.  Visit the BC/EFA website to find information on this event.  A lot of you have written me letters telling me you're going to be there, and I'm looking forward to seeing all of you.

Friday, October 5, 2007

Congratulations to the Chicago JERSEY BOYS lead, Jarrod Spector (who stars as "Frankie Valli"), and company, who began performances there tonight!

A belated congrats to the star of the JERSEY BOYS national tour, Christopher Kale Jones (who plays the lead role of "Frankie Valli") on his recent wedding to Jenna Coker.

There's an abundance of great Frankie Vallis!  Including the real, live Frankie Valli, whose new album, Romancing the 60's, was just released.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Happy belated birthday to young JERSEY BOYS fan, Mario Hickey, who had a fun visit backstage last week!

Backstage	Onstage	Fans cheer for Mario!

Saturday, September 29, 2007

"Seek opportunity, not security.  A boat in the harbor is safe, but in time its bottom will rot out."
H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Congratulations to the JERSEY BOYS National Tour cast Jarrod Spector, Drew Gehling, Jeremy Kushnier, Michael Ingersoll and company for their performance tonight on the Emmy Awards.  This cast, currently in San Francisco, will play Chicago, next.  A second national tour is currently playing Sacramento.

The Tony-winning JERSEY BOYS original Broadway cast nears the 2nd anniversary of its opening, coming up November 6th!

Saturday, September 15, 2007

45 years ago, today, The Four Seasons had their first Billboard #1 hit with "Sherry."  And what a 45 year ride it's been for them since.  Congratulations to the Seasons on this important landmark and on the staggering success of JERSEY BOYS.

Especially for JERSEY BOYS fans who discovered the show after the 2006 Tony Awards, here's a link to an early radio interview I gave for Wisconsin Public Radio about becoming an actor, finding inspiration in the movie TOOTSIE, struggling in New York and finally landing the role of a lifetime in JERSEY BOYS.  From WPR's "The Best of Our Knowledge" my story is the first of three segments in the program, "Living Your Dream."  Click here to listen.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Forgot to provide a link to photos of our recent visit from NYC Mayor Bloomberg.  Click here for photos from Broadway.com.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

So many younger fans who are aspiring actors have written me asking for advice.  Oftentimes I suggest books (because when I was struggling, and even now, books are where I turn first for inspiration and instruction).  So here's a list of books that have helped me, and could help you, too. 

My absolute essential is AUDITION by Michael Shurtleff.  This book is a classic, not only about auditioning, but about having a life in the theatre, being an actor, being YOURSELF and TRYING to stay afloat in a difficult field.  My favorite anecdote is of legendary director Elia Kazan (A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, etc.), who if an actor was having difficulty in an audition reading, he'd sometimes stop them and just talk to them.  He believed in casting an essence and sometimes you could extract that essence better in talking to an actor than in having him read.  Brando may not have been Brando if it weren't for his start with Kazan.  (P.S.  Every actor on earth is seeking "THEIR Kazan" and is BLESSED when and if they find him or her.)

Here are some more great books for actors.

TRUE AND FALSE, by David Mamet.  Worry no more about who the RIGHT teacher is, or the RIGHT training, or getting it RIGHT.  I don't agree with all the ideas in this book, but it'll get you to stop trying to OBEY and start focusing on being true to yourself, which is, frankly, far more interesting to watch.  (As all my friends were applying to graduate programs in acting, I was reading TRUE AND FALSE: FIVE TIMES IN A ROW).

THE SEASON, by William Goldman.  An insider's look at a Broadway season.  Written in the 60s, it's still mostly relevant to today's Broadway.  An essential for any Broadway aspirant.

HELLO, HE LIED, by Lynda Obst.   Inside Hollywood and also inside entertainment.  The dirty truth.  How things REALLY work and the attitudes Obst learned to effectively play with the big boys.  Inside is the mischievous but absolutely accurate answer to that elusive question every beginning actor has: "How do I get my Equity card?"

And, sometimes the most useful books are just interviews with actors.  Here are some of my favorites:

AL PACINO IN CONVERSATION WITH LAURENCE GROBEL
CONVERSATIONS WITH BRANDO (Laurence Grobel)
ACTORS ON ACTING
ACTORS SPEAK
IN THE COMPANY OF ACTORS (a collection of interviews with renowned British actors)
ACTORS AT WORK (this book's new, published 2007, and I just read it)

Good luck!

*   *    *

Here's an article about Jarrod Spector, who will be playing "Frankie Valli" in the Chicago company of JERSEY BOYS.  Jarrod and I are both devotees of our beloved voice teacher, Katie Agresta.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Happy belated birthday to friend LEGALLY BLONDE's Kate Wetherhead and congratulations on her recent wedding to lighting designer, Jeff Croiter!

We've met so many celebrities at JERSEY BOYS.  Bruce Willis, President Clinton, Bruce Springsteen, the Manning brothers, Glenn Close -- the list is long and varied.  But never have I been so nervous to meet somebody as I was after last night's show when my favorite fashion designer, John Varvatos and his wife, Joyce, said hello backstage.  As a designer, Varvatos does something I really admire but don't know how to do, and he's renowned for it.  I'm a big fan.  For me, I think meeting artists and designers is always going to make me feel how most people might meeting sports, entertainment, media or political figures.  I've found I'm pretty calm meeting the latter types!

Anyway, if any JERSEY BOYS fans relate to what I'm describing and they feel that way when they meet me and my colleagues, now I'm truly flattered, because for the first time, I know exactly how it feels!

John Varvatos had a successful show on Monday night during New York's Fashion Week.  Click here to see images from Mens Style of the September 10th show.  And don't forget to find a Bloomingdale's and buy the special edition tie he designed to benefit VH1's Save the Music (scroll down two entries for information).

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Thank you to some recent visitors at JERSEY BOYS!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

I'm part of the campaign to restore the deteriorated buildings of our national landmark, Ellis Island.  Please visit www.weareellisisland.org to learn how you can get involved by donating, sharing your family's Ellis Island story and spreading the news to your friends and family to help preserve this essential piece of American history.  Click here to see my Ellis Island story.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Here's something that's weird, but kind of fun.  Follow this link.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Well, what do you know?  Wrote recently about Masi Oka and his first Emmy Nomination for HEROES.  Well, friend Jeff Marx has his first Emmy nod, too, for the episode of SCRUBS he wrote.  Congratulations, Jeff!  Here's a link to a video interview with him from Broadwayworld.com.

Enjoyed "Journey to JERSEY BOYS" last night at the Ars Nova Theatre, here in Manhattan, directed by Holly-Anne Ruggiero, (our first assistant director on Broadway).  JERSEY BOYS' Travis Cloer, Heather Ferguson, Jennifer Naimo, Erica Piccinnini and Sara Schmidt shared songs and stories of what lead them up to being in the show.  In attendance were friends, family, JERSEY BOYS fans, some backstage crew, JERSEY BOYS writer, Rick Elice, and the real Bob Gaudio and wife, Judy.

Sunday night after JERSEY BOYS, rushed over to the Music Box Theatre to enjoy the Actors Fund benefit performance of Terrence McNally's DEUCE, starring Angela Lansbury and Marian Seldes.  In its 125th year, the Actors Fund has been hosting benefit performances of Broadway shows for about 80 years!  Click here for more information on The Actors Fund.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

A surprise visit last night at JERSEY BOYS.

Also, click here for photos of us with the JERSEY BOYS cast album Grammy Award.

Saturday, August 4, 2007

An overdue congratulations to former Brown University buddy, Masi Oka, on his first Emmy Nomination for NBC's HEROES!  Masi visited me and the cast of JERSEY BOYS late last year.  Click here for my blog entry about his visit.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Monday, July 9, 2007

A special thank you to Frank Rovello, die-hard Four Seasons fan, (and -- by extension -- JERSEY BOYS fan, too), who has archived nearly every media appearance we've made from day one on his Four Seasons website, www.Genuine-Imitation-Life-Gazette.com.  Frank's video archives have meant so much to all our friends, family and fans, and especially to us.  I was in London July 4th, but thanks to Frank, I still got to see the clip from the Fourth of July Macy's Fireworks for which I had pre-recorded "What a Wonderful World."  Saw Frank and Charles Alexander a few weeks ago at the theatre, who both presented me with a copy of the new Four Seasons box set, JERSEY BEAT (for which Charles wrote liner notes).  Thanks, Frank, for never letting us miss a thing!  We all truly appreciate you.  Click here to see the extensive page of JERSEY BOYS media appearances on Frank's website.

Saturday, July 7, 2007

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Thank you to friends, family and fans for filling my inbox with happy birthday wishes!  Click here to find a video clip of my "What a Wonderful World" (arranged and orchestrated, respectively, by Ron Melrose and Steve Orich) at the NBC Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks display.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Monday, June 11, 2007

What a busy weekend.  Preparing to present on the 2007 Tony Awards this year was almost as work-intensive as preparing to appear last year, when we were up for the the awards.  The four of us JERSEY BOYS presented the first seven awards during the hour before the live telecast on CBS, and then appeared again during the telecast for a short performance and to introduce a video recapping the awards we had handed out earlier.  One of the most exhilarating experiences ever is handing that Tony Award to its newly-announced recipient.  I was privileged to announce and hand out a 2007 Tony Award to Bob Crowley for his set design for MARY POPPINS (and he had JUST won another Tony moments before with Scott Pask for THE COAST OF UTOPIA) and to Catherine Zuber for her costume design of THE COAST OF UTOPIA.

Early Sunday morning we had to arrive at Radio City Music Hall for the dress rehearsal for the Tony Awards.  Near the end of rehearsal, the cast of SPRING AWAKENING came in and sat in the auditorium.  I nudged Daniel Reichard and said, "Let's go say hello to everybody!"  They reminded me of our JERSEY BOYS cast last year, all of us thrilled to be at the Tonys and eager/excited/anxious about what was to come later that evening.  We won last year, and happily SPRING AWAKENING was a big winner this year, and I think I know how excited they all must have been to rush that stage for the big Best Musical Award.  It was exhilarating to watch them take awards all through the night -- I'm a real fan of their show.  Congrats to all of them, especially choreographer Bill T. Jones and lighting designer Kevin Adams, both of whom I was privately crossing my fingers for since the pundits weren't saying they'd be obvious wins!

It was a fun awards show and there were so many worthy Tony recipients.  Congrats to all.  And thank you to John Varvatos for my fantastic tuxedo!

Today, JERSEY BOYS producer Joe Grano, had us all out to his house in New Jersey for a celebration in honor of the success of JERSEY BOYS.  Bob Gaudio brought his newly-delivered Grammy Award for the JERSEY BOYS album for us all to look at.  We'll all pose for a picture with it, eventually, and if I get a copy I'll post it to the blog.

Ended the evening as a guest of The Alliance of Resident Theatres' 35th Anniversary Gala at New York's Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center.  Daphne Rubin-Vega was this year's honoree.  Had fun visiting with the guests at the event and supporting the organization that supports all the Off and Off-Off Broadway not-for-profit theatres in New York.  There are about 360 member companies, including David Herskovitz's Target Margin Theatre Company who produced the first play I ever did in New York (Rinne Groff's THE FIVE HYSTERICAL GIRLS THEOREM).

Monday, May 28, 2007

Saw CORAM BOY Saturday.  There were some incredibly visceral and arresting moments.  Unfortunately, it closed yesterday.  I'm glad I saw it.  Congratulations to Tony-nominee Xanthe Elbrick, especially for her uncanny Act II portrayal of an 8-year-old boy.  What an achievement.  As an actor, these are the sorts of transformations I aspire to achieve in my own work, and that I stand in awe of as an observer.  To me, Elbrick's transformation is just as staggering as Tovah Feldshuh's as "Golda Meir" in GOLDA'S BALCONY, or Isabelle Keating's as "Judy Garland" in THE BOY FROM OZ.

Tonight seeing SPRING AWAKENING my second time since attending its opening night back in December.  Can't wait to see this now award-winning, Tony-nominated show once more.  Looking forward to the actors (including Tony-nominees Jonathan Groff and John Gallagher, Jr.), and the rocking score, of course, but also excited to again watch the entrancing choreography of Tony-nominee Bill T. Jones, all under the out-of-this-world lighting by Tony-nominee Kevin Adams.  (And, yes, I'm still listening to the cast album on my iPod).

The other JERSEY BOYS and I will be presenting multiple awards at the 2007 Tony Awards, June 10th (I wonder if we'll be handing a trophy to Mr. Jones or Mr. Adams...).

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Spent my day off, yesterday, reading the fascinating novel, THE BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEAD, by Kevin Brockmeier, finalist for the New York Public Library's 2007 Young Lions Fiction Award.  The novel is about a metropolis into which the recently-departed-but-still-remembered have crossed over and where they reside until the last living person on Earth has forgotten them.  Strange changes begin to take shape in the city as humankind on the living Earth faces extinction by a worldwide virus.  Meanwhile, a woman stranded on expedition in Antarctica realizes she may be one of the last living people on Earth.  Dire as all that sounds, the book is both lyrical, poetic and witty.  It was a great read. 

I devoured the book earlier in the day, and later that evening joined Martha Plimpton, Robert Sean Leonard, and Ethan Hawke in reading excerpts from the five finalists' novels at the New York Public LIbrary.  Congratulations to the 2007 Young Lions Fiction Award winner, Olga Grushin, for her novel THE DREAM LIFE OF SUKHANOV.

Visit TonyAwards.com for information on this year's Tony Awards.  There is also a video page where you can watch interviews with past winners (including my two interviews -- scroll down to the Y's).

Friday, May 11, 2007

Show choirs doing FOUR SEASONS medleys again?  Can JERSEY BOYS be responsible?  Click here.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

From a press release, yesterday.  Congrats to buddy, Leslie Kritzer:

"New York, NY, May 9, 2007— Leslie Kritzer and Lin-Manuel Miranda have been selected to receive the annual Clarence Derwent Award presented by the Actors’ Equity Foundation to honor the most promising female and male performers on the New York metropolitan scene. The prizes are $2,000 each plus an engraved crystal trophy. The announcement was made by Arne Gundersen, president of the Equity Foundation.

Leslie Kritzer was recognized for her performance as Serena, a sorority girl, in Legally Blonde. Other credits include the Broadway production of Hairspray; the National tour of Urinetown, and the Off-Broadway production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical, for which she received a Drama Desk nomination. She also appeared Off-Broadway in Batboy and Godspell and at Joe’s Pub in Leslie Kritzer Is Patti LuPone at Les Mouches.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lin-Man in In The Heights, for which he also wrote the music and lyrics, wrote the first incarnation of the show in his sophomore year at Wesleyan University. He is a founding member of Freestyle Love Supreme, a hip-hop comedy group that tours comedy festivals all over the world; has contributed original music to ads for Promesas, a youth center for homeless teens in the Bronx; is a part-time actor/teacher with CUNY/Creative Arts Team and writes restaurant reviews and a weekly scene column for the Manhattan Times, a bilingual weekly newspaper in Upper Manhattan."

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Happy birthday to the real Frankie Valli!

Click here for photos from Broadwayworld.com from Tuesday evening's afterparty for the documentary, SHOW BUSINESS.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

There's a video online that I find hilarious, starring Will Ferrell, one of my favorite comedians.  Click this link to watch it.  I love this video.  (This video is not for kids, but is essential viewing for Will Ferrell fans).

Some photos have appeared online from some of the past days' events I attended.  Here are some photos from each event, all from Broadwayworld.com.  Click here for photos from the LEGALLY BLONDE opening night.  Click here for photos from the Actors Fund of America's 125th Anniversary Gala.  And click here for photos from the NY Pops Annual Gala at Carnegie Hall.

Tonight attended the afterparty at Film Center Cafe for a New York screening of SHOW BUSINESS, a documentary that covered the 2003 Broadway season.  Thank you to LEGALLY BLONDE producer, Dori Berenstein, for the invitation.  Attended with JERSEY BOYS co-star Christian Hoff, after our evening performance, and ran into a bunch of friends who had attended the screening.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Just back from a nice, whirlwind few days in Los Angeles.  So quick and busy that I apologize to my friends for not even picking up the phone to tell them I was there!  But the weather was great and visited some excellent restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's CUT at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire, the garden restaurant at the Chateau Marmont and Katsuya Sushi restaurant in Brentwood.

Looking forward to the opening night of LEGALLY BLONDE on Broadway tomorrow.  And congrats in advance to pals composer/lyricists Larry O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, star Laura Bell Bundy and Leslie Kritzer and Kate Wetherhead.  I know it's going to be a really fun night.  Monday I'll be at some of the Actors Fund of America's 125th Anniversary Gala and then go to Carnegie Hall to perform with the NY Pops in their annual gala.

Tuesday?  Back at JERSEY BOYS.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Courtesy of JERSEY BOYS' conductor, Ron Melrose, here's a great link to a Japanese Four Seasons cover band!

Monday, April 16, 2007

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Thank you to everyone who came out to the rally to save the Paper Mill Playhouse last night.  And a special thank you to JERSEY BOYS fan, Howard Tucker, who gave up his ticket to this Thursday evening's performance, last minute, for me to offer at the podium for a donation to Paper Mill.  Mr. Tucker is in the banking world and is also helping Paper Mill with advice on how to secure further funding.  They are still short of their fundraising goals.  To donate, visit www.papermill.org.

Most importantly, please support Paper Mill Playhouse in the most important way by buying tickets to their last two shows of the season.  You can do that online at www.papermill.org.

I'd like to thank the audiences of Paper Mill for their selfless generosity, especially those in attendance, last night.  Everyone knows you can't get anything worth anything for free, and Paper Mill has brought such joy to so many.  In order to keep serving its community, a not-for-profit organization like Paper Mill needs its audience's participation, enthusiasm and financial support.

***

Thank you to JERSEY BOYS fan, Kathy Bartsche, for the following warning!  Kathy used what she thought was a reputable online ticket broker for JERSEY BOYS tickets, recently, and it turned out the tickets were counterfeit.  Kathy asked that I post her story here as a warning to be very careful where you get your JERSEY BOYS tickets.  She writes, "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is!!"

Thursday, April 5, 2007

First things first, please consider making a donation to a New Jersey and American staple of the arts, Millburn, New Jersey's famous Paper Mill Playhouse.  The Playhouse is in trouble and may have to close.  Many Broadway stars got their starts at Paper Mill, including Kristin Chenoweth, Laura Benanti and myself.  THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA's Anne Hathaway got an early start at Paper Mill, and many other stage and screen luminaries have appeared there over the years, including Karen Ziemba, Jose Ferrer, Chita Rivera, Donna McKechnie, John Mahoney.  In fact, my 2006 Tony-winning counterpart, THE COLOR PURPLE's LaChanze, and I, played back-to-back in Paper Mill productions in 2004 (THE CHOSEN and BABY, respectively).  The Paper Mill Playhouse is a very important part of the New York-area performing arts landscape, an integral part of New Jersey's arts community, and it would be a real shame for this institution to have to close its doors.  To fans of JERSEY BOYS, especially, please help support the arts OUTSIDE of Broadway, (where this Jersey Boy got his start), by helping the Paper Mill Playhouse. 

Visit www.papermill.org to see how you can help. 

There will be a rally at the Paper Mill Playhouse, this Monday evening, April 9th at 7 p.m. to bring more attention to this cause.  I and other Paper Mill alumni and supporters will be there.  Click here for an article about the rally.  If you can't make a monetary contribution to Paper Mill, please consider attending this rally to help bring attention to the cause.  Directions to Paper Mill by car and public transportation are available at www.papermill.org.

From Playbill.com:

"Several theatre favorites have come out to ask people to help save the theatre. In a statement, Tony winner Kristen Chenoweth said, 'This is the saddest news for all of us in the theatre community. Paper Mill Playhouse not only gave me my Equity card, it also gave me a wonderful opportunity to play a role in a production that audiences throughout the New York communities could see. Paper Mill is an American staple and has been responsible for so many careers. Please give what you can to save this wonderful institution and source of so much joy for so many.'

And, fellow Tony winner John Lloyd Young added, 'The Paper Mill Playhouse production of The Chosen was my first major New York area role and my first big critical achievement. The Broadway level productions are the perfect training ground for someone who wants to be on Broadway and a great place for those who work on Broadway to return to play great roles. I have supported Paper Mill since working there and will continue to do so in the future. I ask that you do the same.'"

***

On Monday, April 30th, I will appear at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops and the Young People's Chorus of New York City.  Also appearing that evening are Tony-winners Anika Noni Rose and Lea Salonga, among others.  Click here for an article about the event.

Take a moment to read this funny and touching article from THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER about our very own, JERSEY BOYS' Peter Gregus.  Click here.

Sunday, April 1, 2007

Thank you to Danielle Gaudio for pointing me toward the link where you can pre-order the JERSEY BOYS coffee table book.  Click here to order your copy.

And congratulations to buddy, Jarrod Spector (who will play Frankie), and the second JERSEY BOYS national tour cast, who begin rehearsals tomorrow.  This is the tour that will play Chicago.

Congrats, too, to former Brown University classmate, San Francisco playwright, Peter Sinn Nachtrieb on winning the Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award, the nation's largest prize for playwrights, for his play HUNTER GATHERERS.  Click here for an article.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Thursday, March 22, 2007

The Jersey Boys Blog has linked to a video of the JERSEY BOYS National Tour cast, currently selling out San Francisco's Curran Theatre, in their appearance on THE TONIGHT SHOW with JAY LENO.  Click here to see JERSEY BOYS cast, version 2.0!

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Thanks to JERSEY BOYS fan, Tamara, for reminding me to update my blog, and to fans Josh Bellan and sister Teri for visiting backstage, last week (and to their mother for the Irish soda bread!)

I've been watching a lot of old movies, just finished THE AFRICAN QUEEN, which I had never seen before, with Academy Award winning performances by Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart.  Also in the film was my pal, Theodore Bikel who played my father in THE CHOSEN at Paper Mill Playhouse a few years ago. 

This past Sunday, we had some major 2007 award winners in our audience, 2007 Academy Award winning director, Martin Scorsese, and our very own 2007 Grammy Award winner, Bob Gaudio.

Fun to see JERSEY BOYS director, Des McAnuff, and writer, Rick Elice, backstage, today.  The whole team is in town casting the new road companies of JERSEY BOYS.

Congratulations to the first national tour of JERSEY BOYS for their appearance last night on NBC's THE TONIGHT SHOW, starring Jay Leno.

Congrats, too, to friends Larry O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, Kate Wetherhead, Leslie Kritzer and Laura Belle Bundy and their colleagues for starting rehearsals this past week for the new Broadway show, LEGALLY BLONDE.  Previews begin April 3rd at the Palace Theatre.  Looking forward to seeing this show, which previously played San Francisco to very positive reviews.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Thoroughly enjoyed the searing and sensitive revival of R.C. Sherriff's World War I drama, JOURNEY'S END, today, playing Broadway's Belasco Theatre.  An excellent Hugh Dancy and three-time Tony-winner Boyd Gaines led a strong ensemble including Tony-winner Jefferson Mays, John Ahlin, Nick Berg Barnes, John Behlmann, Justin Blanchard, Kieran Campion, John Curless, Richard Poe and Stark Sands (in a touching turn as "Raleigh").  This production, originally produced in London, is directed by David Grindley. 

This is an intense, startling, visceral and sometimes heartbreaking play with great acting all around.

See. this. show.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

WOR Radio's Joan Hamburg had me on her radio program this morning, broadcast from New York's famous Sardi's Restaurant.  After my segment, Joan interviews Michael Feinstein.  Click here to listen online.

Monday, March 5, 2007

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Click here to see JERSEY BOYS' national TV commercial, which aired during the 2007 Grammy Awards on CBS (file is in Windows Media format).

Monday, February 19, 2007

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Congratulations to producer Bob Gaudio on his 2007 Grammy Award for the JERSEY BOYS cast album.  Click here to order the album online.

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Saturday, February 3, 2007

Broadway.com just posted the "ASK A STAR" interview with me.  Click here for a link to the video interview.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

An apology to JERSEY BOYS fans who planned to go see me in the "Leading Men" concert Monday at Birdland.  I have to go out to L.A. on important business and can no longer be there Monday night.  Watch the blog for future appearances, and please go support the other great Broadway performers who will be there!

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Monday night was ROCKERS ON BROADWAY, a benefit concert for Broadway Cares at 42nd Street's B.B. King's.  JERSEY BOYS' Donnie Kehr founded the event in 1993 when he was in THE WHO'S TOMMY on Broadway.  Among the many appearing in the concert were Grammy-winner Larry Gatlin, The Monkees' Micky Dolenz, The Tokens, Kate Taylor and Deborah Gibson, and a whole slew of JERSEY BOYS cast members.  The concert was hosted by Caroline Rhea.  Click here for Linda Lenzi's backstage photos from Broadwayworld.com.  Click here for Walter McBride's photos of the concert.  Thank you to all the JERSEY BOYS fans who were in attendance.

Donnie Kehr and I sang "That's Life" together.  And, as happens very often these days, it's ended up on YouTube!  Click here to watch.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Sometimes it is just incredible to see what a cultural phenomenon JERSEY BOYS is becoming.  One of my first jobs, ever, was as a radio announcer for a public radio station, WCFE-FM in upstate New York.  One of the senior news correspondents there was Marco Werman who is now with Public Radio International's THE WORLD, out of  Boston's WGBH.  I heard from Marco, today.

Marco just recently interviewed the League of Arab Nations' ambassador to the United States.  He writes:  "Yes, today on the program, we'll play a bit of "Walk Like a Man" since the ambassador from the League of Arab Nations to the US wanted, out of all the shows on Broadway, to see JERSEY BOYS!"

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Great to meet and visit with Danny Aiello and wife, Sandy, last night after they saw JERSEY BOYS.  Aiello is a singer, himself, and has a new album coming out soon.

Friday, January 19, 2007

Thanks to WILL & GRACE's Megan Mullally and husband Nick Offerman for saying hello backstage after JERSEY BOYS, yesterday.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Friend Jeff Marx (Tony-winning composer of AVENUE Q) has penned a musical episode of TV's SCRUBS, which airs tonight, 9 p.m. Eastern, NBC.

A few familiar faces in the audience of JERSEY BOYS Tuesday night, all Tony winners: Nathan Lane, Ron Rifkin (who sent a nice note backstage), and enjoyed visiting with FRASIER's John Mahoney, who's in rehearsals for the Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway revival of PRELUDE TO A KISS.  I was a wide-eyed understudy in a production of Michael Healey's play THE DRAWER BOY two years ago, watching Mr. Mahoney from the wings, (I went on opposite him, once).  It was so great to have him at JERSEY BOYS. 

And last week, we had a surprise visit from Senator Ted Kennedy.  Click here for photos from Broadway.com.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Had a lot of fun Sunday evening at the opening night performance of Tennessee William's SUMMER AND SMOKE at the Paper Mill Playhouse, starring Tony-winner Amanda Plummer (AGNES OF GOD), and Kevin Anderson, directed by Michael Wilson.  Here are photos from Broadwayworld.com.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Congratulations to JERSEY BOYS' J. Robert Spencer and his wife, Jenny Lynn Suckling, on the birth of their baby boy, Geddy Robert Douglas Spencer, this past Wednesday, January 10!

Monday, January 8, 2007

Congratulations to friend and former Brown classmate, Iris Bahr, on her incredible performance in DAI (ENOUGH) playing now at the Culture Project, 55 Mercer Street.  I saw the show this past week.  Directed by friend, Will Pomerantz (congrats, too, Will), and written and performed by Bahr, DAI is a powerful, hilarious and ultimately important play about the Arab-Israeli conflict, brilliantly told through the eyes of a broad spectrum of people who are patrons at an Israeli cafe.  Iris (pronounced ee-rees) is a searingly intelligent and funny writer and a riveting performer.  And especially for anyone who doesn't feel they can ever understand the Arab-Israeli conflict, you'll leave this piece feeling you've come closer by spending time with Iris's poignant and sometimes incendiary man-on-the-street characters. Iris was profiled last week in the New York Times. Click here for a link to the article.

From the New York Times:  "DAI has a jolt that's undeniable. This is one show you are likely to feel for days afterward."

From the Daily News:  "The remarkable Iris Bahr demonstrates that smarts, talent, and dramatic focus are a potent combination... The lady has more identities and accents than a cloned Meryl Streep... Wickedly funny... The performer is unquestionably one to keep an eye on."

CLICK HERE FOR "DAI" TICKET INFORMATION.

Congratulations, too, to my beautiful JERSEY BOYS co-star, Erica Piccinnini, on her wedding yesterday to Andrew Brettler.  To the right is a snapshot from the wedding.  L-R: JERSEY BOYS' Sara Schmidt, bride Erica Piccinnini (Brettler), groom Andrew Brettler, and JERSEY BOYS' Heather Ferguson (whom I'll be playing opposite in Erica's absence). Writes Heather:   "Sara and I had just arrived there and we were standing in a room full of guests, when all of a sudden the sea of people parted and we saw her. We both gasped, then she turned around and saw us.  All three of us just burst into tears and Sara and I couldn't stop the rest of the night."

Warm wishes to Erica and Andrew on your magic carpet ride through life (and, ahem, Erica -- across the Hudson).

UPDATE: 
New page of photos by Jeff Fasano from Darlene Love's Christmas concert at Lincoln Center's Rose Theatre.
click here or click photo below

JLY at Lincoln Center, photo: Jeff Fasano

Monday, January 1, 2007

Happy New Year!  Click here for a link to our JERSEY BOYS performance from Times Square on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, 2007.

Thursday, December 28, 2006

I've been included in the New Jersey Monthly Magazine's January 2007 "Best of Jersey" edition, on stands now.  Click article below to visit full list.

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Fans of JERSEY BOYS often thank me for being nice at the stage door.  Well, here's why -- I used to seek autographs, myself!

JLY and sister seek autographs outside A CHORUS LINE, Shubert Theatre, New York, 1987.

Friday, December 22, 2006

Attention XM Satellite Radio subscribers: an interview with the JERSEY BOYS and I will air at noon, December 29th on XM 28 "On Broadway."  The interview will re-air at 9 p.m. that evening.  Click here to listen online to XM Satellite Radio.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

It's been a very busy time.  We're barreling toward our appearance in Times Square on New Year's with Dick Clark (ABC TV, between 10-10:30 Eastern).  So there will be a lot of rehearsals for that over the next week.  Last weekend was eventful, too.  Sunday night I sang in Darlene Love's Christmas concert "Love for the Holidays" at Lincoln Center's Rose Theatre in Columbus Circle.  Other headliners were THE LATE SHOW's Paul Shaffer, Cissy Houston and Tevin Campbell.  Afterward I rushed over to the Water Club to catch the tail end of the JERSEY BOYS holiday party.  Only one or two of the cast were still there, but I was able to grab a few bites of the remaining food...  And Monday evening I sang the National Anthem at the New Jersey Nets' home game against the Warriors at the Continental Airlines Arena.  Sat courtside, right under the net, and watched the Nets come from behind in the final five minutes to win the game.

Still listening to SPRING AWAKENING on my iPod, every day.

Here's a fun interview I did with Playbill.com: "Playbill.com's CUE & A: John Lloyd Young"

Thank you to Broadway Cares' Tom Viola for allocating $5,000 of the money you helped me raise to Jersey City's St. Lucy's Shelter for the homeless.  I'm bringing them the check, today.

Friday, December 15, 2006

I bought the SPRING AWAKENING cast album on iTunes, yesterday, and listened to it all day.  These kids have some of the best voices on Broadway.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

By the way, my friend Iris Bahr, below, has a solo show in NYC called DAI, directed by my friend Will Pomerantz.  Click here for an article about their show.

Click here for CBS News's year-end round up of the 2006 Broadway Season.

Monday, December 11, 2006

Sunday, December 10, 2006

(UPDATE, January '07: checks keep trickling in, having bumped the tally to OVER 30K!!)  Congratulations on helping me surpass my goal of $25,000 for this winter's Broadway Cares fundraising.  The final tally is $30,023, more than 20% of JERSEY BOYS $133,000 total. 

Thank you to all who contributed:  

70-09 Austin Street Corp (Garcias Restaurant, Forest Hills, NY), Kristin Abele, Susan Ace, Maria Cristina Alcoriza, Ariel T. Alejandro, Charles Alexander, Marvin and Elaine Alpern, American Express, Jimmie and Pat Anderson, Kara Angelastro, Anonymous, Judith S. Arden, Rachel Arias, Elliott and Esther Arnold, Paul Asnes, Donna Aufiero, Austin Cards 'n Such (Forest Hills, NY), Austin Shoe Corp.  (Forest Hills, NY), B&R Service Corporation (Delray Beach, FL), Judy Barash, Phyllis Barash, Kathy Bartsche, Bear Stearns, Eileen Halpern Beker, Robert and Denise Berchick, Bonelle Pastry Shop (Forest Hills, NY), Craig Brockman and www.broadwayworld.com, Lee Brown, Buenos Aires Tango Argentine Steak House, David Cace, Esther Carey and Stephanie Wada and Evan Dunbar, Alice Casayuran, Chez Moi Inc. (Forest Hills, NY), Chic's Place (Rego Park, NY), Desi Cleary and family, Elizabeth Clune, Continental Hair Concepts Ltd. (Forest Hills, NY), Eileen Conway, John Coroniti, Virginia Coroniti, Romeo A. Dator, Michael Dauro, Harry D. Day, Lauren DeLisa, Renee Delsignore, Jerry and Andrea Demuth, Aggie Dickinson, Daird Dodson (House of Mohr, Inc.), Elle Doherty, David Dorian, Karen Doskow, Michelle Eddison, Brenda Edgington, Buz and Irene Eizen, Joshua Eizen and Margaret K. Arie, Martin and Ellen Elowitz, Embassy 1 Hour Photo  (Forest Hills, NY), Tess Etkowicz, Paul and Teresa Feddern, Jeff Ferolie (in memory of Russ Altamore), Dina M. Fong, Forge Diner (Kew Gardens, NY), Robert Foster, Libby Franck (in memory of David Ingle), Frankie and Joey's Pizzeria (Garden City, NY), Jared H. Freede, Karmen M. Friedrich, Gart Holding LLC The Family Restaurant (Forest Hills, NY), Rachael Gass, Marty Geiger, Jennifer Getz, Charlene Giannetti, Shulamith Goebel, Mollie Gonzalez, Elaine J. Grace, Mary Grayzel, Barbara J. Green, Jim Haag, Jan Haas, Linda Halpern, Lois and Sidney Halpern, Kathryn Hanson, Marisa Harris, Carol Henicle, Carol and Harold Herbert, Herman Agar Co. (Union City, NJ), Jean Marie Hufford, I & You Imports (Forest Hills, NY), Carole Ann Jacobs, Nilda Janacek, Elise Jimenez, Elizabeth Jimenez, Rei Jimenez, Courtney Johnson, Juanita Johnson, John and Barbara Jordan, Lesley R. Kanter, Roberta Klinger, Ken Koehn, Jane Kowal, Kim Krahulec, Kayla Kuzbel, La Vigna Restaurant, Iman Latif, Joan Lebowitz, Jennifer Lee, Lori Leone, Cathy Letso, Leon Levy & Assoc., Kimberly Lew, Brian Lim, Rosa M. Lopez, Salvatore and Loretta Loprinzi (AJ Pizzeria), Lorilil Jewelers Inc. (Forest Hills, NY), Michael Mann, Lee Martin Salon (Forest Hills, NY), Stephanie Martone, Maureen McCarry, John R. McCann, Janice McCollum, Patricia A. McLaren (in honor of Carmen Galorenzo), Maria Mele, Patty Mele, Denise Mendillo, Beverly Micciche, Bernard Miller-Hymowitz, Linda Motyka, Robert and Deborah Muma, Karen Murdock, Sandy Murphy, Marianne and Phil Napolitano, Nichole Nardizzi, Nati Ltd  (Forest Hills, NY), Patti Natoli, The Newell Foundation (Buz & Irene Eizen), Orsco Inc. Rouge Bistro (Forest Hills, NY), Rosemarie and Frank Peo, Leila and Jeffrey Peppers, Maria Perez, Gary A. Plummer, Brian G. Pope, Portofino Ristorante, Practical Clothing (Forest Hills, NY), Angela Pucci, RCM Corporation (Forest Hills, NY), Sharon Razor, Helen Ratcliffe, Grace Reilly, Rite-Way Auto School (Forest Hills, NY), Jennifer Eizen Roberts, Audrey and Spencer Rockman, Hugh Rodman, Andrew H. Roos, Elissa V. Rose, Dorothy Rosenblatt, Frank Rovello, S&B Leather Corp  (Forest Hills, NY), Rev. David Sambor, Cynthia Sarabia, Sarina & Son (Forest Hills, NY), Christina and Linda Sees, Holly Seiger, Joanne Shebes, Lynette Sheffield, Elisa Halpern Sheftic, Doreen Shulman, Jim & Julie Simmons, Gene and Pat Singer, Pamela Singer, Susie and Dale Skarl, Lucille Solod, Sergio Soto, Spectrym Hair Salon & Spa (Forest Hills, NY), Jeb S. Spencer, Elaine Spodick, Dominick and Irene Starace, Barbara Stein, Roslyn Stein, Lila Stillman, Todd D. Stracci, Paul D. Straton, Rosie and Chris Strawhun, Susan Termohlen, Steven & Claudia Thaler, Thank Heaven Inc. (Forest Hills, NY), Tony's DiNapoli Restaurant, Howard J. Tucker (in memory of Kathy Mignano), Antonia Valentine, Susan Valint, Stephanie Vecchio (in memory of Robert Lenz), www.tonylovers.com (Kelly Alexander, Nicola Jackson and Lisa Kover), UrbanBodyFix massage therapy (Larry Rogowsky, owner), JoAnn Vaughan, Jim Wagner and Prashant Shankar, Sandra Weissman, Gayle Kamen Weinstein, Sarah Wells, Deneen White, Robin Wilkinson, Melanie Wilson, Wine & Spirit Company of Forest Hills, Gillian Young

Thursday, December 7, 2006

Congratulations to Bob Gaudio (producer) and all involved in the JERSEY BOYS cast album on our Grammy nomination, today!  The Grammy Awards will be held February 11, 2007.

Tune into ABC TV New Year's Eve when JERSEY BOYS performs in Times Square on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2007."  Click here for an article from Playbill.com.

Thank you to Susan Termohlen for her visit, today, and for her very generous donation to BC/EFA.  The last of the promised Broadway Cares donations have been arriving in the mail at the theatre this week, and I expect to have surpassed my goal of $25,000 by the end of the week!  Thank you to all of you who contributed.

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Thank you to JERSEY BOYS fan, Brian Pope, for his letter and Broadway Cares donation, today.  Brian is taking a trip to Antarctica and bringing his JERSEY BOYS CD.  Brian writes, and is probably correct, that probably not many other cast albums have ever found their way down there.  So congratulations to the JERSEY BOYS CD for its trip to Antarctica!

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Please re-read the Broadway Cares fundraising message above for information on new Ebay auctions and a lower donation amounts during this last week of fundraising.

Very glad to see LES MISERABLES, today, and visit with friend and LES MIS cast member, Becca Ayers, afterward at Angus McIndoe Restaurant.  Congratulations to the entire cast who are all wonderful, and especially to Alex Gemignani who blew me away as "Jean Valjean."

Friday, November 24, 2006

A special thank you to Tony's DiNapoli Restaurant for their unflagging support of JERSEY BOYS and our fundraising for BC/EFA.  For more information about Tony's DiNapoli, visit their website.

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Happy Thanksgiving!  To watch our JERSEY BOYS appearance on CBS's coverage of the Thanksgiving Day Parade online, click here.  To view other past JERSEY BOYS television appearances, click here.

This morning, I helped prepare Thanksgiving dinner at Jersey City's St. Lucy's Shelter for homeless men and women.  St. Lucy's is one of many New Jersey shelters of Catholic Community Services, the multi-service agency of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, which serves Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties.  St. Lucy's is home to approximately 60 single men and 20 single women at any one time, and provides them emergency shelter in a clean, safe environment (the shelter used to be a school).  It also provides two meals daily, showers, clothing, case management services, referrals to appropriate treatment service providers and advocacy for other benefits.  Enjoyed a tour of the shelter from Supervisor, Joe Ulicki, before it was time to help Esmeralda, the shelter's cook, prepare the huge Thanksgiving feast.  I made the salad, opened cans and ran errands for Esmeralda, who's beloved at the shelter for her great care and dedication to the preparation of each evening meal.  She's worked there for about 15 years!

Broadway Cares (BC/EFA) supports many social services similar to the things the St. Lucy's Shelter does for its residents, so it was very important to me to take this time to get onto the front lines and meet people who benefit from the type of fundraising we've been doing so diligently on Broadway these past weeks. 

In addition to your already very generous donations to Broadway Cares, I'd like to tell you about an easy way you can help the St. Lucy's Shelter and other shelters in these towns in Jersey where Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons was born!  St. Lucy's provides a shower program for the homeless every Tuesday and Friday.  Homeless people who are not residents of St. Lucy's can use facilities to shower, change and find warm, clean clothes. 

To support this program, St. Lucy's has a constant need for donations of socks, soap and shampoo, shaving items, men's and women's underwear, towels, t-shirts, and, especially during these cold winter months, warm clothes and coats. 

To arrange to donate such items, you can contact Shelter Supervisor, Joe Ulicki, at 201-653-3366, ext. 202.  Or mail your items or a monetary donation to St. Lucy's Shelter, 619 Grove Street, Jersey City, NJ  07310.  St. Lucy's shares any surplus donations with all of the other shelters in the area, so your donations are always of use to many people in need.  As my relationship with St. Lucy's grows, I'll share any further ways you can help.

Enjoy the holiday, best wishes to all of you, and a very warm thank you to those of you who have opened your hearts and wallets and lent a helping hand.  To perform in JERSEY BOYS is certainly as great a joy for me as I'm sure it is for audiences to see it.  But I'm so touched to have come together as actor and audience to so enthusiastically join together and spread our good fortune to people who don't have the means to enjoy something like JERSEY BOYS themselves.

With appreciation,

JLY

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Monday, November 20, 2006

Best of luck to the JERSEY BOYS national tour, who left a few days ago to kick off the tour at San Francisco's Curran Theatre.  Saw a run-through in the rehearsal studio and the show is in great hands.  I believe the tour opens December 10th.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.  Be sure to catch the Broadway cast of JERSEY BOYS Thursday morning on CBS's coverage of the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Wednesday, November 8, 2006

Sunday, November 5, 2006

Hats off to model fundraiser and JERSEY BOYS fan, Lois Halpern, who collected more than 25 checks to Broadway Cares from friends, family and business acquaintances and delivered them to me, today.  Please also ask your local hairdresser, photo developer, bakery, etc. to donate to this very important cause, and I will list their names, too, along with all the other contributors.

Saturday, November 4, 2006

Thursday, November 2, 2006

Wednesday, November 1, 2006

Congratulations to some new JERSEY BOYS award winners!  Christian Hoff and I were presenters tonight at the Casting Society of America's Twenty-Second Annual Artios Awards at Caroline's on Broadway.  (Happy to meet Caroline, herself, tonight!)  Casting directors Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas and Tara Rubin won an Artios for their casting work on JERSEY BOYS.  (Special congrats and thanks to New York casting director Tara Rubin who gave ME my shot at JERSEY BOYS.)

Saturday, October 29, 2006

Tomorrow the other JERSEY BOYS and I and members of the JERSEY BOYS orchestra fly out on a private jet to L.A., immediately following our matinee performance.  We will be the special guests at a benefit for the Museum of Television and Radio honoring Jerry Bruckheimer and Head of CBS, Les Moonves, at L.A.'s Beverly Wilshire Hotel.  (Yes, and then we'll fly back in time for the Tuesday night show).

Monday, October 23, 2006

Very honored to appear as the special guest for the New Jersey Theatre Alliance's 25th Anniversary Gala last week at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange.  Enjoyed visiting with friends Paper Mill Playhouse's Patrick Parker, Mark S. Hoebee, Susan Speidel, Diane Claussen, Angelo Del Rossi (and family), and Paper Mill President, Michael Gennaro; George Street Playhouse's Artistic Director, David Saint; Chair of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Carol Herbert and husband, Harold; NJ Assemblyman, Patrick Diegnan and wife, Anita; McCarter Theatre Center's Artistic Director, Emily Mann and others.  One of my first professional auditions, ever, was for the NJ Theatre Alliance out of which I booked my first professional job at the McCarter Theatre.  I returned to work as an actor in Jersey twice more, both times for the Paper Mill Playhouse.  It was quite the homecoming to return a Tony-winner and to headline the entertainment for the New Jersey Theatre Alliance who gave me my first start.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Great to be back.  Thank you to fans for the stack of letters that were waiting.  As always, I plan to reply to each of you.  And thanks, too, to the JERSEY BOYS fans who braved the rain to say hello at the stage door.  I always enjoy visiting with you.

While I was away, JERSEY BOYS co-star, Christian Hoff and wife, Melissa, welcomed their baby girl, Elizabeth Christine.  Congratulations!

Sunday, October 1, 2006

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Monday, September 25, 2006

Had a fun time yesterday morning at the annual Broadway Flea Market.  Signed autographs and posed for photos at the celebrity table near fellow JERSEY BOY, Daniel Reichard, WICKED's Eden Espinosa and THE SOPRANOS' Edie Falco.  Afterward, onstage at the Booth Theatre, met some of the guys from Broadway's upcoming SPRING AWAKENING.  Very excited to see this new musical version, having done this classic play years ago.  Here are photos from Broadwayworld.com.

Tonight I'll be attending a gala to benefit Connecticut's Westport Country Playhouse.  Under the artistic direction of Joanne Woodward, this historical playhouse was thoroughly revitalized.  Click here for some Playhouse history.  Celebrating Stephen Sondheim, the benefit will feature performances of his songs by Laura Benanti, Kristin Chenoweth, Barbara Cook and Patti LuPone.  Thank you to Darlene Krenz for the invitation.  And I look forward to visiting again with Verdura's Jim Haag.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Photos from Kevin Costner's recent visit to JERSEY BOYS: click here.

JERSEY BOYS' Matthew Scott has a new website.  Click here.

Monday, September 18, 2006

A sad message, today.  Just received news that my friend, actor Edwin C. Owens, passed away last night.  Edwin and I were understudies together for THE DRAWER BOY at Paper Mill Playhouse in early 2005, just a few short months before I embarked on JERSEY BOYS.  He and I spent lots of time backstage talking literature and theatre, and Edwin regaled me with stories from his decades-long career on Broadway.  Edwin was a sensitive and talented man with a breathtaking command of and love for language and, to me, he was a cherished friend, resource and mentor.  My condolences to his girlfriend, Julie, and to Edwin's family.  My success with JERSEY BOYS was a real source of pride for Edwin, and I was similarly proud to call him my friend.  I will miss him.

Edwin told me a fascinating story from his childhood.  He loved to swim in the ocean.  Once, he was swimming out pretty far with a friend -- too far.  Suddenly they noticed everyone on the beach screaming and waving toward them.  They couldn't tell what was happening, but the spectators on the beach were panicked.  The people on the beach saw dorsal fins approaching the boys and feared they were being approached by sharks.  Edwin and his friend found themselves surrounded by dolphins who helped swim them back to safety.  His entire adult life, Edwin wore a ring in the form of two swimming dolphins.

I think Edwin would be pleased for me to ask that you consider making a donation in his memory to one of these several "Save the Dolphin" charities.

EDWIN C. OWENS Broadway: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Doctor Baugh, u/s Big Daddy), Fortune's Fool (Trembinsky, u/s for Alan Bates and Frank Langella), Death of a Salesman (with Brian Dennehy), Caesar and Cleopatra, The Changing Room, That Championship Season, Conduct Unbecoming, and the national company of An Inspector Calls.  Regional credits include performances at the Guthrie Theatre, the Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Hartford Stage, McCarter Theatre, and Pittsburgh Public Theatre.  Film: Regarding Henry, Blood Brothers.

Saturday, September 9, 2006

Thank you to fan, Carole Ann, for her hilarious rendering of "John Lloyd Young as a SOUTH PARK character!"

And thanks, too, to fan, Aggie, and friends for saying hello at the stage door and for the new iPod accessory.  Aggie has turned me into an iPod fanatic, so much so that I've even bought some stock in Apple.

Friday, September 8, 2006

Happy Birthday wishes to friend Kate Wetherhead, whose birthday is a few days away.  Kate and I had dinner at Babbo the other day to celebrate early.  Kate's currently in the company of ...SPELLING BEE on Broadway and will soon begin rehearsals for the upcoming Broadway production of Larry O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin's LEGALLY BLONDE.

Thank you to voice doctor, Jeffrey Libin, for getting to the bottom of a real mystery for me over the past few months.  Acid reflux is a problem for many singers and can cause sinus infections and a variety of other problems that can get in the way of a clear voice.  It's not always obvious you have it, but it's very treatable.  (This is what happens when an actor accidentally finds himself having to be a singer: you learn as you go!)  I'm very relieved and very happy to send him something to grace his walls with all the other signed memorabilia from the celebrated singers he's treated.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Monday, August 21, 2006

Check out my new myspace page.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Lots of visitors at the stage door last night.  Thanks to Aggie and friends for saying hello, thanks to college friend, Stephen and his family.  And thanks to all the home-towners from Plattsburgh who came to the show last night, including the McGills!  Dr. McGill was my orthodontist.  Spent an extra half hour last night at the stage door visiting with everybody, and it's always a lot of fun.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

I think JERSEY BOYS found their next "Frankie."  Check out those high notes!  Click here.

Monday, August 14, 2006

The JERSEY BOYS, Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard, J. Robert Spencer and I are singing the National Anthem tonight at Yankee Stadium, 7 p.m. EST.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Thursday, August 3, 2006

It was a nice surprise to see THE VIEW's Joy Behar out in the audience of JERSEY BOYS last night.  Though she was certainly enjoying the show, I noticed she really seemed surprised and amused to watch the audience enjoy JERSEY BOYS so much.  Wonder if she'll be talking about it on her show...

Tuesday, August 1, 2006

I'm glad to be back at JERSEY BOYS tonight, after a week away.  I had struggled for a few weeks trying to sing through a lingering sinus infection; my doctor said I'd better take some rest before I hurt myself.  So I had to do something that's difficult for ANY actor: spend a week on vocal rest and miss a full 8 performances.  Luckily, home-bound, I was able to answer some of the e-mails that had been accumulating for months, and I'm so thankful to all of you who showed your support.  Thanks, too, to the fans who heard I was sick this week and sent notes and e-mails.  I'm constantly astounded at the affection and warmth lavished upon us by all the fans of JERSEY BOYS.  And regrets to the fans who went to the show this week wanting to see my performance.  The catch of live theatre is that it's live, and unfortunately (for both of us, in this case), I'm human, too...  Very glad to be back tonight. 

It made me think about something I read in a recent film review.  It discussed a young film director who had a huge success with his first film.  The industry branded him an expert, an auteur.  But the reviewer contends that so early in one's career, a breakout hit can only truly demonstrate promise.  The Tony in the Leading Actor category has historically gone to someone at the height or even end of an illustrious theatre career.  The fact that I got mine in my first Broadway show, ever, doesn't mean I know anything; only that I knew enough to get it right this time.  So now I understand my own nervousness a little better.  Pete Gurney and Sheldon Harnick have a career's worth of work behind them, and I've got my career's worth of work ahead of me.  For me, this Tony isn't a crown on a long, illustrious career; it just sets the bar for what lies ahead.

(You'd be nervous, too.)

Saturday, July 29, 2006

I took another stab at e-mail.  I'm sorry -- I don't think I can keep up!  I have 42 pages of unanswered e-mail from friends and fans, and I intended to answer it, but I have to stop promising.  So I appreciate all the warmth and support, but I can only answer if you send me a letter.  Look for my mailing address on my contact page, and I look forward to being in touch: the old fashioned way.

I also uncovered some e-mails from my former New York acting teacher, Eric Loeb.  I have to add Eric to my list of thanks.  Eric has achieved something that few teachers can attest to: two Tony-winning actors in so many years.  2005 Tony-winner Dan Fogler was also an Eric Loeb student.  So is friend, Eric Millegan, who can now be seen on TV's BONES.  The mark of a great teacher is breakout students, and I am very proud to be one of Eric's.

Friday, July 28, 2006

From today's VARIETY: John Lloyd Young signs deal with ABC Television.  Click for article.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

JERSEY BOYS fan, Cathy Beckmann, sent me this picture from outside the stage door after a performance.  Cathy is a survivor of Hurricane Katrina.  Her home was more than 50% destroyed, and her trip to New York City and JERSEY BOYS helped to raise her spirits.  Best wishes, to you, Cathy, and thanks for the photo.

Monday, July 24, 2006

"She says to me, 'Francine needs a father.' I answer, 'How about a mother? Whyn’t you pull yourself together?!' 
It’s my favorite line because the writers Marshall and Rick invented a word: 'whyn’t.'"
John Lloyd Young talks to Jersey Boys Blog.  Click for link.

Friday, July 21, 2006

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Looking over the blog this morning, I'm reminded of some of the highlights over this past year of JERSEY BOYS.  I thought it might be fun to bring some of those back to the top of the blog for revisiting!  Here are some of those highlights:

...and so much more to come.  Thanks, as always, for all the e-mails and letters.  I am still behind, but catching up a little every day, and I plan to answer all of them.

Monday, July 10, 2006

Had a wonderful vacation the weekend before last in upstate New York, where I was able to have a great visit with my immediate and extended family.  It had been almost a year that I had been able to spend any time at home, so it was a rare opportunity to reconnect and reflect after the Tony Awards and this incredible year. I returned to JERSEY BOYS on my birthday, July 4th, and was surprised after the performance at the stage door by a whole chorus of audience members singing "Happy Birthday."  Thank you to you all for the great surprise.  After the Thursday evening performance, friends joined me after my performance at nearby Zanzibar for a birthday celebration.  It was a great chance to catch up with some friends I haven't really been able to see during this yearlong journey with JERSEY BOYS.  Thanks to friend, Ellen Capon, for giving me a copy of the riveting Sundance Channel documentary THE STAIRCASE.  (Thanks to JERSEY BOYS' Erica Piccininni, Richard Hester, Deborah Hurwitz, Michael Clarkston, Joe Payne, Michael Clark and Michelle Bosch for also attending).  Linda Lenzi was there and posted photos on Broadwayworld.com.

I am overwhelmed at the sheer quantity of e-mail I've received from friends, family and fans before, during and after the Tonys.  I made a little bit of a dent replying to things, today, but I have a lot of e-mail left to go through (about 60 pages' worth).  A heartfelt thanks to all of you, especially friends, old and new, to whom I haven't replied just yet.  I know your messages are there, and I'm looking forward to getting back to all of you.

As always, whenever I venture into my inbox, there are some real treasures awaiting.  Thanks to JERSEY BOYS fans for sharing the following messages: 

"I am 60 years old and have never written a fan letter before. When I returned to Cincinnati from New York, I visited your website.  I am awaiting kidney dialysis and transplant, and occasionally that can become a bit depressing.  When I read about your regimen to stay in shape for the role you play so beautifully, it inspired me to work harder to stay in as good health as possible to be ready for the days ahead.  I'm watching my diet, starting to exercise more, and generally working on keeping a healthy attitude.  YOU helped me see that I need to do that and to see what determination can accomplish."  -- Sharon

"I am sixteen years old.  I am writing to you because of your Tony Awards acceptance speech.  Something happened to me when you got up on that stage and began talking to your father.  I felt a crush of emotions and began to cry.  My father and I have a similar relationship to what you mentioned yours to be.  We are "at odds" more often than not.  But despite all that, I love him so much, and he means everything to me.  I am what I am because of him.  You put into words what I have been feeling my whole life, but could never express.  That night, you weren't the only person thinking of your father."  -- Jamie

"Your speech at the Tony Awards touched me.  I am a mother with cystic fibrosis.  Your speech was a beautiful reminder to me that life can and does go on in spite of tragedy, and even if I'm not here for all of it, my kids can still grow up to be healthy, happy, successful adults.  Your speech was a wonderful tribute to your father, and to the power of the human spirit."  -- Martha

Yesterday JERSEY BOYS and THE HISTORY BOYS were able to see each other's shows.  THE HISTORY BOYS had a special Sunday evening performance, so I was finally able to see it.  Earlier in the day THE HISTORY BOYS' Russell Tovey, Samuel Barnett, and Tony-winner Richard Griffiths all saw our JERSEY BOYS matinee.  Had fun chatting with Griffiths backstage afterward (neither of us have our Tony Awards back from the engraver, yet!).  Congrats to everyone of THE HISTORY BOYS on an exemplary performance.  Now I understand what all the fuss is about!

Thank you to New Jersey Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan, wife Anita and friends for waiting to say hello after seeing yesterday's matinee of JERSEY BOYS. 

Monday, June 26, 2006

Yesterday morning, before our matinee, I performed at Hofstra University for WOR Radio's Celebrate America Benefit.  Thank you to WOR's Joan Hamburg for inviting me to perform.  In the green room, I ran into some other Broadway people performing in the benefit, including, Brandon Victor Dixon and Felicia P. Fields of THE COLOR PURPLE, John Tracy Egan (THE PRODUCERS), James Sampliner (THE WEDDING SINGER), Mary-Mitchell Campbell (John Doyle's upcoming COMPANY) and Katie Clarke (A LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA).  I also met the cast of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, who, told me they mercilessly parody me in JERSEY BOYS.

And last night after the JERSEY BOYS matinee, Alison and I attended Sarah Jones' Tony-winning turn in BRIDGE AND TUNNEL.  JERSEY BOYS' J. Robert Spencer was also there, along with a slew of THE HISTORY BOYS.  Afterward, we JERSEY BOYS accompanied the HISTORY BOYS backstage to meet and take pictures with Jones, who is in a word, incredible.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Thank you to the people who have written to me in the wake of our incredible night at the 2006 Tony Awards.  After my acceptance speech where I mentioned the loss of my birthmother to cystic fibrosis, I have received letters and e-mails from people who have cystic fibrosis or who love someone with the disease.  Emily Schaller has cystic fibrosis, and she approached me to talk at the stage door.  Emily has started the Rock CF Foundation in Detroit to raise money and awareness about CF.  Please visit the Rock CF website at www.letsrockcf.org.  And thank you, Emily, for sharing this with me.  To learn more about cystic fibrosis and to donate to help find a cure, please visit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation website.

I will be appearing tonight at 1 a.m. on the Joey Reynolds show on WOR Radio, 710 AM.  Click here to find a link where you can listen live, online.

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Friday, June 16, 2006

ABC World News Tonight named me "Person of the Week" tonight.  Click here for a link to video.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Broadwayworld.com followed me around the day of the Tonys, before, during and afterward.  Here's a video documentary of that day.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Thank you to all the JERSEY BOYS musicians, Ken Dow, Ben Kono, Joe Payne, Deborah Hurwitz, Matt Hong, Dave Spier, Steve Gibb, Steve "Hoops" Snyder and especially drummer, Kevin Dow, who is onstage almost as much as I am!  Thank you to former agent, now manager, Nina Shreiber, for paying for those lessons with Katie when I couldn't afford them, and for her tireless support and unparalleled work ethic.  Thank you to lawyer, Ben Feldman, and to new agents Adam Schweitzer, Iris Grossman, Paul Martino and the rest of the ICM team, and to publicist, Charlie Siedenburg, and the JERSEY BOYS press reps at Boneau Bryan-Brown: Susanne Tighe, Heath Schwartz, and Adrian Bryan-Brown.  Thank you to JERSEY BOYS co-stars, Christian Hoff, J. Robert Spencer and Daniel Reichard who make it easy to be a good actor opposite them.  (Thank you to Ted Baker, for dressing the four of us for the Tonys and to Jim Haag and Jacob & Co. for the diamond accessories!)

Thank you to director, Des McAnuff, and producers, the Dodgers, for taking a big risk on an unknown actor, and to casting directors Tara Rubin and Eric Woodall for finding me and introducing me to them.  Further thanks to Des McAnuff for his expertise at the helm of one of the biggest hit shows of the decade.  Your achievement is staggering.  And thank you to Assistant Director, Holly Anne Ruggiero for imparting all the reams of notes!  Thank you to orchestrator, Steve Orich; lighting designer, Howell Binkley; sound designer, Steve Canyon Kennedy (and his home team, Julie, Mike and Dave); costume designer, Jess Goldstein; projection designer, Michael Clark; and hair designer Chuck LaPointe; along with each of their individual teams, for their enthusiasm and kindness and craft. 

I have so many e-mails and voicemail messages from so many of you: thank you.  I'll be answering them for weeks!

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June 13, 2006 - July 7, 2008
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