OH WHAT A NIGHT: A Musical Tribute To Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons does what Jersey Boys doesn’t — delivers a comprehensive catalogue of the group’s hits.
But producer George Solomon encourages everyone to go to see his musical revue — which runs Sunday, Oct. 27, at Red Deer’s Memorial Centre — as well as the biographical award-winning Jersey Boys, to get a fuller picture of the seminal singing group from the 1960s.
“I’m big a fan” of all things Four Seasons-related, admitted Solomon, whose oldest sister was over the moon about the group’s lead singer.
“My sister Cynthia was a Frankie Valli fanatic!”
Solomon recalled he didn’t have a choice about hearing The Four Seasons music played around the house while he was growing up, but “fortunately, I liked it.”
After becoming a solo singer in Las Vegas, Solomon enjoyed the “timeless” tunes with catchy melodies enough to put some of them into his own show — and then to take up a suggestion five years ago to create a whole new show around the quartet’s music.
The musical revue that’s coming to Red Deer features performances of all the big hits — Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Can’t Take My Eyes off You, My Eyes Adored You, Let’s Hang On and Who Loves You — as well as more than half a dozen Top 10 tunes that are not in Jersey Boys, including Grease!
Since Solomon’s revue is not a scripted biography, he said there’s more space for the music.
OH WHAT A NIGHT!, which tours with different casts around the world, is described as a loving tribute concert. The four singers in the revue do not play characters — they actually take turns singing the lead part in various songs, said Las Vegas-based Solomon.
He noted cast members try to stay true to the original recordings without mimicking or impersonating the group.
But there’s still a lot of comedic banter between songs that paints a picture of what Valli and The Four Seasons were up to when each song was recorded, said Solomon, who wrote the show that’s directed by award-winning producer/director Michael Chapman.
“The music is great, it’s funny and full of non-stop dancing. It’s a feel-good family show.”
The Four Seasons is described in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as being the most popular rock band before the Beatles. Group members from 1960 to 1966 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. They are also one of the best-selling musical groups of all time, having sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide.
Tickets to the 7 p.m. show are $60 from the Black Knight Ticket Centre.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com