Why Jersey Boys may be the gayest musical you will ever see

The Cast of Jersey Boys featured at TPAC through April 5

In the early 1960s, wunderkind lyricist and producer Bob Crewe began writing with Bob Gaudio, who had risen to fame at age 15 when, as a member of the Royal Teens, he co-wrote the hit “Short Shorts.” The first Crewe-Gaudio collaboration, “Sherry,” was written by Gaudio and produced by Crewe. It became a #1 single in 1962 for The Four Seasons (fronted by Frankie Valli). The pair wrote many other songs for the group, including “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” another #1 hit single, “Rag Doll,” also a #1 hit, “Ronnie,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby, Goodbye)” and “Connie O.”

Crewe, who many today are unaware was very flamboyant and well known as a gay man, collaborated with Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell on The Four Seasons hit “Let’s Hang On!.” Valli was also the first to record the enduring Crewe-Gaudio composition “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore)“. In addition to his work with The Four Seasons, “The Boy Genius” Crewe also oversaw recording sessions by such artists as Dee Dee Sharp, the Orlons, and Ben E. King. He also cowrote “Navy Blue” (with Bud Rehak and Eddie Rambeau) and produced the record for singer Diane Renay; Renay’s recording made the Top Ten in early 1964, and #1 on the Adult Contemporary charts.

Jersey Boys—largely written by Crewe—is the winner of the 2006 Best Musical Tony Award and the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album and is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide - all before they were thirty.

Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, will premiere in Nashville March 18 – April 5. Directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Des McAnuff, JERSEY BOYS is written by Academy Award winner Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and choreography by Sergio Trujillo.

Tickets for JERSEY BOYS start at $22 and are available at the TPAC Box Office (Downtown or at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in The Mall at Green Hills), online at www.tpac.org/jerseyboys, or any Ticketmaster outlet, including area Kroger stores and Macy’s. Tickets may also be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 615/255-ARTS (2787). Tickets for groups of 20 or more are available by calling 615/782-4060 or contacting groups@tpac.org. For more information, please visit www.tpac.org/jerseyboys or www.jerseyboysinfo.com. VIP tickets are also available for most performances.

Recently, NHT spoke with openly gay Jersey Boys touring cast member Jonathan Hadley who portrays Crewe in the show.

NHT: You have been playing Bob Crewe in Jersey Boys for a year and a half now. What is it about the character that you love most?

Hadley: What I love about him is just who he was. The script describes him as “a very flamboyant character” but today if you came face to face with Bob Crewe you would immediately know he was a gay man even though I’m pretty sure he identifies himself as bisexual. But at the time there were no people who were out and a lot of people weren’t even sure what gay was. Back then we even thought Liberace was just “theatrical”. But Bob Crewe was the closest thing there was to being an out gay man in this time period and he was accepted into this rough and tumble rock and roll world. Most people were kind of in awe of him. He was extraordinary.

NHT: Were you aware of his history when you first auditioned for the role?

JH: The only thing associated with Bob Crewe that I knew before I took this role was Frankie Valli. It was like a light went off in my head when I read the material. They really didn’t even have to tell me. The show is so well written that one of the first things Bob says is a reference to The Wizard of Oz.

NHT: As a gay man what is it like being able to portray a well known, out gay man who really existed and was successful?

JH: It is an amazing experience for me to be able to play an out gay man who is not a stereotype. He is not just a gay man, but he is a gay man who is very important, powerful and talented. This man had a tiny empire that he built out of a stable of artists that he managed and produced. He was totally accepted by everyone because of the amazing work that he did and not just who he was. The real challenge was getting a feel not for who Bob Crewe is but who he was in 1963-1970. Luckilly there is so much information out there that I am able to remain grounded so that I don’t turn the character into a big gay cartoon.

NHT: What is the most interesting thing you learned about the character while doing research to inform your performance?

JH: My favorite story about him is the famous song “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” was written when Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio were struggling to come up with a lyric and Bob Crewe was having trouble sleeping and was pacing the apartment. Suddenly he looked back at the bed with his young male lover lying there asleep and he immediately thought of the words “You’re just too good to be true. I can’t take my eyes off you.” It’s a gay love song and no one even knows it!