How four Jersey boys changed the sound of music, then did it again
A history of how Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons took the country by storm, “Life of Pi” is floating into Seattle, and Seattle Opera offers a deal on tickets for “Tosca.”
When Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons first hit the airwaves in 1962 with their hit single “Sherry,” they became key players in a radical, barrier-breaking pop music landscape. Nearly fifty years later, when the musical Jersey Boys premiered at La Jolla Playhouse in 2004, its fresh take on the jukebox musical genre ushered in a new era of musical theater.
The music of The Four Seasons is defined by Frankie Valli’s three-octave falsetto and the group’s intricate harmonies, but neither of these stylistic elements was new to the music scene of the 1960s. Both were hallmarks of doo-wop, a style of rhythm and blues pioneered by African American musicians such as the Ink Spots and the Mills Brothers in the 1930s and ’40s. When Italian American male vocal groups began imitating the style in the 1950s and early 1960s, doo-wop became a staple of mainstream rock ‘n’ roll.
See Parade for $35! Riveting and gloriously hopeful, Parade reminds us that to love, we must truly see one another. Use promo code ACCESSPARADE to see this sweeping musical April 16–20 at The 5th Avenue Theatre.
On the Stage
This week, a Tony Award-winning musical comes to town, young performers take on a twisted fairy tale, a Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist takes the stage at Meany, and more.
Life of Pi
Musical Theatre | Broadway at The Paramount
April 15–20 | Tickets
Based on Yann Martel’s best-selling novel that sold more than 15 million copies and became a worldwide phenomenon, Life of Pi is an epic story of perseverance and hope that speaks to every generation and “gives new life to Broadway” (The Today Show).
More Events
- Shrek the Musical | Village Theatre Kidstage | Now – April 20 | View the Program
- A Raisin in the Sun | Taproot Theatre Company | Now – April 19 | View the Program
- Dvořák New World Symphony | Seattle Symphony | Now – April 12
- Taj Mahal and Leyla McCalla | Meany Center for the Performing Arts | April 12
Next Line
This weekend get a deal on an upcoming performance of Tosca, check out a feature on Intiman Cabaret’s current production, and enter to win tickets to a Seattle Symphony performance.
- The final production of Seattle Opera’s 2024/25 season is almost here, and to celebrate, they are waiving single ticket order fees for Tosca—but only for a limited time. This weekend only, you can grab your tickets to the show The Seattle Times called “a definite touchdown” without paying any single ticket fees. Tosca runs May 3–17 at McCaw Hall, and this Fee Free Sale wraps up Sunday, April 13 at 11:59 PM—so don’t wait too long!
- The Stranger just dropped a feature on Scott Shoemaker’s :Probed!, the latest campy, paranormal cabaret from Seattle favorites Scott Shoemaker and Freddy Molitch. If you’ve loved their past shows like Ms. Pak-Man or War on Christmas, this one dives into ghost stories, gay Bigfoot, and other hilariously unexplained phenomena. Catch the full story for a peek behind the scenes—and don’t miss the show at Intiman Cabaret now through April 13.
- As a subscriber to Encore+, you are eligible to enter to win two tickets to an upcoming performance of 100 Years of Epic Film Scores at Seattle Symphony on May 31. Share this newsletter with your friends and family, ask them to subscribe, and they’ll be entered to win as well!
