This past weekend, my wife and I took a trip downtown to see the musical Jersey Boys. I had been hearing from a few people (and an assault of TV commercials) that the show was worth seeing - and I have to say that it lives up to the hype. In fact, I can't say that I've ever had as much fun at a musical as I did this show.

Jersey Boys Tickets - Chicago

Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons told from four points-of-view (each of the original Four Seasons members). I honestly knew very little about Frankie Valli or the Four Seasons prior to the show, but the writers did a fantastic job of explaining the history behind the group. The music is simply contagious, and I think just about anyone would enjoy this show.

Here are some of my thoughts on the performance:

First things first: if you have little kids, do not take them to this show. I counted a stretch during one scene where at least 20 swear words were shouted in succession. Had I known anything about Frankie Valli's past, I suppose this would not have surprised me... just be aware that young children might not need to hear that.

Second: the songs are great! The singing is, eh, alright. Like I said before, I've never had so much fun at the theatre. The actors did a phenomenal job of getting the audience involved (we were clapping and dancing at points), and the choreography looked spot-on. That being said, the actors didn't sing nearly as well as I thought professionals at this level should have.

Third: the acting was really good! Ironically, my favorite scene in the whole show (a show centered around music) was a moment in which the theatre was completely silent. There is about a 10 second pause immediately after Frankie learns his daughter has died, and the lead actor somehow captivated an entire auditorium without saying a word. Simply fantastic.

If you're looking for a fun date in downtown Chicago, I highly recommend seeing Jersey Boys.