JERSEY BOYS Bids Farewell to Toronto Aug. 22 in Their Own Words

Celebrating two years on stage, more than one million customers, and three Dora Mavor Moore Awards, the Toronto production of JERSEY BOYS will say "Bye, Bye Baby, Baby Goodbye" to the city they have called home, on Sunday, August 22, 2010, their second anniversary.

JERSEY BOYS stars Michael Lomenda as Nick Massi, Jeff Madden as Frankie Valli, Daniel Robert Sullivan as Tommy DeVito and Quinn VanAntwerp as Bob Gaudio. The company also comprises: Gabriel Antonacci, Matthew G. Brown, Matt Cassidy, Jade Elliott, Élodie Gillett, Steven M. Goldsmith, Bryan Hindle, Victoria Lamond, Aaron MacKenzie, Adrian Marchuk, W. Joseph Matheson, Timothy Sell, Alison Smyth, Grant Tilly, Cleopatra Williams and Shawn Wright.

To catch the 'BOYS' before they go, visit www.jerseyboystoronto.com. Below, the JERSEY BOYS Toronto company bids farewell in their own words:

"Extra special is defined as having JERSEY BOYS run for two years in one of my favorite cities. Thanks to Aubrey Dan and a spectacular Canadian cast. To Canada with love."

Bob Gaudio, Composer

"I am thrilled with the Toronto response to JERSEY BOYS. When I was a young theatre artist, this kind of response to a show was virtually unimaginable and it gives me great pride to participate in such an enormous hit. JERSEY BOYS has definitely written a chapter in the history of Toronto theatre and I'm very proud as a native Torontonian to have been a part of that."

Des McAnuff, Director

"Playing Frankie Valli in JERSEY BOYS six days a week was certainly the most technically challenging and physically demanding work in my career to date, but this show was unquestionably the most rewarding work of my life. Seeing the audience leap up to give us a standing ovation every single show, hearing their stories at the stage door, and seeing so many return to watch our show again and again filled me with joy and a strong sense of purpose. We made a real difference. There may never be another show like it in Toronto, and I count myself lucky to have been a part of its magic."

Jeff Madden, "Frankie Valli"

"Two years ago, when we came to North York, I thought about how great the Toronto Centre was, how beautifully JERSEY BOYS played in it, and how proud I was for Des and Sergio to bring their hit show home. Two years, and a million customers later, I think about the people of Toronto, the fans who made the run historic, and the amazing actors and musicians and crew - some who've been with us from day one, some who've found love during the run, one who passed away after the fight of her life - who thrilled those fans, twice through each of the four seasons, night after night, week after week, during this record-breaking run. As Frankie says in the show, 'family is everything.' And our Toronto family is everything to me. I'm so grateful and proud to honor them."

Rick Elice, Co-author

"As live theatre actors, our life's work can feel, at times, intangible and unquantifiable, but, I've found, certain shows have the unmistakable ability to 'change' you and continue to affect you long after they close; the overwhelming sense of family and loyalty that resonates so vibrantly in the music and words of this show is something I'll gladly take with me. I've felt so lucky to share the stage, both on and off, every night with this family; to jump on this electrifying JERSEY BOYS train and share the experience of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons with Toronto's receptive audiences has been such an incredible gift for which I'm so grateful."

Michael Lomenda, "Nick Massi"

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