Florida Studio Theatre (FST) presents Who Loves You: Musical Tribute to Frankie Valli and Beyond, an energetic, heartfelt music revue that pays homage to one of the most successful acts in music history. Featuring "Sherry," "December, 1963 (Oh What a Night)," and "Walk Like a Man," Who Loves You will have audiences clapping and singing along to some of The Four Seasons' most beloved hits. Created by Sharon Klein, Who Loves You begins September 3 in FST's Goldstein Cabaret. Tickets can be purchased at floridastudiotheatre.org or at (941) 366-9000.
Over the course of their nearly 40-year music career, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons sold more than 100 million records. The longest standing white doo-wop group, The Four Seasons were the only American band-besides The Beach Boys-that maintained major music chart success before, during, and after the British Invasion. In 1964 alone, the group released six songs that made the Top 20 on the charts. When the Tony Award-winning musical Jersey Boys came to Broadway in 2005, an entirely new generation fell in love with their music.
Inspired by The Four Seasons' distinctive sound, show creator Sharon Klein wanted to put together a show that really focused on the group's music and how they impacted other musicians. "You're able to hear how all these different musicians influenced each other," shared Catherine Randazzo, an Associate Artist at FST. "When you hear the tight harmonies in songs like The Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations,' you can't help but be reminded of the style of The Four Seasons."
Since its creation in 2009, Who Loves You has toured along the East Coast, and in states like Iowa, Kentucky, and Tennessee. No matter where the show has been performed, audiences have praised the show's high energy, tight harmonies, and smooth choreography. "I am so excited to perform in FST's Cabaret because we'll have a direct line to the audience. There's no 'fourth wall,'" said Charlie Levy, who sings first tenor in Who Loves You. "We [the performers and the audience] exist in the same space, and I get to sing right to the audience. In many ways, it's an opportunity for us, the storytellers, to bring the most of ourselves to the stage."
Performing alongside Levy are four other FST newcomers-Mick Bleyer, Tom Costello, Michael Maricondi, and Peter Romagna. Bleyer has toured nationally and internationally, performing at venues like Goodspeed Opera House, North Shore Music Theatre, and Avery Fisher Hall. Tom Costello, the pianist and Music Director of Who Loves You, has toured with Woody Herman's Thundering Herd, and has recorded jingles and musical soundtracks. Maricondi lived and worked in France for seven years, creating and directing several theatrical projects. Romagna has starred in productions at regional theatres across the country as well as at some of New York City's top cabaret venues, including Feinstein's/54Below and Birdland.
Beginning September 3 in FST's Goldstein Cabaret, Who Loves You: Musical Tribute to Frankie Valli and Beyond brings FST's 6th Summer Cabaret Series to a close. Tickets can be purchased at floridastudiotheatre.org or at (941) 366-9000
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