Happy Birthday/Belated Birthday to John Hickman, Craig Laurie, John Michael Dias, and Steven M. Goldsmith.

Cast Changes: Jenny Lee Stern left the show in April and Lauren Marshall left in June. The new ladies to the show are:
Mary- Michelle Knight
Lorraine- Alayna Gallo
Swing- Michelle Aravena
Universal Swing- Renee Marino

The Jersey Boys made two appearances at the Taste of Chicago in June. The first was at Eli's Cheesecake, "The World's Biggest Cheesecake." Then, at the anticipated Broadway In Chicago concert along with Wicked, Dirty Dancing, Grease, Spring Awakening, A Chorus Line,  and Legally Blonde the musical. You can read more about it here: http://jerseyboysblog.com/chicago%e2%80%99s-jersey-boys-are-big-men-in-town/2830

Chicago's Nick Massi, Michael Ingersoll has gone solo! Well no not really. He's been performing in his own cabaret called The Long Road Home. In his shows, Michael has become reputable for including a few of his fellow seasons. He's been recieving wonderful reviews too! To see pictures from this concert, read about it, and/or buy tickets to his upcoming shows, visit the Metropolis Performing Arts Center's website: http://www.metropolisarts.com/index.php/fuseaction/show.details/showid/83/michael-ingersoll-the-long-road-home

Need a good laugh? You're in luck. Turns out that Jersey Boys' Four Seasons aren't just actors/singers, they're comedians too! Watch these videos as Jarrod Spector, Drew Gehling, Michael Ingersoll, and Bryan McElroy entertain you with their favorite jokes.
Jarrod Spector: This One's For The Kids.
Drew Gehling: Nice Tie, Nice Shirt, Nice Joke.
Michael Ingersoll: A Bear Walks Into A Bar.
Bryan McElroy: What do ya get when you cross elephant with a rhino?
Jarrod Spector: Part 2

Newsflash! Onstage smoking is no longer allowed in Chicago. So if you find yourself at the Bank of America Theatre don't be surprised that Nick, Tommy, Bob, or Mary have suddenly quit. Or you might not miss the cigarettes at all.

Congratulations to Jarrod Spector!! After playing alternate Frankie in the Sherry cast and principal Frankie in the Chicago cast, Jarrod is going to Broadway. His last day in Chicago is this week and he'll be starting at the end of the month. Notoriously talented swing, Jake Speck, will also be assuming a place in the Broadway cast. Break a leg boys!!! We're so proud of you!
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/121346.html

With Jarrod going to the Great White Way, Cory Grant will be going to the Chicago cast to play prinicipal Frankie in his hometown. http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=32123

Finally, this weekend is the Chicago AIDS Walk/Run. Please contribute what you can to this important cause. Refer to the Jersey Boys/Wicked AIDS page to make a donation. https://afc.aidschicago.org/NETCOMMUNITY/SSLPage.aspx?pid=588&srcid=584&frtid=531

Happy Belated Birthday to Chicago cast members Mike Erickson, Ryan Quinn West, Jarrod Spector, and Lauren Marshall.

First, a big congrats to the SF/Chicago cast for winning the 2007 Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for Best Touring Production! http://talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat/d.php?id=1539585 
"Touring Productions -- Jersey Boys (second cast) produced by Dodgers Theatricals won the critics' nod among 6 nominations."

This cast has welcomed a new member, Bryan McElroy, who is stepping into the part of Tommy. Chicago's former Tommy Devito, Jeremy Kushnier, has now officially joined the Las Vegas cast of Jersey Boys. Here's an article upon his arrival: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/apr/02/now-hometown-character-he-plays-actor-ready-meet-h/

Speaking of coming's and going's- According to some sources, Chicago's current Mary Delgado, Jenny Lee Stern, will be leaving the show this month. In her place will be the 1st National Tour's current swing, Michelle Knight. Break a leg to Michelle and best of luck to Jenny Lee!

Our Frankie Valli alternate, John Michael Dias, and this company's new female swing, Tonya Wathen, made an appearance on Cleveland's Fox News! Check it out here! Also take a look at this article which also includes Chicago company's production stage manager, Larry Baker: http://www.clevelandwomen.com/arts/jerseyboys.htm

Please support Jersey Boys Chicago during their Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS efforts! Last year this company was one of the top fundraisers bringing in $293, 673! Hopefully they can break their own record this year. http://support.broadwaycares.org/site/TR/EasterBonnetCompetition/GeneralDonation/303856867?pg=team&fr_id=1100&team_id=2423

Broadway in Chicago's casts of Jersey Boys, Wicked, and Shout !will be performing a cabaret early next month at the Palmer House Hilton. http://www.looptopia.com/artists.php?id=377

This summer the casts of Jersey Boys, Wicked, and Broadway's Legally Blonde and A Chorus Line will be participating in an outdoor concert together! It will be for the entertainment portion of "Taste of Chicago." For more information, please view the City of Chicago's website here.

The good news is that the 2nd National Tour of Jersey Boys has been choosen as a finalists for the 2007 Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards! Congrats to the company.
http://www.theatrebayarea.org/programs/bacc2007.jsp;jsessi..5ABD6EC066539D68ADDADD2CC4A16310?hi=1

The great news is that Jersey Boys in Chicago is open-ended! It will play at the LaSalle Bank Theatre based on the public demand. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/115413.html

And now for the news... The Boys took ABC backstage at the LaSalle Bank Theatre and talked briefly about the show. Check out Drew Gehling, Michael Ingersoll, Jeremy Kushnier, and Jarrod Spector. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources/lifestyle_community/community&id=5968442

Happy Belated Birthday to Lyndsey Cole, who celebrated her birthday last week on January 29th! Lyndsey plays the "Francine" track in the Chicago cast.

Speaking of Jersey Girls- Kara Tremel, our female swing, is the newest addition to the 1st National Tour. Thank you to Kara for being our swing for eight months. Best of luck in the "Sherry" cast! No official word has been released as to who her replacement will be. More to come about that soon.

How's this for exciting news? Members of the Chicago cast will attend an ice-skating performance on February 16th at Millennium Park's McCormick Tribune Ice Rink. The Starlights, a synchronized ice-skating team, will perform a routine to a Jersey Boys medley! More info can be found here: http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=24913

Finally, a little fun for all Jersey Boys fans. A quiz! Check it out here: http://www.jerseyboysinfo.com/quiz/

First of all, congrats to Drew Gehling (Bob Gaudio) and some of our boys for performing in a BC/EFA charity show. Drew and actress, Sara Jean Ford (Christine Daae in Chicago's The Phantom of the Opera) put on a cabaret on January 2nd. The one-night-only show featured appearances from other Jersey Boys Chicago cast members: Jake Speck, Ryan Quinn West, Mike Erickson and Jarrod Spector. http://chicago.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=24080

It's official. Rumor has been buzzing for a long time of cast swapping in Jersey Boys companies. Now that news has been released, it is safe to announce the departure of our Tommy Devito, Jeremy Kushnier. He'll be leaving the 2nd National Tour to join the Vegas cast at the Palazzo. Along with Jeremy, the show will star Erich Bergen (Bob Gaudio)- coming to this cast from the "Sherry" company. Jeff Leibow (Nick Massi) and Rick Faugno (Frankie Valli) complete the quartet. Best of luck to Jeremy who will follow his character to Las Vegas starting March/April. http://www.jerseyboysinfo.com/vegas/

Happy Belated Birthday to our very own Mary Delgado, Jenny Lee Stern, who celebrated her birthday yesterday, January 2nd.

Many congrats are deserved to our phenomenal Chicago cast! As mentioned before, this group did a wonderful job raising money for BC/EFA.

"This year's top fundraisers included the national tour of Jersey Boys ($327,404), the Chicago company of Jersey Boys ($293, 673),...."
http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/12325

Plus...

Jersey Boys broke box office records all over the country last week, including Chicago at the LaSalle Bank Theatre! http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=23991

And...

A HUGE wave of congratulations to our Tommy Devito, Jeremy Kushnier, for being among the 10 Great Performances of 2007 in Chicago!

"Jeremy Kushnier in the Chicago production of "Jersey Boys" at the LaSalle Bank Theatre. In the role of Tommy DeVito—the Jersey boy with the darkest past—the deliciously wry Kushnier created a shrewd, savvy, lovably hopeless case. And he could sing a bit, too."

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2007/12/from-genius-ado.html

Finally, a treat for everyone. Four of our cast members appeared at the Chicago Blackhawks hockey game. Take a look at the link to view pictures of Steven M. Goldsmith, Drew Gehling, Ryan Quinn West, and John Hickman. http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=23690

Congrats to the Chicago cast on breaking box office records twice in the last month! Additional kudos to them for their BC/EFA fundraising during November!

Reviews are wonderful, tickets are selling out, and the cast is in good shape for the holiday season. Seasons Greetings to everyone!

Read more Chicago reviews about the 2nd National Tour...

Steadstyle Chicago

October 2007 Theatre Review By Richard Eisenhardt

Jersey Boys- **** out of ****

"The cast is exceptional and all are of a star caliber that includes Jarrod Spector as Frankie Valli, Drew Gehling as Bob Gaudio, Jeremy Kushnier as Tommy DeVito and Chicagoan Michael Ingersoll as Nick Massi.  Ingersoll is a strong actor and singer as the quiet guy in the group, and he explodes in the second act explaining his troubles as a touring musician who wants to relax to home life.

…In addition to the four leads, McAnuff has put together a strong cast of fifteen actors who play various roles and move the evening along."

http://www.steadstylechicago.com/jerseyboys.htm

Jersey Boys Review:

Time Out Chicago / Issue 138 : October 18, 2007 - October 24, 2007

By: Christopher Piatt

**** out of ******

"Spector's uncanny work as Valli somehow channels the iconic pipes without mimicking them. But just as Valli gave the group an attractive front and aural identity while humble Gaudio gave the band its foundation, rangy and affable Gehling's performance as Gaudio does the same. Gehling warms up the crowd and cools down his muscular, frenetic costars."

http://www.timeout.com/chicago/article/theater/23404/jersey-boys

Windy City Times

Theater Jersey Boys
by Scott C. Morgan
2007-10-31

"It also helps to have a tireless cast who perform marathon singing with strong acting chops showing the difficulties that come with massive fame, fortune and mob ties. Drew Gehling as songwriter Bob Gaudio, Michael Ingersoll as bass Nick Massi, Jeremy Kushnier as wiseguy Tommy DeVito and, especially, Jarrod Spector as Frankie Valli are all great performers, dispelling the slightest notion that you're watching what is essentially a super-talented tribute band.

Great character work also comes from Craig Laurie as effete record producer Bob Crewe, Rashad Naylor in a slew of characters alongside the trio of Jenny Lee Ramos, Lauren Marshall and Lyndsey Cole, who dizzyingly play all the women's roles."

http://windycitytimes.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=16478

Jersey Boys Review

Date Reviewed: October 14, 2007

Tom Williams

Recommended

"DeVito is a small-time Jersey hood and mafia want-to-be who narrates the early story of the rise of the pop foursome. Jeremy Kushnier plays DeVito with raging intensity. We see that Nick Massi (Michael Ingersoll) is the passive, go-with-program guy and friend to Tommy Devito.. DeVito's control over the group is challenged when songwriter/arranger Bob Guadio (Drew Gehling) arrives in the group."

http://www.chicagocritic.com/html/jersey_boys.html

'Jersey Boys' a fascinating show biz journey

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 12:47 AM CDT

BY PHILIP POTEMPA

"But the real stars in this production are the Chicago cast members: Drew Gehling as Gaudio, Chicagoan Michael Ingersoll as Massi, Jeremy Kushnier as DeVito and the unbelievably talented Jarrod Spector as Valli.

Spector, just 26, is a vocal powerhouse who "becomes" Valli, recreating the singer's famous falsetto pipes with precision.

Another standout is actor Craig Laurie, who plays legendary record producer Bob Crewe with style and flair."

http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2007/10/22/columnists/offbeat/doc6f9bdee3b5cf8d3d86257375006337e4.txt

Musical ups, downs

October 17, 2007

By BEVERLY FRIEND | Theater Critic

"Spector, Gehling, Michael Ingersoll (as Nick Massey) and Jeremy Kushnier (as Tommy De Vito) not only skillfully put across 33 songs, but also succeed in telling the story from their four unique points of view. Performances, staging and direction are terrific. Couldn't be better."

http://www.pioneerlocal.com/newsstar/entertainment/605733,dy-passion-101707-s1.article

The Centerstage Review, by Colin Douglas.
Sunday Oct 14, 2007< SPAN>

"The live musical accompaniment, often provided by the actors themselves, is arranged just the way you remember hearing it on your old 45 records. The brilliant close vocal blends provided by Michael Ingersoll, Drew Gehling, Jeremy Kushnier and, especially, Jarrod Spector as Frankie Valli truly capture the voices of The Four Seasons. These four young performers equally shine as very moving, convincing characters, as well as singers, and they are supported by a talented and versatile ensemble who play everything from mob bosses to pop girl singing groups."

http://www.centerstage.net/theatre/shows/4127.html

Another update is coming soon. Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Birthday to Chicago cast member, Rashad Naylor! You love him as Hal Miller, Barry Belson, Davis, and many of your other favorite characters.

Read this article about show business couples in Chicago featuring two of our Four Season, Drew Gehling and Michael Ingersoll: http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/644453,SHO-Sunday-couples11.article

Its that time of year, not only is Christmas coming...but, all the local shows raise money for Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids.

The Altar Boyz are going to be hosting a Benefit Concert on December 17th at 7pm where ALL the money raised will go right back to BC-EFA. The concert will star the Altar Boyz of Chicago and will feature Cast Members of Chicago local shows WICKED and JERSEY BOYS.

Tickets start at 35 dollars for Limited Viewing seating (very few seats available at this price). $50 and VIP $100 tickets are available. All tickets include a fabulous show and TWO drinks! VIP ticket holders will have the best seats in the house and will also be able to participate in raffels to win FUN show prizes.
Its all tax deductable!

There will also be an auction to win "A Date with the Altar Boyz"

Seating is limited so get on it NOW!

To make a reservation send your name, phone number, and price of Ticket your interested in to thatscrummy@aim.com

It is going to be an AMAZING show

Thanks to their accomplished fundraising, the SF/Chicago company was the  reason that San Francisco mayor, Gavin Newsom created "Jersey Boys Day." The cast was treated to a send-off party after their Emmy Award performance in September.
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=6560

Happy Holidays! On Saturday, November 17th our Boys will make an appearance at Chicago's 2007 Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. "...The special will open with the stars of the sold-out musical, Jersey Boys, performing a holiday carol."
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=websites&id=5749370