EDUCATION PACK - Jersey Boys Australia

EDUCATION PACK

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................ 1
CONNECTION TO THE NSW CURRICULUM ....................................... 2
ACTIVITIES ...................................................................................... 4
ENGLISH ....................................................................................... 4
- What’s In A Name ....................................................................... 4
- Trust ........................................................................................... 7
- Rag Doll – A Tragedy in Two Verses ............................................. 9
- Addiction ................................................................................... 11
THE ARTS.................................................................................... 12
ART ................................................................................................. 12
- Looks Like Lichtenstein .............................................................. 12
- Art For Albums ........................................................................... 14
DANCE ............................................................................................ 15
- Dance Teaching Resources ........................................................ 15
- Dance Crazy .............................................................................. 16
- Lip Sync. .................................................................................... 17
DRAMA ........................................................................................... 18
- The Rashomon Effect ................................................................. 18
- Exploring Conventions ................................................................ 20
- Internal Tensions ........................................................................ 21
- Accentuate Accent ..................................................................... 23
- Creating A Catalogue Musical ..................................................... 25
MUSIC ............................................................................................. 27
- Falsetto ...................................................................................... 27
- Short Shorts .............................................................................. 28
- Can’t Take My Eyes Off You ........................................................ 30
HUMANITIES .............................................................................. 32
HISTORY ......................................................................................... 32
- Just Jersey ................................................................................ 32
- Historic Events ........................................................................... 33
- The American Mafia.................................................................... 34
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ................................................................ 35
- Biographies Of The Cast & Creative Team ................................... 35
- Timeline Of The Seasons ............................................................ 35
- The Hit Machine ......................................................................... 35
- Character Descriptions ............................................................... 36
- Synopsis .................................................................................... 38
- Production Highlights ................................................................. 38
- Setting And Context ................................................................... 39
- What, Exactly, Is This Show? ...................................................... 40
- Resources .................................................................................. 40
i

INTRODUCTION
JERSEY BOYS is a highly charged, multiple award-winning production that
examines the true story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
The production traces the group’s meteoric rise to fame and the cost
of their success. It is a story about triumph over adversity, a story
about four boys, who grew up in relative poverty, and how they rose
to become some of the biggest pop stars of the twentieth century,
creating music that sold over 175 million records.
JERSEY BOYS The story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons is an epic
tale that spans over 50 years of American music history – from the
early stages of their career, singing under a streetlamp in New Jersey,
to their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, to the
present day. It is part biographical, part historical and part musical and
each part combines to offer an entertaining and in-depth insight into
the lives and careers of the band.
The musical examines some important and very universal themes such
as love, honour, loyalty and betrayal. It also explores some pertinent
social issues including poverty and addiction. These themes and social
issues form the foundation for many of the activities in this Education
Pack. The four central characters – Tommy, Bobby, Nick and Frankie –
offer differing points of view on the events that shaped their lives.
“It was a happy day when we embraced the idea of contradictions,”
says co-writer Rick Elice. This device, often referred to as the
“Rashomon Effect”, allowed the creative team to explore multiple
perspectives within the story.
With hit songs such as Sherry, Bye Bye Baby,
Rag Doll, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Let’s Hang On,
My Eyes Adored You, Working My Way Back To
You, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and many more,
JERSEY BOYS is a heart-stopping thrill ride that will
certainly entertain.
But it also offers many opportunities for learning
as this Education Pack will illustrate.
Upper secondary students of Drama, Dance, Visual Arts, VET
Entertainment or English will be interested in the production’s
effective use of theatrical conventions. Contemporary art forms
are used as integral components of the set and help to establish
mood and atmosphere. Dramatic elements are also magnificently
crafted in this musical, including the careful manipulation of tension,
conflict and mood.
Sophisticated use of stagecraft, with particular reference to set,
sound, multimedia and lighting design, further enhance the production.
JERSEY BOYS’ international acclaim is a tribute to the highly skilled
performers who are captivating and absorbing in the portrayal of
their characters. This is a theatrical event with an original style, and
teachers and students are well advised to attend this innovative and
engaging production. The following activities and resources have
been developed to inspire deeper insight into the production. It is
unnecessary for students to complete ALL the activities in order to
gain an understanding and appreciation of the performance.Teachers
may choose from these activities according to what is appropriate for
their students and teaching circumstances. Teachers can decide to run
the activities in this Education Pack prior to seeing the performance
or as follow up activities. JERSEY BOYS offers an excellent opportunity
to explore aspects of the NSW Curriculum in with Drama, Dance,
Entertainment Industry, Visual Arts, Music or English.
We trust that the activities and resources in this Education Pack will
provide teachers with the ability to fully appreciate the educational
opportunities of this spectacular musical production.
EDUCATION PACK WRITERS
Originally created for the Victorian Curriculum 2009 -2010 by
ELI EREZ and DAVID PERRY.
Adapted for NSW Curriculum 2010 – 2011 by MELISSA JACKA, LISA JINGA and
DAVID PERRY.
1

CONNECTING
TO THE NSW
CURRICULUM
ENGLISH
Stages 4 and 5
Through responding to and composing a wide range of texts in context and
through close study of texts, students will develop skills, knowledge and
understanding – in order to:
• speak, listen, read, write, view and represent
Students investigate and compare different text types in conveying content
and expression. In JERSEY BOYS, dialogue, monologues, songs, posters and
cartoons all add to the narrative and students can compose a number of text
types based on stimuli in the production. Apart from the activities provided,
students can write a review of the show, design a poster, give an oral
presentation as a critic or write a new scene.
• use language and communicate appropriately and effectively
The dialogue in the play is mostly based on specific types of English, particularly
the Jersey dialect. Students may discuss the way in which language operates
in different contexts and experiment their own use of language. The Italian-
American characters are portrayed mixing the Italian language with English in
specific situations. The concept of register is also explored.
• think in ways that are imaginative, interpretive and critical
In the play, a number of powerful interactions between different characters take
place, raising questions about the nature of the society to which those characters
belong. In some of the activities in this pack, students are encouraged to discuss the
societal issues raised in the text, such as poverty, addictions, trust and betrayal, and
develop and examine persuasive arguments relating to these issues.
• express themselves and their relationships with others and the world
The play is based around the concept of different perspectives. This is
exemplified by the use of four different narrators. Students also examine the
significance of the relationship between the name of the season that begins
each act, the narrator, and the plot in that act.
• learn and reflect on their learning through their study of English
Students may keep a journal or series of reflections, set goals for desired
improvements throughout the series of activities based on their JERSEY BOYS’ work.
Stage 6
As students undertake either Advanced or Standard English, they produce,
study and respond critically to spoken, written, and visual texts created for a
wide range of audiences and purposes. JERSEY BOYS is particularly useful for
exploring various modules of the HSC:
Area of Study, Belonging
Module C: Representation and Text
Elective 1: Conflicting Perspectives
Elective 2: History and Memory
In their Area of Study, Belonging, students study and respond to a range of
texts and must find their own suitable texts to discuss in the HSC examination
that are related to the theme. JERSEY BOYS is highly suitable as a related text
as the boys strive to find a sense of belonging in the music industry, in their
relationships and families and with each other. The play can be used as a
stimulus for The Creative Response in Paper 1 or be used as an additional
text for Conflicting Perspectives or History and Memory in Paper 2.
THE ARTS
Dance
In dance, a student demonstrates enhanced dance technique by manipulating
aspects of the elements of dance. They demonstrate an understanding
and application of aspects of performance quality and interpretation
through performance and explore the elements of dance as the basis of
the communication of ideas. Students describe and analyse dance as the
communication of ideas within a context and compose and structure dance
movements that communicates an idea. Having viewed JERSEY BOYS, students
will be able to explore their own choreography either in a similar style to
the synchronised movements used in the musical or they may choose to
investigate other dance styles and crazes, which evolved over time. They can
analyse the ideas Jersey Boys conveys through their appreciation work.
Drama
In drama a student manipulates the elements of drama to create belief, clarity
and tension in character, role, situation and action. They contribute, select,
develop and structure ideas in improvisation and playbuilding. Students
apply acting and performance techniques expressively and collaboratively to
communicate dramatic meaning. They respond to, reflect on and evaluate
elements of drama, dramatic forms, performance styles, dramatic techniques
and theatrical convention. Students can observe the way the elements of
drama are used in JERSEY BOYS for example, they can see the ways in which
a narrative unfolds in the production, breaking down the forth wall and using
direct address to the audience. They can observe and experiment with role
and character, moment, tension and audience engagement.
Visual Arts
In visual arts, students investigate the world as a source of ideas, concepts
and subject matter in the visual arts. They make artworks informed by their
understanding of the function of and relationships between artist – artwork
– world and audience and make artworks informed by an understanding
of how the frames affect meaning. Students demonstrate how art criticism
and art history construct meanings. Pop Art in the style of Roy Lichtenstein
is used extensively in JERSEY BOYS acting as an element of the set but also
establishing context and setting. Students can make works of their own
inspired by this style.
Continued
2

CONNECTING
TO THE NSW
CURRICULUM
VET Entertainment
The Vocational Education and Training subject – Entertainment Industry
Curriculum Framework, requires students to attain a number of competencies
throughout their course. The design and use of sets in a theatrical production,
use of audio and lighting and the experience of front of house procedures are
all possible when attending JERSEY BOYS. Entertainment students can analyse
all facets of stagecraft and the production experience.
VET Entertainment
Imagine you are producing the JERSEY BOYS in your school hall.
Design a backdrop that could be appropriate for the whole production. Add
some flexible, mobile set pieces that could establish the context of the scene.
What essential aspects of audio would be needed for such a production?
Think of the way projections were used in Jersey Boys. How could you use
projection or vision systems in your production?
JERSEY BOYS used complex stage machinery. List some of the equipment you
observed to create set transitions throughout the show.
Write a list of duties you think the front-of-house staff would have undertake
at JERSEY BOYS:
• Before the doors open
• During the show
• As the patrons leave
HUMANITIES
Historical knowledge and understanding
Students analyse events which contributed to Australia’s
social, political and cultural development.
Some of the world events that occurred in the 1960s are referred to in the play,
in order to give it a clearer historical context. Students are able to discuss the
impact this had on Australian society.
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
They compare different perspectives about a significant event and
make links between historical and contemporary issues.
Different perspectives on significant events in the 1960s are given by the various
characters, allowing the audience, and students analysing the play, to better
understand the nature and impact of these events.
They demonstrate understanding of key ideologies and explain
their influence on people’s lives, national events and international
relations. They explain why significant social and cultural movements
have developed and evaluate their influence on societies.
The communities and cultures portrayed in JERSEY BOYS are distinctive to the
time and place in which they are set. The impact of different ideologies and
movements on these people is explored and discussed.
Historical reasoning and interpretation
Students frame research questions and locate relevant
resources, including contemporary media and online
resources. They identify, comprehend and evaluate a
range of primary and secondary sources, including visual
sources and use historical conventions such as footnotes
and bibliographies to document sources.
Students use a variety of historical resources and conventions when researching
and presenting the historical background to JERSEY BOYS.
They critically evaluate sources of evidence for context, information,
reliability, completeness, objectivity and bias. They recognise that in
history there are multiple perspectives and partial explanations.
The so-called “Rashomon Effect” forms the structural basis of the play, in which
four different perspectives and narratives are given. Students explore the
possibilities and limitations of this narrative structure, and how these can also be
applied to historical sources.
3

ACTIVITIES
ENGLISH
WHAT’S IN A NAME
“You’re Italian. You gotta end with a vowel.”
Mary Delgado, from JERSEY BOYS
Names and what they represent, is an important and recurring theme in the play.
Most of the characters are second-generation or even first-generation Italian-
Americans, for whom names and language represent an important link to their
heritage – “Frankie’s wife-to-be scolds him on their first date for using a “y” at
the end of his new surname. She says: “... ‘y’ ... doesn’t know what it is. Is it a
vowel? Is it a consonant?”
The way the characters address each other in different situations significantly
changes the mood of the scene – Bob Gaudio can be “Bob” or “Bobby”, Tommy
is often called “Tommooch”. Most significantly, the many name changes of the
band, some of which happened even after they became the Four Seasons, are
used as a dramatic device in the play.
The following activities can be used as starting points for discussion about the
choice of names in any type of literature studied in English classes be they plays,
novels, poems, or short stories.
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
ACTIVITY A. “Call Me ‘Mr DeCarlo’ ...”
1. Read through the following two extracts from the same scene in JERSEY BOYS:
i.
DECARLO Tommy –
TOMMY Yeah, Gyp?
DECARLO You pick up my dry cleaning?
TOMMY Sure, Gyp.
ii.
FRANKIE (Entering) Hey.
TOMMY Frankie, you know Mr. DeCarlo.
FRANKIE Yeah, sure. Hi.
TOMMY Well, we better get ready.
DECARLO Frankie, do me a favor, will you?
Sing My Mother’s Eyes.
FRANKIE Sorry, I don’t do that song any
more, Mr. DeCarlo.
What difference does the audience feel when the character is referred to as
“Gyp” and then “Mr DeCarlo”?
What sort of change in register occurs when Tommy refers to “Mr DeCarlo”,
when just before he was calling him “Gyp”?
What might happen if Frankie (who doesn’t know Gyp DeCarlo as well as
Tommy) called him “Gyp”?
2. Most of the characters address each other with nicknames – “Tommy”, “Joey”,
“Frankie”. The character Bob Gaudio is addressed as “Bob” when the characters
first meet him, then as “Bobby” when they get to know him. Nick only becomes
“Nicky” in certain emotional situations, such as when Frankie is pleading with him
to calm down in DeCarlo’s basement.
Why would Frankie feel compelled to address him as “Nicky” in that situation?
Continued
4

ACTIVITIES
ENGLISH
ACTIVITY B. “We Gotta Find A Name”
1. Read the following extracts from the play:
i.
TOMMY And by the way, we’re not the Varietones any more.
We’re the Four Lovers.
NICK Tommy, I can’t keep it straight. In one month we’re the
Romans, the Village Voices, the ... Andrews Sisters [Nick is
being sarcastic – the Andrews Sisters are a female group].
What are you trying to do?
ii.
CREWE You know your problem, gentlemen? You’ve got an identity
crisis. Maybe if you found yourselves a name, and a sound,
little Bobby here would know who he’s writing for.
iii.
OWNER Wait, wait, hold it. What’s your name?
(ALL FOUR, simultaneously)
TOMMY The Four Lovers. The Romans.
NICK The Romans. The Topix.
FRANKIE The Varietones. The Lovers.
BOB The Topix. The Varietones.
iv.
TOMMY Get off that. You’re not startin’ any groups! You’re in
this group.
NICK Yeah? Which one? The Topix? The Romans? The Lovers?
Who we gonna be next, Tommy?
(The sign buzzes, flickers, flashes. Fully illuminated, it reads: FOUR SEASONS)
BOB (Staring at it) Frankie.
TOMMY What?
FRANKIE It’s a sign, Tommy!
The group that eventually became The Four Seasons did in fact go through
a number of name changes previously. This is turned into an often-humorous
dramatic device in the play, although it is implied that the name change to The
Four Seasons represents a turning point for the fortunes of the band.
Discuss with others in your class:
Is the name of a band relevant to its success, or is it completely unimportant?
What about titles or names of other popular art forms, like movies?
Can they “make or break” the success of, for example, a movie?
Why do you think they chose to call the musical JERSEY BOYS?
Was it the right choice?
2. The name or phrase “Four Seasons” is an evocative one, and is also used as
a theatrical device in the play. Each part of the story is given the name of a
season, starting with Spring, and has a different band member as narrator.
The choice of narrator in each act is a deliberate one, even though it may not
be immediately obvious.
Identify significant plot elements and songs within the story and analyse how
they relate to each season. Use this information to examine why the writers
chose a particular character to narrate each part of the story.
Consider also the use of the American term “Fall” for Autumn – what other
connotations might that word have?
Narrator: TOMMY Season : SPRING
- Characters mostly young, irresponsible, involved in petty crime
- Name of band keeps changing, so does line up – band still “unformed”
Narrator: BOB Season : SUMMER
- Begins with Short Shorts
- Line up and band name fixed and finalised
- Everything seems to go right
- Finally experience success
Continued
5

ACTIVITIES
ENGLISH
Narrator: NICK Season : FALL
- Fortunes (temporarily) come to an end with Tommy’s debts and Tommy and
Nick leaving
- Characters make firm decisions about their lives: Nick decides to leave
abruptly and unconditionally; Frankie takes on the debts; Bob now focuses on
writing and producing
Narrator: FRANKIE Season : WINTER
- Frankie and Bob are now mature musicians – Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
and reaching the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame
- Death of Frankie’s daughter
What is happening in the character’s lives in each part of the story and how
does this relate to each season?
How do the song titles relate to each season?
ACTIVITY C. “... But You Can Call Me ‘Uncle Gyp’!”
This can be completed as an extension activity to Activity A (see page 4).
1. Think about an adult member of your family. How many different names or
titles do they have? For example:
Janey
Jan
Janice Elizabeth Brown
Dr Janice Brown
Janice Brown, GP
Aunty Jan
Sis
Would you be able to use all those names to describe that person?
Which names would you not be able to use? Why not?
2. Write two columns. In the first, write every possible name and title of the adult
family member you are thinking of. In the second, describe the people who
would use that name to address them.
For example: Aunty Jan nephews and nieces; younger
people who are friends of her
children or who think of her as
“Aunty”.
Dr Janice Brown patients or professional colleagues
Find a partner in the class. Decide with your partner whether you will be
using your list or theirs. Devise, write and perform (as a pair to the class) a
short scripted dialogue that takes place between the adult family member and
one of the people in the second column. Make sure your character uses the
appropriate name when addressing the adult family member.
3. The teacher now chooses one of the scripts and asks that pair to perform
their script again. However, this time the class is to imagine that the character
talking to the adult family member is someone completely different.
For example: Instead of the 10-year old niece talking to “Aunty Jan”
about her weekend, it is now an elderly colleague from the
medical profession – but the colleague still calls her
“Aunty Jan”!
The teacher asks the class:
Is this an appropriate way for this character to address her?
How does it make her appear? Is it disrespectful?
What would be a more appropriate term?
Why should different terms be used for different situations?
6

ACTIVITIES
ENGLISH
TRUST
“Teach him. And watch him. Anything happens to Frankie,
you got a problem with me.”
Tommy DeVito, from JERSEY BOYS
Trust is a quality that people only really start to understand upon reaching their
mid-teens, often only after their own trust has been betrayed. At this stage in
their lives, adolescents generally become more emotionally detached from their
parents, and transfer aspects of that original trust to other relationships, generally
to their friends.
In JERSEY BOYS there are many instances where trust between characters is openly
tested and/or articulated, which makes the story appealing to young people.
Activity B needs to be completed after watching JERSEY BOYS, although Activity A
can be completed in advance as a stimulus exercise.
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
ACTIVITY A. How much can I trust you?
1. Ask each student to give an example of a situation that requires trust.
This could include:
- Leaving your child or sibling in someone’s care
- Lending money to someone on the understanding that they will pay it back
- Being able to turn your back on someone without seeing them
Give the students a couple of examples like these, then ask them to discuss
in groups and come up with some of their own. Write them on the board in a
brainstorm format, linking ideas together if necessary.
2. Re-write them as a list on the board, in order of ascending risk or
responsibility, according to the question “Which situation requires the higher
level of trust?”
3. Now come up with examples of people we encounter regularly in our lives.
These could be parents/guardians, school friends, your newsagent, a neighbour,
a stranger in the street. Write these next to the ascending list on the board, with
a bracket showing the “limit of trust” you would give that person.
Referring to this new table, discuss:
Are we aware of our own “limits of trust” when interacting with others?
Should we be more aware?
Have you ever miscalculated the “limit of trust” you should have given
someone?
Continued
7

ACTIVITIES
ENGLISH
ACTIVITY B. Trust, JERSEY BOYS-style
1. Ask the class to think of as many instances as they can in the play, where trust
has been tested or broken. List these on the board. They could include:
- Frankie’s mother asking Tommy to look out for him
- Tommy giving Frankie up to the cops but then admitting in court that he led
him into the robbery
- Tommy offering to take care of the fake murder set-up, but then getting Gyp
to take care of it without telling Frankie
- Gyp giving Frankie half the $100 bill - and keeping his promise when Frankie
presents it to him later in the play
- Bob not initially accepting Tommy’s offer to join the band unless he is an
equal partner, and Frankie sticking up for him
- The band sticking together when they decide to split with Crewe – “Such
loyalty! Such devotion!”
- Frankie and Bob’s famous “Jersey contract” handshake
- Discussion about “real family and road family” - Frankie cheating on his wife
- Tommy’s debts and money problems that he kept secret from the others
- Frankie promising to pay back all Tommy’s debts, and getting Gyp to help –
“You take care of family, Frankie. I like that.”
- “In my neighbourhood, there’s three things you don’t do. You don’t lie to
your mother. You don’t tell the truth to your wife. And the third thing – every
guy knows that.” – referring to Tommy “hitting on” Frankie’s girl
- “I’m from the old school. You come up together, that’s a promise and it’s like
iron.” – Frankie explaining why he remained faithful to Tommy
- Frankie worried about his daughter, not knowing where she is, and then
losing her – “You think your kids are safe. What are you supposed to do, put
’em on a leash, chain ’em to the bed?”
2. Each student now chooses one of the characters mentioned on the board,
and is given a “generic trust bubble” to complete for that character.
Characters should include FRANKIE, TOMMY, BOB, NICK, GYP, MARY,
FRANCINE, CREWE although students do not have to be limited to these
characters. Teachers may use the example “Frankie trust bubble” as a guide.
Students should try to complete these as comprehensively as they can, then
use this as a basis for an extended essay/analysis that answers the following
questions:
How trusting is your character of other people?
How trustworthy is your character?
What is it about your character’s background that causes them to behave in
that way?
This activity can be used for other fictional texts studied in English classes, as
it allows students to focus on a specific aspect of a character’s nature.
ACTIVITY C. The Jersey Character
This activity can follow on from Activity B. Students research the Jersey
communities featured in the play, particularly the Italian-American communities
there. Specifically, they should use the following questions as a starting point
for discussion:
What importance does the Catholic Christian religion have for Italian-Americans
in Jersey, in terms of keeping promises?
Do you think that people who grow up in poor neighbourhoods, like Frankie,
have a stronger sense of needing to help those they grew up with? What sort
of a place is Frankie’s old neighbourhood?
Do the “Mob” or “Mafia” (organised crime groups), which feature in the plot,
have their own system of “trust” or “honour”? How does it operate?
What does Gyp’s tearing of the $100 bill in half signify?
Is Bob and Frankie’s handshake real? Is there such a thing as a “Jersey
contract”?
How did The Four Seasons’ “mob connections” colour their attitude towards
dealing with recording and publishing companies? Research this little-known
area of The Four Seasons’ history.
8

ACTIVITIES
ENGLISH
RAG DOLL – A TRAGEDY IN TWO VERSES
Bob Gaudio was driving his car to the studio in New York
City when he was stopped at a “three-minute light.” A
little girl – with ragged clothes and dirty face – ran up to
the car and cleaned the windshield. As the light changed,
Gaudio rummaged frantically through his pockets in an
effort to find a quarter to pay the girl, who did indeed look
like a Rag Doll. The smallest piece of money he could find
was a five-dollar bill (sometimes Gaudio would say “tendollar
bill” when he tells this story), so he gave her the
currency. She was speechless, but he remembered her
stunned look at the studio, where he composed the song.
From www.songfacts.com
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
Often the story behind the inspiration for a song can be just as interesting as
the song itself. In JERSEY BOYS, the lyrics of songs by the Four Seasons are used
to complement the plot, and at times the characters recount the story behind
the song being played, for example Walk Like a Man and Can’t Take My Eyes
Off You.
Although the song Rag Doll is featured in the play, the story behind it (given
above) is not detailed. Students can use this simple yet touching song to explore
a number of activities based on text types. Whilst a traditional narrative structure
allows the writer more freedom and can contain more facts, the use of poetic
structure (including songs) means that more imaginative literary devices are
employed, and therefore students and listeners are more engaged with the story.
ACTIVITY A. Learning the song
1. Read the lyrics below, taken from the verses of the song Rag Doll.
The complete lyrics can be found at
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie-four-seasons-rag-doll-lyrics.html
The class may wish to listen to the recording of the song. Read to the class
Bob Gaudio’s story of the origin of the song (see above).
When she was just a kid her clothes were hand-me-down
They always laughed at her when she came into town
Called her rag doll, little rag doll
Such a pretty face should be dressed in lace
I’d change her sad rags into glad rags if I could
My folks won’t let me ’cause they say that she’s no good
She’s a rag doll, such a rag doll
Though I love her so, I can’t let her go
I love you just the way you are
Continued
9

ACTIVITIES
ENGLISH
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
ACTIVITY B. Learning the story
Ask students the following questions:
Even though there are only eight or nine lines here, what do they tell you about
the main character in the song?
What sort of person do you think she is?
Can you think of anyone who is like this character?
Who are the other characters? (ie the singer, the people who laughed at her,
his “folks”, her older siblings or cousins – her clothes are “hand-me-down”).
What is their relationship to the main character?
What sort of time frame is being described in the song? Hours? Weeks? Years?
How do you know? (consider the first line: “she was just a kid”, in the past
tense, compared to the present tense in the second verse: “she [is] no good ...
she [is] a rag doll”)
Is there a plot in this story?
Do you think most of the plot happened before or after the song?
Are we expected to “fill in the gaps” through inference? What do you think
happened before / next?
Is the character literally a “rag doll”? If not, what do we call this literary device?
Why do you think that Bob Gaudio and the members of The Four Seasons may
have sympathised with the girl described in Gaudio’s story?
2. Using the information gathered in Step 1, students are to “flesh out” the story
in the song using a different text type. For example, they may write:
- a letter or email from the narrator to the girl, or to his “folks”;
- a report by a social worker describing the girl’s living conditions and family
situation;
- a narrative telling the story of the girl and “what happened next”.
A good site to use for text type ideas is
www.teachers.ash.org.au/jeather/writingfun/writingfun.htm
Continued
10

ACTIVITIES
ENGLISH
ADDICTION
“At least when I’m here, I’m here. Not stoned out of
my mind.”
Frankie Valli, speaking to Mary, in JERSEY BOYS
Addiction is a theme explored in the background of the main action in
JERSEY BOYS. In the first half of the play, there is little in the way of addictive
behaviour, but as the play progresses, we see that Nick and Mary each have a
drinking problem, Tommy is a compulsive gambler, a lot of the male characters
are womanisers, Frankie’s daughter displays an addiction to drugs, and Frankie
himself could be said to be “addicted” to performing!
This discussion and oracy activity could be completed after watching and
studying JERSEY BOYS, or in conjunction with an excursion to the play. The theme
of addiction is one that interests teenagers and can be very significant to
them personally. Using the well-known debating format can be a good way of
encouraging them to discuss what they know about the issue.
ACTIVITIES
1. Ask your students what they understand about the term “addiction”.
Be prepared for some lively discussion!
Try to direct their responses along the following lines:
What different types of addictions are there?
Can you be addicted to something other than drugs or chemicals?
Can one thing be more addictive than another, or is it the personality of the
addict?
What makes something addictive?
Are human beings naturally addictive? Is it necessary for our survival? How?
2. Prepare the students for a class debate on the following topic:
AN ADDICTION CAN ONLY BE TO A CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE, MOST
NOTABLY DRUGS – ANYTHING BESIDES THIS CANNOT BE AN ADDICTION.
Break the class into halves, one half being the “For” side and the other
“Against”. Arrange students within these halves into small discussion groups,
and allow around twenty minutes or so for discussion. Give each group a
copy of the following two articles that discuss the nature of addiction from a
particular point of view:
www.abcnews.go.com/print?id=90688
www.enotalone.com/article/6889.html
as well as a copy of the “For” and “Against” arguments.
Remind the students that the given articles are samples of viewpoints rather
than necessarily being wholly scientific, and that the purpose of the debate is
to create questions that initiate further interest.
3. After around twenty minutes (not much longer than that) discussion time,
gather the two halves for them to prepare their side of the debate. Nominate
three people for the debating team on each side, or allow the members of
each half to nominate their own team. Class spends the rest of the lesson
preparing their debate.
4. Hold the debate at the start of their next English lesson. Ensure that all
members of the debating team keep their arguments concise and that they
address all challenges issued by their opponents. The debate should finish
well before the end of the lesson to allow for class discussion on the following
questions:
Which characters in JERSEY BOYS would you describe as having an addiction?
What sort of addictions do they have?
The last comment in the play is by Frankie, about how he needs to keep
performing, “going and going and going. Chasing the music.” Do you think that
this might be a type of addiction?
Can an addiction be positive?
11

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
ART – LOOKS LIKE LICHTENSTEIN
One of his sons, pointed to a Mickey Mouse comic
book and said; “I bet you can’t paint as good as that.”
In 1961 Lichtenstein produced about six paintings
showing characters from comic-strip frames, with only
minor changes of colour and form from the original
source material. It was at this time that he first made use
of devices which were to become signatures in his work –
Ben-Day dots, lettering and speech balloons.
Edward Lucie-Smith from “Lives of the Great 20th-Century Artists”
www.artchive.com/artchive/L/lichtenstein.html
ACTIVITY
Students are to research the life and work of the celebrated Pop Artist,
Roy Lichtenstein. The following websites will provide students with an
excellent starting point:
Information on Roy Lichtenstein
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Lichtenstein
Analysis of Roy Lichtenstein’s work
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/L/lichtenstein.html
Roy Lichtenstein Pop Art Gallery
http://www.rogallery.com/lichtenstein_roy/rlichthm.htm
Students should observe the similarities between Lichtenstein’s work and the
projected multimedia images used in the JERSEY BOYS production. Ask:
Why do you think the JERSEY BOYS’ multimedia projections, designed by Michael
Clark, emulated Lichtenstein’s Pop Art style? Did the projected images enhance
the audience’s understanding of the time or place?
How did the images support the action of the play? Why were the projections
effective?
In what ways did the projected images and words, convey meaning?
Students might have already observed the Pop Art billboards that are
currently being used to promote the JERSEY BOYS production. Students are set
the challenge of creating a new JERSEY BOYS billboard which incorporates
Lichtenstein’s Pop Art style. Ask:
What image might best communicate the themes or central ideas of JERSEY BOYS?
What words or language might support this image?
What colours might be used in the design?
Students will find the following website very useful in preparing this task:
www.melissaclifton.com/tutorial-popart.html
A free tutorial by Melissa Clifton which explains how to replicate Lichtenstein’s
unique style using Adobe’s Photoshop program.
Continued
12

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
Allow students time to design their billboard. Students are to present their work
to the class for feedback and discussion. Students might imagine that they are
presenting their work to a board of JERSEY BOYS executives. Ask:
Which designs were most effective? Why?
How might the image be improved?
How effectively has the billboard design captured the Lichtenstein style?
Continued
13

Cover photo by Chris Callis.
Production photography by Joan Marcus © 2008.
Projection illustrations by Michael Clark.
ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
All production photos feature the original Las Vegas cast.
Opening Night: May 3 2008
Press Representatives US:
Boneau/Bryan-Brown
Adrian Bryan-Brown, Susanne Tighe, Heath Schwartz
Press Representatives LAS VEGAS:
Kirvin Doak Communications
Dave Kirvin, Kate Turner, Elizabeth Zbylut
702-737-3100
“Industrial Landscape, Kearny, New Jersey, 1973” is adapted from a JERSEY BOYS Locations:
copyrighted photograph by George Tice (courtesy of the Peter Fetterman
Gallery, Santa Monica)
Las Vegas: The Palazzo
Broadway: The August Wilson Theatre
At the time of publication, the information contained within is correct. London: The Prince Edward Theatre
Chicago: LaSalle Bank Theatre
All materials used by permission. All rights reserved.
National Tour at a city near you
Published by The Araca Group LLC March 2008.
Melbourne: coming in 2008
Grammy Award-winning cast album available on Rhino Records.
For more information, visit www.JerseyBoysVegas.com
ART – ART FOR ALBUMS
“Ladies and gentleman, please welcome my old
friends and brand new Hall of Famers, the original
Four Seasons!”
Bob Crewe, from JERSEY BOYS
Original Las Vegas programme cover – designed to look like a record sleeve
ACTIVITY
Students are given the challenge to create an album cover for The Four
Seasons. Teachers should explain that the album will commemorate The Four
Seasons’ induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in 1990). Students
should first examine previous album covers of the group. Refer:
Four Seasons Album Covers:
www.bing.com/images/search?q=Frankie+Valli+and+The+Four+Seaso
ns+album+covers&go=&form=QBIR&qs=n#
Ask:
In what way do album covers give an indication of the year in which they
are produced?
What words or information need to be visible on an album cover?
How does the size and style of the font affect the design?
Which Four Seasons album covers did you think were most effective? Why?
How might the album cover you design reflect a more modern time period?
Students might consider using promotional images of the production of
JERSEY BOYS as inspiration for their own album designs. Refer:
www.jerseyboysaustralia.com.au/mediakit.html
Allow students time to design their album covers. Students are to present their
work to the class for feedback and discussion. Students might imagine that
they are presenting their album designs to a record company. Ask:
Which album designs were most effective? Why?
How might the image be improved?
In what way does the album cover reflect the musical qualities of The Four
Seasons?
14

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
VISIT
http://jerseyboysaustralia.com.au/
studyguide_dance_interview.html
for an excerpt of an interview by
Melissa Jacka with Australian based
dancer and Princess Theatre resident
choreographer of JERSEY BOYS
Jason Duff on Sunday 20th June 2010.
DANCE TEACHING RESOURCES
Unit of Work Musical Theatre 7-10
Case Study: JERSEY BOYS
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/dance.html
UNIT OUTLINE:
The study of dance as an art form is the overarching philosophy of the NSW
Dance Curriculum. This is defined in the 7-10 dance syllabus as “…the students’
artistic, aesthetic and cultural education through dance.”
Prior to viewing the performance teachers can explore musical theatre through
the inter-related components of Performance, Composition and Appreciation.
The following outline provides a series of suggested learning experiences to
engage the students and enhance teaching and learning outcomes.
LESSON ONE:
Ascertain students’ background knowledge about musical theatre.
Engage them in the metalanguage by defining musical theatre and providing a
historical background. During this task the focus should be on the development
of an appropriate dance (musical theatre) vocabulary.
Background Knowledge and Metalanguage – NSW DET Quality Teaching
Framework
https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/proflearn/docs/pdf/qt_EPSColor.pdf
LESSON TWO:
Focus on concept - the role of dance in musical theatre. Students could view
short excerpts of different musicals for discussion
LESSON THREE:
Research task on the socio cultural context of America in the 1960’s. Case
Study: The Italian Community in New Jersey.
NB: This could be a group task or individual task. It could be done in the form of
posters for example.
Cultural Knowledge - NSW DET Quality Teaching Framework
https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/proflearn/docs/pdf/qt_EPSColor.pd
LESSONS FOUR AND FIVE:
Technique class using the music and the movement characteristics of dance
within popular culture of the era.
LESSON SIX AND SEVEN:
Composition class – students working in groups create a short movement
sequence that reflects the characteristics of popular culture in dance in America
in the 1960’s. Present to the class.
Substantive Communication - NSW DET Quality Teaching Framework
https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/proflearn/docs/pdf/qt_EPSColor.pd
LESSON EIGHT:
Create a time line of the “Frank Valli and the Four Seasons” group and it’s rise to
stardom. This could be done as a whole class, in groups or as individuals.
LESSON NINE:
Writing and Criticism. Learning the function and structure of a review. Reading
reviews about JERSEY BOYS the musical from New York, London and Melbourne,
Australia. Students can identify the language features of review writing.
Inclusion of ICT as per 7-10 revised syllabus
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/dance.html
LESSON TEN:
Sergio Trujillo originally choreographed JERSEY BOYS.
Students to research the background and training of choreographer Sergio Trujillo
FOCUS QUESTIONS:
Describe how the choreographer has used movement (“the dancing body”),
space, time and dynamics to enhance the narrative of JERSEY BOYS.
How does the choreography translate to different types of audiences,
around the world?
What is the role of a resident choreographer who is attached to a particular
performance venue?
Suggested Assessment tasks
Write a review based on the musical JERSEY BOYS.
In your response use background knowledge about the era, The Four Seasons,
and the choreographers Sergio Trujillo and Jason Duff.
(See link in far left column for further information)
In groups students develop a composition using one of the songs by
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
Marking Criteria should include the effective use of movement, space, time and
dynamics to communicate a “true reflection of the era”.
NB: Stage Six Dance – Preliminary/ HSC Course
Appreciation: International Influences on Dance in Australia
Writing and Criticism
The role of the critic in dance.
Major Study Appreciation: Era (1960-200)
Representing popular culture and social dance of the era 1960/1970.
Continued
15

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
DANCE – DANCE CRAZY
I knew while I was dancing that at some point I was going
to choreograph but I had to get dance out of my body.
In dance, I was an instrument as opposed to the one who
created the dances.
Sergio Trujillo (JERSEY BOYS Choreographer) from an interview with Beth Herstein)
www.talkinbroadway.com/rialto/past/2009/042909.html
ACTIVITY
Sergio Trujillo is responsible for choreographing the highly synchronised
dance routines in JERSEY BOYS. In this activity students will examine the
choreography of various dance crazes that have developed over the last few
decades. Students will explore how synchronisation is an important factor
in most dance crazes. They will use the dance crazes they investigate as a
stimulus for choreographing their own dance routines.
As a starting point students might wish to visit the following websites:
Freddie and the Dreamers – I’m Telling You:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=The+Freddie+dance+60%27s&qs=n&
docid=1040990011686&mid=A87E911526A09D6FF4A9A87E911526A09D
6FF4A9&FORM=VIVR#
The Time Warp:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Rocky+Horror+time+warp+&qs=n&fir
st=41&docid=1019701100816&mid=B59CF30D3905600950E1B59CF30D
3905600950E1&FORM=VIVR20#
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
YMCA:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=YMCA+dance&qs=n&docid=10765312335
55&mid=ACE248845A799E943970ACE248845A799E943970&FORM=VIVR#
Thriller:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=thriller&qs=n&first=41&docid=107646
0520213&mid=2765EEBD10E8276B1CA02765EEBD10E8276B1CA0&FO
RM=VIVR#
The Macarena:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=the+macarena&qs=n&docid=102129
7951117&mid=C27CAE9BB8D8C65C17E7C27CAE9BB8D8C65C17E7&F
ORM=VIVR36#
Dancing through history. International comedian Judson Laipply presents
The Evolution Of Dance:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=dance+crazes&qs=n&docid=986059
309301&mid=8FAA0D9A652A61095DB58FAA0D9A652A61095DB5&FOR
M=VIVR2#
Students might also examine other dance crazes i.e. the Nutbush, Chicken
Dance, Grease Lightning, etc. Ask:
Why do you think this dance craze became popular?
Are there any similarities in any of the dance moves between the various dance
crazes?
Is there any repetition?
How does the dance craze make you feel when you are doing it?
How does the dance craze make you feel when you are watching it?
Are the moves complex or simple?
In groups of four, ask students to create their own dance craze to a popular
song on the radio. Allow student’s time to source a song and practise their
dance. Students are to present their dance to the class for feedback and
discussion. Ask:
Which dances did you think were most effective? Why?
Was the choreography simple or complex?
Did the dancers move in unison?
Continued
16

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
DANCE – LIP SYNC.
It doesn’t always appear as if what’s going on in the
show is choreographed, but every single move is
choreographed to the end.
Sergio Trujillo (JERSEY BOYS Choreographer) from an interview with Beth Herstein)
www.talkinbroadway.com/rialto/past/2009/042909.html
ACTIVITY
Students will work in groups of four to create their own synchronised dance
routine to one of the following Four Seasons’ songs:
Big Girls Don’t Cry:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=The+Four+Seasons&qs=n&docid=95
5977826313&mid=2E7DA04172EE934FF7892E7DA04172EE934FF789&F
ORM=VIVR30#
Walk Like A Man:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=The+Four+Seasons&qs=n&docid=104
3315294986&mid=EB9C4472C52606E8210DEB9C4472C52606E8210D&
FORM=VIVR8#
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=The+Four+Seasons&qs=n&docid=106
9357334589&mid=542E84DB94A7B67CA258542E84DB94A7B67CA258&
FORM=VIVR26#”
Medley:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=The+Four+Seasons&qs=n&first=21&d
ocid=1018134266583&mid=C35F4AD4D3A4D3E318F6C35F4AD4D3A4D
3E318F6&FORM=VIVR12#
Let’s Hang On:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=The+Four+Seasons&qs=n&first=21&d
ocid=1123807330815&mid=1BACB1115D6B18A1F4521BACB1115D6B18
A1F452&FORM=VIVR26#
Allow the students time to source their song and practise their dance routine.
Students are to present their dance to the class for feedback and discussion.
Ask:
Which dance routines were tightly synchronised?
Did the choreography suit the style and period of the music? How?
How did the highly synchronised dance routines presented in JERSEY BOYS
differ from the minimal choreography used by the original Four Seasons
(refer websites above)?
Why do you think the director and choreographer made this choice?
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
17

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
DRAMA – THE RASHOMON EFFECT
“You ask four guys how it happened, you get four
different versions.”
Tommy DeVito, from JERSEY BOYS
It was a happy day when we embraced the idea
of contradictions.
Rick Elice, co-writer of JERSEY BOYS
“When filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s groundbreaking film Rashomon was released
in his native Japan in 1950, it was considered a failure. ‘Too complicated’, said
one reviewer; ‘Too monotonous’, said another. Japanese critics were astonished
when the film won the Golden Lion Award at the 1951 Venice Film Festival. In
the West, in the aftermath of World War II, audiences were ready to contemplate
relativity as more than a theory of physics – as a theory of perception, for
example, and perhaps as a theory of truth.
“In Rashomon, four people who have witnessed a murder tell four plausible
but mutually exclusive stories of what took place, and viewers are exposed
to a radical demonstration of the fact that people see things in different ways.
“Rashomon” has come to suggest any situation in which the truth cannot be
discerned because of varying testimonies. In psychology, “The Rashomon Effect”
is the way each person’s point of view affects his or her remembrance of events.
In JERSEY BOYS, we hear each part of the story from a different narrator, and each
member of the group has his own opinion of how the story of The Four Seasons
should be told.”*
* The JERSEY BOYS Discovery Guide – The Rashomon Effect
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
ACTIVITIES
1. Students should read the above information about ‘the Rashomon effect’ and
how it relates to the JERSEY BOYS production. Students may also wish to
visit the following websites to gain a deeper understanding of this principle:
Definition:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashomon_effect
Film synopsis:
www.imdb.com/title/tt0042876/plotsummary
Discuss with the class how multiple narratives are presented within JERSEY BOYS
and how each character’s narrative presents a different perspective on the
situation or event. Students should discuss examples of how the four central
characters perceive events and situations differently.
What are some examples of this?
Why do you think the characters perceive things differently?
Develop a mock situation with another teacher (or trust-worthy student)
that will be presented in front of your class. It is best if the mock scenario
is scripted and rehearsed so that it can be used as reference later in the
activity. It is important for the teacher to consider their relationship with the
class and the maturity of the class, before attempting this activity. It is also
important to ensure that a proper debriefing follows this activity.
A sample script of a mock situation is provided on the next page.
Note: The teacher running the activity would play Teacher 1:
Continued
18

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
SHORT MOCK SCENARIO:
TEACHER 2: (enters the classroom out of breath). You have to come
to the Principal’s office now!
TEACHER 1: Why?
TEACHER 2: It’s about the situation that we were talking about on
Tuesday. It’s gotten worse.
TEACHER 1: In what way?
TEACHER 2: Apparently three of your students are involved.
TEACHER 1: Who?
TEACHER 2: I can’t say.
TEACHER 1: I can’t leave now. I’m teaching.
TEACHER 2: Alright then. Just make sure that you go as soon as
you can.
TEACHER 1: Okay!
TEACHER 2: And please don’t mention anything about… You know
what …Okay?
TEACHER 1: What?
TEACHER 2: You know... (Winks)
TEACHER 1: Oh! Okay (Teacher 2 exits)
Without explanation students are to get into pairs and record the detail of
the conversation they just witnessed. Ask:
What was said?
Who said it?
What do you think they meant?
What were they wearing?
What do you think is going on?
Students are informed that the scenario that they just witnessed was a
performance which was set up for the purpose of analysing “The Rashomon
Effect”. The students will now examine how their perception of this event
differs from other students in the class. Each pair of students relates their
observations of the event.
After each group has presented their observations ask:
What were the major differences in how the class recalled the event?
Did you observe any differences in the story?
Did you observe any differences in how students perceived what was going on?
Why do you think Rick Elice (JERSEY BOYS co-writer) was so excited to explore
contradictions in The Four Seasons’ perception of events?
How is this device used within the musical?
Continued
19

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
DRAMA – EXPLORING CONVENTIONS
“So we go on the road. Ohio … Nebraska … Arizona … the
places you fly over on the way to Los Angeles.”
Tommy DeVito, from JERSEY BOYS
ACTIVITY
Throughout the production of JERSEY BOYS the stage is constantly transforming
into different settings. In this activity students will examine how the
conventions of ‘transformation of setting’ and ‘direct address’ are employed
within the JERSEY BOYS production. Ask:
What locations are presented in the performance?
What set items are used to define these locations?
What devices are used to aid the seamless transitions of scenes?
How does the convention of ‘direct address’ assist the flawless transformations
of setting?
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
Divide students into groups of four. Students are to choose eight locations from
the following list of settings:
- A street corner in New Jersey - Hotel – Penthouse Suite
- The Strand (a small club) - Cadillac Showroom
- Police Station - Frankie and Mary’s House
- Court Room - Ohio State Fair
- Church - Jail Cell
- Silhouette Club - Accountant’s Office
- Mangio’s Pizza Restaurant - Hotel Bar
- Car - Hotel Room
- Tommy’s House - Gyp DeCarlo’s Basement
- The Sea Breeze (performance venue) - Coffee Shop
- Nevada Club - Mary’s House
- Outside the Bowling Alley - Lorraine’s Apartment Manhattan
- Goethal’s Bridge - Record Label Executive’s Office
- Brill Building - Radio Station – Program Director’s
Office
- Recording Studio - Hospital
- Inside a Bowling Alley - American Bandstand TV Studio
- Crewe’s Apartment - Concert Hall
- Frankie’s Kitchen - Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
Teachers may wish to specify locations to each group or allow students to pick
from the list.
Students are to create a short performance in which all eight locations are visited.
Students do not have to perform as characters from the musical. Each group
must use the conventions of ‘direct address’ and ‘transformation of setting’.
Students should be encouraged to use simple classroom objects, such as chairs
and tables, as scenic properties.
The students must work out ways to seamlessly reconfigure the objects to
transform the setting and create eight unique locations. Direct address must also
be incorporated into their performance. Students might use this convention as
a way of distracting the audience’s attention from the scene changes which are
taking place.
Allow students time to rehearse their presentations.
Continued
20

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
Students should present their work to the class for feedback and discussion.
Ask
Which transformations were most effective? Why?
How were they achieved?
How could these ‘transformations of setting’ be more effectively applied?
Did the convention of ‘direct address’ serve any purpose in the performance,
or was it simply used as a means of distracting the audience from watching
the scene change?
What other purpose might ‘direct address’ serve?
Did the ‘direct address’ provide any insight into the thoughts or feelings of the
character? What other conventions are tied to ‘direct address’ (i.e. ‘narration’,
‘monologue’ and ‘breaking of the fourth wall’)?
Can these conventions be mutually exclusive?
How is a ‘soliloquy’ different from ‘narration’?
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
DRAMA – INTERNAL TENSIONS
“Everyone remembers it how they need to right? But here’s
the facts: I brought Frankie up on stage for the first time,
I put Gaudio in, I held it all together until we hit. And where
it counts – the old neighbourhood – I’m still a hero.”
Tommy DeVito, from JERSEY BOYS
“No matter what Tommy says about plucking me from
obscurity, the real story is I had Short Shorts at Number
Two when I was fifteen.”
Bob Gaudio, from JERSEY BOYS
“‘Why’d you do it Nicky? Why’d you walk away?’… All
right, I’ll be honest with you, it coulda been an ego thing.
Everybody wants to be up front.”
Nick Massi, from JERSEY BOYS
“You listen to Tommy, he’ll tell you we were real pals,
partners from the get-go. But what really happened was,
he was paying me twelve bucks a night when he was
getting a hundred fifty.”
Frankie Valli, from JERSEY BOYS
ACTIVITIES
Students are to study the excerpts at the top of this page, as well as the
Character Descriptions printed in the Additional Resources section of this
Education Pack. Based on observations of the musical and exploration of the
above stimuli, students are to examine the internal tensions that led to the
break up of The Four Seasons. Ask.
What were some of the conflicts between the characters?
How did personal issues affect these tensions?
Why did The Four Seasons lives begin to unravel, just as their careers were at
their peak? Which character was most instrumental to the band’s success? Why?
What did each character like and/or dislike about the other band members?
Continued
21

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
Students are to be split into groups of four. Each student, in each group, is to
take on the role of one of The Four Seasons. A group is selected to present
an impromptu interview to the class. Student take turns to assume their role.
Each student introduces their character to the class and is then asked a series
of questions by the other students in their group (refer to the above questions
as a starting point). Ask:
What were the major issues/conflicts/factors that led to the break up of the
original members of The Four Seasons?
What were some of the most significant issues that led to conflict within the
band? What other bands or groups have broken up? Why?
Are you able to identify any other groups that have remained together for a long
period of time?
Are they all original members of the group or have there been some changes?
Bob Gaudio and Frankie Valli have enjoyed a healthy partnership – a business
relationship that was founded on a handshake over 40 years ago. Ask:
What do you think is the secret of their successful collaboration?
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
22

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
DRAMA – ACCENTUATING ACCENT
“But I’m getting ahead of myself. You wanna begin at the
beginning. I’m the guy you wanna talk to, because this
whole thing started with me. Tommy DeVito, Belleville,
New Jersey. Native son.”
Tommy DeVito, from JERSEY BOYS
ACTIVITY
Students will examine how to manipulate their expressive skills, with specific
reference to voice, to present different accents. Students should view the
following Youtube sites for inspiration:
21 Accents:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=21+accents&qs=n&docid=106936546147
2&mid=EFB15FCBC4270AD3F9D9EFB15FCBC4270AD3F9D9&FORM=VIVR
How To Learn Any Accent – Part 1:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=learn+accents&scope=video&filt=all&
qs=n&docid=1076864811226&mid=65569532AD58EE1EF23765569532A
D58EE1EF237&FORM=VIVR18#
How To Learn Any Accent – Part 2:
www.bing.com/videos/search?q=learn+accents&scope=video&filt=all&
qs=n&docid=1051929215750&mid=9CE8F0FF16AD548745AF9CE8F0FF
16AD548745AF&FORM=VIVR24#
Students should record their observations and discuss:
What are the four steps to learning an accent according to Amy Walker?
What are the five different categories that Amy Walker identifies?
Can you identify any sub-categories?
Using the excerpt from Tommy’s first monologue (below), students explore
ways of manipulating their voice to define an accent. Students also examine
how language can identify the culture or nationality of a character.
TOMMY: But I’m getting ahead of myself. You wanna begin at the
beginning. I’m the guy you wanna talk to, because this
whole thing started with me. Tommy DeVito, Belleville,
New Jersey. Native son.
As a class, students should experiment delivering Tommy’s lines using various
accents: English, Cockney English, German, French, Russian, Chinese, Indian,
Australian, New Zealand, American, Southern American, New York American,
etc. Encourage students to present an accent to the class. Specify that the
language must remain the constant. Only the accent is allowed to change.
After students have had time to practise and present the various accents, ask:
How was the pronunciation of consonants and vowels affected by the choice
of accent?
How was the sound of each accent produced?
How would you describe the melody of each accent?
Is there a melodic pattern that shapes the accent?
What rhythm and stress did you observe in each accent?
How were sounds stressed to distinguish the accent?
Students are to repeat the activity but this time students are given permission
to alter the language slightly to illuminate the accent. i.e. “You wanna begin at
the beginning” might change to “I’d like to start at the beginning” if you were
presenting an English accent. Similarly the phrase, “Tommy DeVito, Belleville,
New Jersey” might be changed to “Thomas D. Vit, London, England”.
Students are given the freedom to change the grammar and language so that
it suits the accent, ask:
In what ways did you modify the language to suit the accent?
What words did you change? How did you affect the grammar?
Continued
23

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
EXTENSION ACTIVITY
Students are to record an interview with a family member or friend. The
subject of the interview needs to have immigrated to Australia. The students
must try to find out as much detail as they can about their subject. eg. Why
they left their home? How they arrived in this country? What difficulties they
experienced settling in a foreign land? Students are to write a monologue, in
the first person, based on their interview. The monologue and original recorded
interview are to be presented to the class for comparison and discussion. Ask:
How effectively was the student able to emulate their subject?
Was their pronunciation of words and sounds similar to their subject?
Was the student able to recreate the melodic pattern of the accent?
Did the student capture the rhythm and stress of the accent?
How effectively did the performers in JERSEY BOYS capture the Jersey accent?
How does the grammar and language of the musical define its setting?
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
24

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
DRAMA – CREATING A CATALOGUE MUSICAL
Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice acknowledge that they were initially invited to
consider creating a catalogue musical around the songs of The Four Seasons,
but they immediately declined. Elice maintains that they did not write a musical
at all. “It’s a play,” he says “with songs.”*
* JERSEY BOYS Discovery Guide – What, Exactly, Is This Show?
Students should read the full article What, Exactly, Is This Show? printed in
the Additional Resources section of this Education Pack. Students should also
further investigate the following theatrical styles:
MUSICAL THEATRE
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_theatre
HISTORICAL OR BIOGRAPHICAL DRAMA
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_drama_film
JUKEBOX MUSICAL
A musical using popular songs, usually from the same composer, performer,
or era.**
CATALOGUE MUSICAL
A sub genre of musical theatre in which existing songs are used to tell a new
story, often one based on the lyrics of the songs. This can include musicals that
reuse the songs of a particular theatrical composer in new ways or musicals that
feature pop songs. **
** Definitions taken from the JERSEY BOYS Discovery Guide – Vocabulary
ACTIVITY
Students are given the challenge of writing a Catalogue Musical based on the
songs and lyrics of The Four Seasons. Students are to present a synopsis
of their musical and should attempt to include at least 12 songs by The
Four Seasons in their treatment. For this task, students will find the following
website useful:
A complete list of all The Four Seasons songs and lyrics
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-lyrics.html
List of The Four Seasons songs:
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-beggin-lyrics.html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-big-girls-don-tcry-lyrics.htmlwww.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-bye-bye-babybaby-goodbye-lyrics.htmlwww.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-can-t-take-myeyes-off-you-lyrics.html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-candy-girl-lyrics.
html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-c-mon-marriannelyrics.html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-dawn-lyrics.html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-december-1963oh-what-a-night-lyrics.html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-fallen-angel-lyrics.
html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-grease-lyrics.html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-honey-love-lyrics.
html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-i-make-a-fool-ofmyself-lyrics.htmlwww.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-i-ve-got-youunder-my-skin-lyrics.htmlwww.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-let-s-hang-onlyrics.html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-marlena-lyrics.
html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-my-eyes-adoredyou-lyrics.htmlwww.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-opus-17-don-tyou-worry--bout-me-lyrics.html
Continued
25

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-our-day-will-comelyrics.html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-rag-doll-lyrics.html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-ronnie-lyrics.html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-sherry-lyrics.html
www.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-silence-is-goldenlyrics.htmlwww.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-swearin--to-godlyrics.htmlwww.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-tell-it-to-the-rainlyrics.htmlwww.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-walk-like-a-manlyrics.htmlwww.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-who-loves-youlyrics.htmlwww.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-will-you-love-metomorrow-lyrics.htmlwww.lyricsdownload.com/valli-frankie---four-seasons-workin-my-wayback-to-you-lyrics.html
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
Allow class time for students to develop a plot that links together the lyrics of the
twelve selected songs. Students are to work in groups of four and are instructed
to pitch their idea for a Catalogue Musical to the other students in their group.
Eventually the students in each group must choose one of the musical ideas.
The group must then work together to present that idea to the rest of the class.
The students’ presentation must include a list of characters, a clear synopsis,
and a list of The Four Seasons songs they wish to include. Ask:
Which presentation did you think was particularly original? Why?
How might the synopsis be developed further? What other songs by The Four
Seasons could be included?
Why do you think Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice rejected the Catalogue
Musical style?
26

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
MUSIC – FALSETTO
“I dropped out of high school to tour with Short Shorts,
I shared a bus with Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, the Everly
Brothers, Jackie Wilson – but I never heard a voice like
Frankie Valli’s. After eight bars, I know I need to write for
this voice.”
Bob Gaudio, from JERSEY BOYS
The most distinctive feature of Frankie Valli’s voice is what has been called his
“signature” falsetto. In one scene from the play, he is shown singing a note even
higher than the female lead during a recording – much to her chagrin!
Portraying such a powerful and high voice is hard work – Bobby Fox, who plays
Frankie in the Melbourne production, has revealed that he begins his warm-up
two hours before curtain up and takes special care with his health and his
voice in order to keep it in good condition. Frankie Valli’s use of falsetto is part
of a long tradition, most notably the so-called “doo-wop” style so popular
at the time. Students should have an understanding of the historical context
and physiological challenges of falsetto singing in order to appreciate Valli’s
significance as a singer in recent popular music history. The following activities
provide an introduction to this interesting aspect of the singing voice.
The music activities are most suitable for study as part of the Stage 5 music
elective course or the Stage 6 Music 1 course. They may be useful for the Stage
4 mandatory course too.
MUSIC – FALSETTO
The falsetto activity could be used as part of a topic for the Stage 5 Elective
Course, Stage 6 Music 1 course.
STAGE 5:
Group 1 topic - Music for Small Ensembles.
Group 2 topics - Popular Music, Theatre Music, Rock Music, Music for Small
Ensembles.
STAGE 6: Music 1 topics:
An instrument and its repertoire (Voice), Music of the 20th and 21st Centuries,
Popular music, Theatre music. It could be used when studying castrati voice in
the Baroque Music topic. (NSW Board of Studies syllabus, p. 22-25)
ACTIVITY A. Find Your Inner Falsetto
(For stage 5 and 6, this is largely a performance activity)
Demonstrate a “siren” exercise to the class, following the instructions given in:
www.singsmart.com/freesingingarticles/elevatortheory.html
Teachers can also use a similar warm-up exercise of their own. Make a few
variations to the siren, and have the class copy you. Ask:
What do you feel your body/your voice doing?
Explain that the high notes at the top are in falsetto voice (or head voice for girls). Ask:
Why do you think the word “false” is part of the name?
Have the class sing “The Grand Old Duke of York” (or similar song with a
limited register) in middle or “chest” voice, then in falsetto. Ask:
Is this difficult to do?
Ask the class what would be the opposite of falsetto? Most likely they will come
up with the breathy low register sometimes called vocal fry.
Explain this term. A good starting point is
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocal_fry
ACTIVITY B. “Falsettists” I Have Known
(For Stage 5, a listening activity.
For Stage 6 Music 1, a Aural/Musicology activity)
1. Ask:
Have you heard any professional artists who sing like that?
Is there a name for that voice type or type of singer? Who? (list on board)
2. Show the online video of countertenor Alfred Deller:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk2rJVXJp8g
Explain the term countertenor and how this type of singing fits into music history.
Refer: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countertenor#The_countertenor_in_history
Continued
27

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
3. Ask:
There also used to be a type of singer called castrati. How do you think they
got their voices?
For more information on Castrati refer: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castrati
4. Show YouTube videos listed to the class.
Doowop singers:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QECKfn1aj6c&feature=PlayList&p=021858C
6E43E68DE&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=46
Bee Gees:
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bee+gees+how+can+you+men
d+a+broken+heart&search_type=&aq=0&oq=bee+gees+how+can+you
Jimmy Somerville:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNCVvJfHrbg
Thom York from Radiohead:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBH97ma9YiI&feature=related
Ask:
How do these performers sound different from each other?
How are they the same?
MUSIC – SHORT SHORTS
“I had Short Shorts at Number Two when I was fifteen.
OK sure, by 17, I’m just another one-hit-wonder worrying
that the best is already behind me ...”
Bob Gaudio, from JERSEY BOYS
[Short Shorts] was inspired, naturally enough, by a drive
down Washington Avenue with fellow band member Tom
Austin. Austin recalled that they saw several good-looking
girls walking along the street wearing the now-immortalized
shorts. Being teen-age boys, Austin said, they of course
slowed down to take a look.
From www.twinboronews.com/NC/0/2221.html
Short Shorts was a very popular song in 1958 and an example of the classic
12-bar blues format that is still used by popular musicians today. In JERSEY BOYS
the song is performed as an introduction to Bob Gaudio’s character, at the start
of the act called “Summer”, of which Bob is the narrator.
Music students can learn the song on instruments easily in class, no matter what
level of instrumental ability they have.
Short Shorts – chords and lyrics
28

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
ACTIVITY A. 12-Bar Blues
The simplest way to teach the twelve bar blues is to use the “echo” technique:
i Have the lyrics and chords printed or written on a large sheet that all
students can see. Sing the song as indicated above – teacher sings first
line, students sing echo.
ii Allocate instruments to students. These can be keyboards, guitars, recorders,
melodic percussion – any pitched instrument. On their instrument, students
play the C chord, the note C, or any note from the C chord (see above).
Sing the song again as in Step i, and students play only when they are singing
the echo.
iii Select some students to play the F chord, the note F, or any note from the
F chord (see above). Those students sit with the teacher and play only on
the line with the F chord (ie They’re such short shorts). The rest of the class
plays as in step ii. You can refer to these groups as the “C” group and the
“F” group.
iv The teacher now moves away from the “F” group and selects a number of
students from the “C” group to form the “G” group. The “G” group and the
teacher sit in another part of the space to play the G chord, the note G, or
any note of the G chord (see above).
v Play the song as above, with each group only playing their chord at the
correct time. Swap groups around when confident. Some students may
wish to play all three chords.
Ask the class the following questions:
Can you think of any other songs that use the twelve bar blues?
Why “twelve bar”? Why “blues”?
Why was this chord pattern so popular in the 1950s and 1960s?
ACTIVITY B. Short Shorts
The whole class now sings the song. Divide the class so that one half sings
only on the words “short shorts,” and the other half sings the other lyrics.
Ask the class:
Is the phrase “short shorts” always sung on the same note?
Show the pitch level with your hand as you sing “short shorts”
Invite students to create new lyrics, in groups if they wish. For example, they
may change the phrase “short shorts” to “long longs”, or they may wish to add
a new verse: “Where are my short shorts?”
ACTIVITY A and B can be used as part of a topic for the Stage 5 Elective
Course or Stage 6 Music 1 course (listed below). This would be focussing on
the concept of pitch as you study the 12 bar blues. The learning experiences
of listening, composing, and performing are covered for Stage 5. For Stage 6 ,
they are musicology, aural, performance and composition.
STAGE 5 TOPICS:
Group 1 topic - Music for Small Ensembles
Group 2 topics - Popular Music, Theatre Music, Rock Music, Music for Small
Ensembles, Jazz (NSW Board of Studies Stage 5 Syllabus, p.36).
STAGE 6 MUSIC 1 TOPICS:
An instrument and its repertoire (Voice), Music of the 20th and 21st Centuries,
Popular music, Theatre music, Jazz (NSW Board of Studies Stage 6 Music 1
Syllabus, pp. 22-25).
29

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
This activity becomes a performance
learning experience for students.
The following topics can be studied:
STAGE 5 TOPICS:
Popular Music, Music for Small ensembles.
STAGE 6 MUSIC 1 TOPICS:
Popular Music, Theatre Music,
An Instrument and Its Repertoire (voice),
Music of the 20th and 21st Centuries.
MUSIC – CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU
“Where’s that song? We wanna hear that song! What’s
wrong with you people?”
Bob Crewe, speaking as a blue-collar worker about Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, in JERSEY BOYS
This song, written by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe, has been an outstanding
success since its release in 1967. Since that time it has been covered by
countless musicians and featured in movies, TV shows, and other realms of
popular culture. Although the song is now very familiar and recognisable to
listeners of popular music, the structure of the song is unusual. In JERSEY BOYS,
this unusual nature of the song is portrayed as making it too difficult for music
industry executives to accept, and it is only through Bob Gaudio’s insistence that
it is finally played on the radio, initiating the huge success it has since become.
If teachers are planning to take their students to see JERSEY BOYS, this activity is
best completed after seeing the show, as there is a possibility of “spoiling” the
plot. During the scene described above, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You is referred
to only as “the song”, after which it is performed by Frankie and the audience
finally discovers what “the song” actually was!
These activities are ideal for teachers wishing to illustrate or revise crucial aspects
of modern harmony, including chords and chord progressions.
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
ACTIVITY A. Learning The Song
1. Sing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” with piano or guitar accompaniment to
the class. Ask:
What different sections can you hear in the song?
Is the instrumental section in this song different to other songs?
2. Now play only the chords from the verse. Ask:
What can you say about the harmonic progression in this section?
Is it moving in 5ths? 3rds? Steps?
Can you hear a chromatic movement? What does this word mean?
Each chord is held for 2 bars, with one exception – put your hand up when
you hear it.
3. Distribute melodic/harmonic instruments to the class – these could include
glockenspiels, guitars, keyboards, pianos and so on. Allow students time to
practise the following descending chromatic phrase in their own time:
4. Now instruct the class to play each note once only, and hold it for eight beats.
Play the chords accompaniment again in time with the class playing, this time
emphasising the chromatic note featured in each chord. Ensure that everyone
plays at the right time – stop the exercise and start again if the class is not
playing together.
5. When you reach the F#7 – Am6 sequence towards the end of the verse
(“You’re just too good to be true”), some students may notice that these
chords are played on four beats each. Stop playing and bring this to
everyone’s attention, writing the change on the board if you wish, and then
start the verse again, this time paying attention to the new sequence. Practise
the verse a few more times. Introduce singing and other instruments if
desired, according to the ability of the class.
Continued
30

ACTIVITIES
THE ARTS
6. Teach the repeated riff from the instrumental break:
This riff is almost entirely made up of chromatic intervals except for two – where?
How do you know?
7. Perform the song as a class: students play the chromatic sequences during
the verse and the instrumental break and sing in the chorus; teacher plays
chords accompaniment and sings.
EXTENSION ACTIVITY Analysing The Song
As part of the requirements for the NSW syllabus, a study of the concept of
pitch will be relevant in the Stage 5 elective or Stage 6 Music 1 course. In this
activity, the harmonic structure of the song is studied, looking at cadences,
progressions, jazz chords and how they are used. For the Stage 5 elective
course the learning experience of listening is dealt with in this activity. For the
Stage 6 Music 1 course, the musicology and aural learning experiences are
dealt with.
What sort of 7th chords can you hear?
Put your hand up when you think you can hear: A major 7th chord; dominant
7th chord; minor 7th chord.
What other sorts of jazz chords can you hear?
Do you know the notes of a 9th chord? A minor 6th chord?
Where does the key change occur?
What happens in a key change?
After the song has been learned, the following questions/tasks can be given:
At what points in the song is the harmony moving in 5ths?
How does the chromatic sequence in the verse fit in with the chords?
What is the key of the song?
Write out the notes to all chords of the song.
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
31

ACTIVITIES
HUMANITIES
HISTORY – JUST JERSEY
“Yeah, Jersey’s great. We got some of the finest prisons
in America – and I speak from experience. So it’s only
natural to want something better. If you’re from my
neighbourhood, you’ve got three ways out: you could
join the army. You could get mobbed up. Or – you could
become a star.”
Tommy DeVito, from JERSEY BOYS
Original US Touring Cast © Joan Marcus
ACTIVITY
Find out what students already know about Jersey and the 1960s culture of
the American people. Teachers could prepare an introductory session or set a
research task that allows students to gain and share an understanding of:
The geographical location of New Jersey, its cities, its neighbouring states
and, its location in relation to Australia. Use a globe or a map. Refer:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belleville%2C_New_Jersey
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_USA_NJ.svg
American diversity that has unified or divided its people including; religion,
nationality, class, language, colour, etc. Refer:
psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Diversity
Important stages of Jersey’s history with particular focus on events post World
War II as well as major political developments and contemporary issues. Refer:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newark,_New_Jersey
Italian-American contributions to American culture and society including
the immigration of Italian people to America. Refer:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_American
Students are to read the JERSEY BOYS quote at the top of this page. Ask:
Why does Tommy say that Jersey is “great”? Why is he being sarcastic?
Is Tommy’s attitude and experience indicative of the Italian-American male
youth of his time or is it the exception?
Why do you think there is so much poverty and crime in Tommy’s neighbourhood?
Students should be encouraged to examine and identify the reasons for social
inequality between different communities in America. Students will find the
following website useful:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redlining
How did “redlining” contribute to issues of inequality within neighbouring
communities?
How were the “red lines” determined?
Continued
32

ACTIVITIES
HUMANITIES
HISTORY – HISTORIC EVENTS
“It’s a season of “firsts”. John Glenn is the first American
to orbit the Earth. We go out on our first cross-country
tour…And that night, I rack up a personal first.”
Bob Gaudio, from JERSEY BOYS
“Eisenhower’s the president. Rocky Marciano’s the
heavy weight champ. And a few guys under a street lamp,
singing…”
Tommy DeVito, from JERSEY BOYS
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
ACTIVITY
The production of JERSEY BOYS is divided into “four seasons”, however the
actual timeline of the events covers more then fifty years. Even though the
story of the JERSEY BOYS primarily focuses on the lives and careers of the central
characters, there are many moments in the musical when the audience are
made aware of other significant historical events that were happening at the
time (as the above quotes demonstrate).
In this activity students will focus on researching other ground-breaking
world events that were taking place at the same time as the JERSEY BOYS were
rocketing to fame.
Break the class into groups and give each group a specific focus for their
research. Students might be divided into groups to research a particular
decade, or groups might be assigned to researching a specific event such as;
the Apollo space missions, the women’s rights movement, the Vietnam War,
the Civil Rights movement, etc. Students might refer to the following websites
as a starting point for their research:
history1900s.about.com/od/timelines/tp/1960timeline.htm
history1900s.about.com/od/timelines/tp/1970timeline.htm
history1900s.about.com/od/timelines/tp/1980timeline.htm
history1900s.about.com/od/timelines/tp/1990timeline.htm
Give students time to present their research to the class for feedback and
discussion. Ask:
What significant historical events are referenced in JERSEY BOYS?
Why do you believe the writers may have chosen not to include other significant
world events?
How many of the historical events you have identified actually impacted on the
lives of The Four Seasons?
Continued
33

ACTIVITIES
HUMANITIES
HUMANITIES
HISTORY – THE AMERICAN MAFIA
“You want something done – or un-done – in New Jersey,
Gyp DeCarlo was The Man. He made fifty problems like
Frankie’s disappear everyday before lunch.”
Tommy DeVito, from JERSEY BOYS
Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
ACTIVITY
Tommy DeVito clearly admires Gyp DeCarlo’s status. Gyp is presented as a
man with money, power, respect and influence. The character of Mr DeCarlo
is based on a real Mafia boss. In this activity students will investigate the
history of the American Mafia and its involvement in illegal activities in America.
Students will find the following website useful in their investigation:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Mafia
Divide the class into five groups to investigate the five main New York City
Mafia families. Assign a Mafia family to each group. Students should refer to
the following websites as a starting point for their research:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambino_crime_family
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucchese_crime_family
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genovese_crime_family
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonanno_crime_family
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombo_crime_family
Students should present their research to the class for feedback and
discussion. Ask:
What sort of illegal activities were these families involved in?
Were there any differences in the sorts of illegal activities each family were
involved in?
Which real Mafia member do you believe Gyp DeCarlo is based on?
What illegal activities is Gyp DeCarlo involved in?
What other activities might we assume he would have been involved in?
What position in the structure of the Mafia does Gyp DeCarlo hold?
What methods might Gyp DeCarlo have used to make problems “disappear”?
How is Gyp DeCarlo’s character perceived by the audience?
34

ADDITONAL
RESOURCES
BIOGRAPHIES
THE CAST
www.jerseyboysaustralia.com.au/cast/
cast1.php
THE CREATIVE TEAM
www.jerseyboysaustralia.com.au/creatives/
brickman.php
THE PRODUCERS
www.jerseyboysaustralia.com.au/creatives/
dodger.php
TIMELINE OF THE SEASONS
1960 The group known as The Four Lovers
evolved into The Four Seasons, with Frankie Valli as
the lead singer, Bob Gaudio (formerly of The Royal
Teens) on keyboards and tenor vocals, Tommy
DeVito on lead guitar and baritone vocals and Nick
Massi on bass guitar and bass vocals.
1962 The group released their first album featuring
the single Sherry, which was not only their first
charted hit but also their first number one song.
1963 Walk Like A Man is the band’s third straight
number one hit.
1965 Nick Massi is the first of the original members
to leave The Four Seasons. Tommy and Bob would
follow in 1970 and ’71, respectively.
1975 My Eyes Adored You is Frankie Valli’s first hit
as a solo artist.
1990 The Four Seasons are inducted into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame.
1999 The Four Seasons are inducted into the Vocal
Group Hall of Fame.
2005 JERSEY BOYS opens on Broadway at The
August Wilson Theatre.
2006 JERSEY BOYS opens in San Francisco at the
Curran Theatre.
2007 JERSEY BOYS opens in Chicago at the Bank
of America Theatre, and in Toronto at the Toronto
Centre for the Arts.
2008 JERSEY BOYS opens on the West End at the
Prince Edward Theatre in London, and in Las Vegas
at the Palazzo.
2009 JERSEY BOYS opens in Melbourne at the
Princess Theatre.
THE HIT MACHINE
For over a decade Bob Gaudio teamed with
various partners to pen a remarkable number
of US Top 40 hits for Frankie Valli and
The Four Seasons. His run from 1962 to 1975:
#1 (5 weeks) Sherry 25/08/62
#1 (5 weeks) Big Girls Don’t Cry 20/10/62
#1 (3 weeks) Walk Like A Man 26/01/63
#36 (2 weeks) Marlena 13/07/63
#3 (3 weeks) Dawn (Go Away) 01/02/64
#6 (1 week) Ronnie 11/04/64
#1 (2 weeks) Rag Doll 20/06/64
#10 (2 weeks) Save It For Me 29/08/64
#20 (2 weeks) Big Man In Town 07/11/64
#12 (2 weeks) Bye, Bye, Baby
(Baby Goodbye) 16/01/65
#30 (1 week) Girl Come Running 19/06/65
#16 (2 weeks) Beggin’ 04/03/67
#2 (2 weeks) Can’t Take My Eyes Off You 02/05/67
#3 (2 weeks) Who Loves You 23/08/75
#1 (3 weeks) December, 1963
(Oh What A Night) 27/12/75
Continued
35

ADDITONAL
RESOURCES
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN COPIED
FROM THE JERSEY BOYS PROGRAMME PUBLISHED BY THE ARACA GROUP
TOMMY DEVITO
A guy walks into a room, announcing his presence with
authority by the simple act of adjusting the lapel on his
jacket. He’s one to watch. The swagger, the bravado,
the self assurance – a guy like this is up to something…
something you may want to be part of… and maybe
something you don’t. But you look. You wonder. And then,
you listen as he picks up a guitar. He plays. He sings. This street tough from
Belleville, New Jersey is a musician. Something’s missing, but it’s not confidence.
Maybe a guy like this gets steeled from growing up during the Depression,
resorting to a series of petty crimes, short stints at correction centres, being
brought up in a town whose economy went from one extreme to the other in
a handful of years. Fruitful, then barren, and then blooming too fast, to such
an extent, that amidst a flourishing nation, some of those seeds of prosperity
fell onto a stony strip in New Jersey. Heated and lit, not by the sun, but by the
streetlamps that became microphones to guys like Tommy.
That’s how a guy gets from there, to here. That’s how he stays strong during the
storms of opposition, of tumult, of pessimism.
Tommy DeVito stood his ground. Knew what he believed in. Saw his life going in
one of three different ways:
“You could join the Army. You could get mobbed up. Or – you could become a
star. Have your songs played in France. It could happen. It did happen.”
He’s a player, a worker, a protector. Sure, he might seem self-serving, maybe he
is. But for Tommy, it’s the end result. Means to an end. “My hand to God” and
he reaches. He reaches – and to get there, he grabs and finds three other hands
that grab back. He’s the one who pulls them in. Holds them close. He knows that
what he hangs on to will take him to where he wants to go. Up.
Plant the seeds. The best is yet to come.
Spring has sprung.
BOB GAUDIO
Imagine touring with a busload of music legends in the
making: Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke, The Everly Brothers,
Jackie Wilson. Now, imagine doing this at the age of 15.
Bob Gaudio left high school in his junior year as part of
The Royal Teens and toured the country after their 1958
hit Short Shorts, which he co-wrote, made it to number 3
on the pop charts. He gigged all over, ninety one-nighters and then as soon as it
started, it seemed to end; the tour, the hit – but, not the dream. At 17, he found
himself working at a printing factory, making sure he left work with the same
number of fingers that he started with.
At age seven he played a piano concert at Carnegie Hall. At 15, he was touring
the country with a chart-topping hit. For some, those kinds of accomplishments
would be enough for a while – in life’s “win column” at age 15. Not bad. But,
for a driven musician like Bob Gaudio, it wasn’t enough. At age 17, he was still
searching for more of the success he tasted a couple of years back. Maybe
not the touring, or the performing, but that feeling of catching hold of that bit of
lightning in a bottle.
At his feet would be many empty containers waiting to be filled. Sooner than later,
he’d have handfuls to harness. He didn’t stand under the same street lamps, but
he found a beam that would burn just as bright, actually, brighter. The source
was a three-and-a-half-octave gift shot not from the sky, but from a Valli.
“I never heard a voice like Frankie Valli’s. After eight bars, I know I need to write
for this voice.”
“I locked myself in my room and I wrote four new songs in two days.
No, not songs, hits.”
He wrote.
He composed.
He found the lightning.
Things were heating up.
Continued
36

ADDITONAL
RESOURCES
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
NICK MASSI
Nick Massi walked around with two ears like almost
everyone else in Newark, New Jersey – but, the way he
used them – musically – was on a whole different level.
He heard things just fine; he just heard them in four parts.
People have ears. Guys like Nick have chambers.
“Nick was as close to being a musical genius as anyone
I know.” Valli says, “He heard harmony like nobody else.” Nick sang the bass
vocals, played the bass guitar, and typified the bass in the way he conducted
himself in the group.
The role of the bass in any band is to a) provide the rhythmic foundation; and
to, b) provide the harmonic foundation. In a much heralded, often hyphenated
“white-doo-wop-soul-R&B-pop-rock” description of The Four Seasons, the
presence of Nick Massi and his contribution as the arranger and architect in the
creation of the band’s unmistakable sound is undeniable.
“In the voice department, there was no one like Nick,” longtime Four Seasons’
producer Bob Crewe told the Star-Ledger. “He had that wonderful big booming
sound. He was one of the most informed musicians I’ve ever worked with, with
an innate sense of how things worked together.”
When people talk about The Four Seasons, inevitably, Frankie Valli’s falsetto is
mentioned almost in the same sentence. It’s an audible stamp that identifies
any Seasons’ song. It is a vocal gift, made vocal marvel by the counterpoint
of Massi’s deep bass and skilful arrangements. The high falsetto may not have
registered as high were it not for the lows of Massi’s bass. Without Massi, the
Seasons’ sound may have never reached the clarity that established itself so
prominently in a sea of vocal groups.
Nick realised this.
He knew.
He heard the evidence in four parts.
Did anyone else?
Or, did his contributions fall on deaf ears?
FRANKIE VALLI
In the beginning there was the voice. Not just the falsetto,
but a vocal range that moved effortlessly from one extreme
to the other. Maybe more than any other artist, when you
hear Frankie Valli, you know it’s Frankie Valli. As strong as
the voice is, from where it springs forth, it is even stronger.
He is a dreamer, he is a “do-er,” he is the living example
that an “overnight success” can take ten years of “nights” to accomplish. This
unwavering confidence stems from his steadfast foundation of loyalty; loyalty to
the band, to the music, to the fans – and loyalty to the voice.
In-fighting within the group, personal loss, health scares, financial
mismanagements – pick one, and an average group breaks up. They wilt. They
crack. They wither and die in the starkness of a cold spot. When the winter of
discontent hits, the branches lose sight of the seasons past and of the seasons
yet to come.
Not Frankie.
He gets it.
Always has.
His voice gives birth. To hopes. To dreams.
To new seasons.
Continued
37

ADDITONAL
RESOURCES
SYNOPSIS
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN COPIED
FROM THE JERSEY BOYS DISCOVERY GUIDE
JERSEY BOYS is the story of four sons of Italian immigrants. They went from
singing on street corners in the housing projects of northern New Jersey to
singing on national television as their songs hit the top of the charts. Their
meteoric rise was fuelled by talent, street savvy and heart, plus a sound that was
theirs and theirs alone. But even their dramatic ascent could not free them from
poverty and mafia connections of their early years.
They called themselves The Four Seasons, and their story emerges as four
stories, each representing a season of their career, and each told by a different
member of the group. Spring is the time of their earliest beginnings, harmonising
under a street lamp on a balmy sunny evening. Summer is the zenith of their
success; while in autumn we see that success takes its toll, as the lives and
marriages of the group members begin to unravel. Winter brings solitude, sorrow
and reflection, but within it the memories of the first spring are contained, and in
that memory lies the promise of another spring.
Within the broad outlines of their history, though, the recollections of the
individual members vary widely. These conflicting memories provide a tension
and torque, which get beneath the bounce and zing of the music and rev it up
still further, giving JERSEY BOYS an irresistible momentum.
PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS
Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice: The write men
for the job
An interviewer marveling at the success of JERSEY BOYS laughingly asked
Marshall Brickman “Who would have thought that you’d end up knowing all the
lyrics Frankie Valli ever wrote?” A self-described member of the “over-analyzed,
over educated, Upper West Side” generation of New Yorkers, Brickman thought
of “The Four Seasons” as a piece of music by classical composer Antonio Vivaldi,
and would have turned down the opportunity to meet with Frankie Valli and Bob
Gaudio had he not been cajoled into it by his friend Rick Elice. The meeting of
these four men at the Joe Allen Restaurant in Times Square was an unlikely
conjunction of two perfectly paired, but seemingly very different, sets of artists.
Marshall Brickman had written extensively for television before hooking up with
Woody Allen to collaborate on the films Sleeper, Annie Hall (which won him an
Oscar ® ) and Manhattan, but his show business debut was as a musician and
vocalist in the folk group The Tarriers. Brickman recorded (with Eric Weissberg)
the soundtrack of the movie Deliverance before turning to writing, so he was no
stranger to the world of singing and recording. Elice the playwright behind
the popular stage thriller Double Double, had worked as an actor, teacher and
creative consultant, and in the field of advertising had produced ad campaigns
for 300 Broadway shows, including A Chorus Line and The Lion King. Both
men recognized dramatic promise in the material they heard as Valli and Gaudio
described their boyhoods in New Jersey.
The two writers heard the themes of a play they knew they wanted to write:
the contrast of the bright, youthful music with the dark underside of poverty
and mob connections; what Brickman calls the “Shakespearean” nature of the
obstacles that had confronted the young Seasons; and, most of all, the way the
four original members of the group still contradicted each other as they recalled
the past. “It was a happy day when we embraced the idea of the contradictions,”
says Elice. With director Des McAnuff, the writers used these contradictions
as the organising principle of the show, allowing many of the story’s dramatic
ironies. The odd-couple alliance between the two high school drop-outs and the
two Harvard/Yale types from Manhattan sparked the very genesis of the show.
Elice remembers Bob Gaudio saying to him wryly, early in their acquaintance, “I
know where you were in the Sixties. You were marching on Washington while our
fans went to Vietnam.” Brickman confirmed this impression, saying that the only
song he had known back then was “We Shall Overcome”.
The basic counterpoint between the two pairs sounded the opening notes of
what would be a whole new composition. The conflict experienced by four
young Italian-Americans reaching for the American dream while still in the
clutches of the Italian Mafia becomes a dramatic propellant onstage, moving the
story forward. The internal tensions among The Four Seasons found their lives
beginning to unravel just as their careers were at their peak. The differences in
the way they recalled the past, the contrast between the audiences’ heart-deep
familiarity with their music for near complete ignorance of the group itself, provide
high octave fuel, making JERSEY BOYS move “like a joyride in a stolen Cadillac,” as
Richard Ouzounian of the Toronto Star said, giving it what Ben Fong-Torres of the
San Francisco Chronicle identified as a “neat balance between heart and sass”
that rocketed it to sold-out status on Broadway in less then a week.
Continued
38

ADDITONAL
RESOURCES
SETTING AND CONTEXT
And The Band Played On
JERSEY BOYS takes place within a symbolic year of four seasons, but it covers
several decades in the life of the group by that name. The Four Seasons got their
start in the mid-1950s, when the phenomenon of rock and roll gyrated into a
staid era of lounge music and propriety, blew open all the doors and vented the
life force and rebellion of a huge new generation, the children of World War II,
now known as the Baby Boomers, just as they were coming of age.
Initially rubbing elbows with Elvis Presley (both he and Valli cut their first records
in 1953), The Four Seasons displayed unusual staying power. After hitting
the pop charts 40 times in the 1960s, most bands would have disintegrated,
especially under the onslaught of the so-called British Invasion that brought the
Beatles and the Rolling Stones to American shores, and the added pressures of
the Vietnam War, which ended the Boomers’ innocence. But The Four Seasons
fell back and regrouped, downsizing to two, Valli and Gaudio, whose partnership
was sealed with a “Jersey contract” (a handshake) and endures to this day.
By 1974, Valli was back in the Number One spot on the music charts as a solo
performer, and a year later, the group reunited for two more years at the top
of the charts, before breaking up in 1977. Rock music was changing, falsetto
singing was enjoying a new popularity as the Bee Gees ushered in the disco era,
and Frankie Valli reached new heights with a triple-platinum hit: the title song
from the musical ‘Grease’.
Valli and Gaudio reformed The Four Seasons with two new members in 1980, the
year Ronald Reagan was elected President, and began recording and touring. In
1990, The Four Seasons were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And
now, in a stunning apotheosis of the American dream, their legend and renown
have new life in a play about them, which Richard Corliss of Time Magazine said
“will run for centuries”. Now that’s staying power!
WHAT, EXACTLY, IS THIS SHOW?
Much has been said about the form of JERSEY BOYS. Critics Pat Craig of the Contra
Costa Times insists that “JERSEY BOYS is a jukebox musical; you can bet your
sock-hop soul on that.” Karen D’Souza of the San José Mercury News calls it
a “doo-wop jukebox musical,” while Elaine Liner of The Dallas Observer adds a
flourish, calling it “the brashest, brightest songbook musical ever devised. More
than just the gem of a genre.” Others have used the term ‘catalogue musical’, a
show in which a list of popular songs has served as the basis for a story written
to connect them and flesh them out. Mamma Mia, written around the songs of
the pop group ABBA, is a prime and popular example.
Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice acknowledge that they were initially invited to
consider creating a catalogue musical around the songs of The Four Seasons,
but they immediately declined. Elice maintains that they did not write a musical at
all. “It’s a play,” he says “with songs.” What’s the difference? Strictly speaking, a
musical removes the distinction between dialogue and song; characters turn to
each other onstage and, instead of speaking, sing some of their lines, carrying
the story forward through song. There is not a single instance of that in JERSEY
BOYS, in which the songs are added to enhance but not to establish the drama.
In terms of its form, this show may be unique. It settled the issue, however, by
winning a Tony Award for Best Musical * and earning its own niche in a field of
dramas that spans titles as far apart as the plays Romeo and Juliet, Guys and
Dolls and West Side Story, the films, Goodfellas and The Godfather, and the
television series The Sopranos. These dramas have a menacing undertone of
warring factions, class struggles, sinister alliances and seemingly insurmountable
odds. Yet in that field, JERSEY BOYS is unique: not myth and not fiction, it is literally
and sometimes painfully true.
Is it that honesty that brings audiences to their feet over and over? “The good
news for us,” says Bob Gaudio, “is that because no one knew anything about us,
there is an element of surprise and shock.” We could add, “delight and thrill,” as
both the four guys from Jersey and the play about them beat the odds.
* NOTE: A complete list of awards that JERSEY BOYS has received can be
found at:
www.jerseyboysaustralia.com.au/awards.html
Continued
39

ADDITONAL
RESOURCES
RESOURCES
Interested in learning more about the people and events
of JERSEY BOYS? Here are some books, websites and films
to check out.
WEBSITES:
www.JerseyBoysInfo.com
Official home of the musical, JERSEY BOYS.
www.artspass.com/default.asp
A video interview with Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, authors of JERSEY BOYS, is
featured on this website. Click “Video on Demand” choose “ArtsPass Live,” then
scroll down to #A-2: Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice.
www.history-of-rock.com/four_seasons.htm
There are a few misspellings in this history of The Four Seasons, but there is also
a great deal of concrete information. For even more, proceed to the end of the
history, click on “Frames” and choose “Timeline” in the left column.
www.rockhall.com/inductee/the-four-seasons
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum devotes this page of its website to
The Four Seasons, and documents some of their unique claims to fame.
www.classicbands.com/seasons.html
This site is a treasure-trove of Seasons trivia, full of intriguing specifics, especially
regarding the making of The Four Seasons’ first break out hit, Sherry.
www.angelfire.com/music/SeasonologyInstitute
Maintained by the Fans of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons Email Group,
this uneven website includes a meticulously detailed history of the group, filled
with obscure facts, plus biographies of The Four Seasons and a downloadable
Frankie Valli ringtone.
www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,964284,00.html
Charles P. Alexander’s article, A Handshake for All Seasons, dates from 1987, but
it provides a portrait of the friendship and business partnership between Frankie
Valli and Bob Gaudio that is timeless and inspiring.
www.JerseyBoysAustralia.com.au/fourseasons.html
The story of The Four Seasons.
www.JerseyBoysAustralia.com.au/facts.html
Facts about The Four Seasons.
www.JerseyBoysAustralia.com.au/video.html
JERSEY BOYS video
www.JerseyBoysAustralia.com.au/video.html
Australian cast interview
BOOKS:
JERSEY BOYS: The Story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons
by David Cote (Broadway Books, 2007)
The official behind-the-scenes companion book to the musical, JERSEY BOYS.
A History of Rock Music: 1951– 2000
by Piero Scaruffi (iUniverse, 2003)
Written with an emphasis on innovation in rock and roll, this book gives readers a
glance at the vast field of rock musicians, an increased appreciation for The Four
Seasons’ achievements and a clear understanding of the contest in which they
were working.
All Shook Up: How Rock’n’Roll Changed America
by Glenn C. Altschuler (Oxford University Press, 2003)
A look at rock music in the context of American history, this book takes the music
seriously in terms of its origins and its effects on American culture.
The Complete Book of Doo-Wop
by Anthony J. Gribin and Matthew M. Schiff (Krause Publications, 2000)
Early Four Seasons songs are often described as doo-wop music. If you would
like to know more about doo-wop, what it is and what groups performed it, you
will appreciate this book’s definitions and descriptions.
FILM & VIDEO:
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons – In Concert ’92
(Delta Entertainment Corporation, 1992)
Appearing live in Atlantic City, an updated Four Seasons performs a broad range
of songs, encompassing some of the original greats (“Sherry” “Walk Like A Man”
“My Eyes Adored You”) and including some newer numbers (“Silver Star” and
“Remember When”).
Rashomon
directed by Akira Kurosawa (Daiei Studios, 1950)
The Japanese film on which the structure of JERSEY BOYS is based.
40

Original Australian Cast © Jeff Busby
41