The show’s subtitle tells exactly what The Four C Notes is and does. At FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, audience appreciation on opening night erupted in clapping for every doo-wop hit of Frankie Valli and his group, even before the finale of any one of them.
Max Trotter usually leads his fellow singers into song and appropriate controlled dance-movement. He also explains where each song or group of songs fits into Frankie Valli’s achievement and why these developed and scored with audiences. All seemed to fit in with the approving opening night reactions at FST. Trotter’s manner never fluctuated from being extremely upbeat.
The biggest hits in Act I: “Sherrie,” “You’re Just Too Good to Be True,” and “I Love You, Baby.” All boy-to-girl admiration came over sincerely. But “Candy Girl” provided its own kind of sweetness before an ending “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” that could compete with Frank Sinatra’s famous version. No wonder the last spoken words in the act are “Cha, Cha, Cha.”
Act II, beginning with “Dawn” opens a medley of three Valli hits, with a clue that sometimes a guy strayed from his first love but now he tells her he’s “Working My Way Back to You”. Next come songs that show the influence of Silicon Valley on Frankie Valli.
In Act II, Tyler Meyer, Ethan Lupe, and Michael Ferraro each get a solo spot. These show the director did a fine job overall of blending different vocal talents. A final medley by the group ends appropriately with “Bye, Bye, Baby.” The men’s movement is always just right.
For the staging on Goldstein Cabaret’s relatively small stage, Jamie Thygesen has provided the most varied and elegantly curtained backdrop I’ve seen there to date. It’s often topped by shooting lights across or atop the usual mostly static ones.
Sound is less heavy than usual, making the men’s singing stand out better. There’s no costuming credit, perhaps because the men’s dress remains the same throughout. They wear maroon formal j
