Under The Streetlamp recreates Baby Boomer song era
Christopher Kale Jones, a former cast member of Broadway's "Jersey Boys," brings doo-wop and classic rock 'n' roll to the stage as part of the four-man vocal group, Under the Streetlamp, 7:30 p.m. June 25, State Theatre Center for the Arts, 453 Northampton St., Easton.
The quartet, dubbed the "retro Rat Pack," has enjoyed a wave of popularity ever since the airing of their popular PBS TV specials and subsequent DVD releases.
Jones, a Northwestern University graduate, performed 1950's and 60's songs with the touring cast of "Jersey Boys" on their nights off.
Michael Ingersoll, another "Jersey Boys" cast member, came up with the idea to tour with the band they created in their spare time and Under the Streetlamp was born.
As a child, Jones was exposed to the music of the 50's and 60's by his mother, a Detroit native who loved to play the music of Motown in the house.
"I've always loved this music," Jones says in a recent phone interview. "It's timeless. Performing these great songs and being part of this band, seeing what the four of us created, touring with this show, it's exciting and humbling.
"We like to think we recall the days of the 'Rat Pack' [Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford] in our shows. There is a lot of fun banter between the four of us. The audience really enjoys that."
Under the Streetlamp audience favorites include "At Last" by Etta James and "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" by the Four Seasons.
Frankie Valli, lead singer of the "Four Seasons," on whom the musical "Jersey Boys" and its movie version was loosely based, coached Jones through a lot of the music of the era. "I was excited and nervous to meet him," says Jones. "He is an icon. It was wonderful."
Jones believes that the music of Under the Streetlamp has a timeless appeal to all ages. "It's great music with great melodies. We see lots of Baby Boomers in the audience, but also teenagers.
"It's really good family fun. You can bring your kids. It's uncomplicated entertainment. There's fun, humor and excitement. I guarantee you will leave the show happy."
Tickets: State Theatre Box Office, 453 Northampton St., Easton, statetheatre.org, 1-800-999-STATE, 610-252-3132