OH WHAT A NIGHT! will showcase the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons songbook alongside non-stop humour and dancing in this high-energy musical review. Photo: Canberra Southern Cross Club.
One day award-winning Broadway producer/director Michael Chapman is in Vegas, the next he flies out to Dallas, then he’s on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, followed by California and New York City before he’s Australia-bound with the hit show OH WHAT A NIGHT!
Life has been pretty much non-stop touring since this blockbuster tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons premiered in Las Vegas in 2008.
“When we first put the show together, we never anticipated it would blow up the way it did,” he says.
“We premiered it about 15 years ago and were offered work within 10 days. With the exception of COVID it hasn’t stopped since.”
Directed by Michael Chapman and written by Motown producer George Solomon with choreography by the critically acclaimed Paul Holmquist, OH WHAT A NIGHT! is a joyful musical revue featuring all the original hits as well as many top 10 releases not in the Tony Award-winning list.
From Sherry to Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like A Man to Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, My Eyes Adored You, Working My Way Back To You, Let’s Hang On and Who Loves You, just to name a few, audiences are taken on a high-energy, loving tour of the Frankie Valli songbook, all interspersed with hilarious banter and skilled dancing.
The Las Vegas-based production company, Chapquist Entertainment, is known for its epic tribute shows celebrating the music of the Beach Boys, the Beatles, the Bee Gees, Motown, the Carpenters, the Mamas & the Papas, the 5th Dimension, ABBA and Diana Ross and the Supremes. They never fail to whip up a crowd and OH WHAT A NIGHT! is no exception.
“I’m trying to be modest but the audience is on their feet so many times during the show,” Chapman says.
“For anyone over the age of 40 this music is nostalgic and for anyone under 40, they know it from the success of the Broadway hit show Jersey Boys; so it really hits all demographics.
“It’s been 60 years since their music originated and it doesn’t show any sign of letting up. And there’s a reason for that. The music is fun, it’s upbeat and recognisable.”
The show has been touring non-stop since its premiere in 2008 and is showing no signs of slowing down. Photo: Canberra Southern Cross Club.
Chapman says the pandemic did little to slow down the show’s popularity.
“Since the world opened up again, the phone hasn’t stopped ringing, and I don’t see it slowing down any time soon,” he says.
“We’re all booked up this year and filling up for 2024.”
This includes a stop at Canberra Southern Cross Club later this month where guests can opt for the show only or dinner and a show.
This family friendly performance is expected to draw an audience of all ages.
“I absolutely love looking into the crowd and seeing grandparents who have brought their grandkids, some under 10 years old,” Chapman says.
“That’s the nature of this songbook – it really is music for everyone.”
Even after 15 years of touring the same show, Chapman says it never gets old.
“And it’s not just me – none of our performers have in any way tired of the material,” he says.
“The show is so fun to do, there’s so much camaraderie and lots of humour in the dialogue. It’s informative and funny and the dancing is non-stop.”
On Wednesday 16 August OH WHAT A NIGHT! comes to Canberra Southern Cross Club in Woden. Tickets cost $57.45 or dinner and the show for $103.35. Dinner starts at 6 pm and the show kicks off at 8 pm – book here. For more information on the show visit Chapquist Entertainment.
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