My wife would really like to see this musical, and I was thinking of getting her tickets for Christmas (hey, it worked well last year with Wicked). However, when we go to musicals, we like to take my stepdaughter and 11.5-year-old step-grandson. I’m less concerned about language – heck, he hears plenty of rough language within the family unit – than sexual situations, just because he’s at the age where they make him uncomfortable.
Does any one know the extent of these “sexual situations” and whether they would be completely inappropriate for him?
There’s no nudity or serious obscenity in the show, but the 4 Seasons hit “December 1963 (Oh What a Night)” is a big number in which we see Bob Gaudio losing his virginity.*
It’s certainly no worse than you’d see in a typical prime time TV drama, but IF you would rather your kids not see that kind of thing, you have a right to know about it.
Beyond that, there’s a little crude language, since Frankie and the 4 Seasons were blue collar guys who ran with a rough crowd (two of them had long rap sheets). Again, just PG-13 stuff. I wouldn’t sweat it if I were taking an 11 year old, but you might feel differently.
*Gaudio himself says that, while most of what you see in the show is true, that part was fictional- he had lost his virginity a LONG time before December of 1963.
I concur. Most of the issue would be rough language scattered throughout the show. Not horrific, but more than one f-bomb, IIRC (it’s been 3 years since I’ve seen the show). But, it sounds like that’s not your primary concern.
As astorian notes, the sexual situations are largely alluded to, rather than out-and-out depicted or described.
There’s also some violence (including a shooting, IIRC).
In movie terms, it’s probably PG-13 for the sex and violence, but possibly borderline R for language.
Thank you both for your input! I spoke to his mother last night and she didn’t think it was a problem at all.
As for F-bombs, between the two women in his life he probably hears more of them during one dinner conversation than there are in the show.
So now I’m going to buy some tickets and come up with some goofy New Jersey -related trinkets/gifts to allude to the real gift. A Bon Jovi CD will obviously be involved, and maybe something for each season It probably won’t be as much of a surprise as last year with the Wicked tickets and related trinkets.
It probably won’t be as much of a surprise as last year with the Wicked tickets and related trinkets.