Sherman : Did you receive any advice from the creators or producers of The Who ’ s Tommy that stuck with you over the course of your career ?
Hoff : One night in New York City , the cast of The Who ’ s Tommy was being wined and dined by the fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger . Hilfiger , Pete Townshend , and I were together in a booth , and Hilfiger started talking business with Pete Townshend . Pete put his arm around Tommy Hilfiger , and he said , “ Save it for the morning , Darling .”
Sherman : There ’ s a time and a place for everything .
Hoff : Exactly .
Sherman : Let ’ s talk about your next show with Des McAnuff , who was the director of both The Who ’ s Tommy and Jersey Boys . How did you first get involved with Jersey Boys ? Was it a call from Des ?
Hoff : Yes . It was a call from Des . He said , “ We ’ re in LA . We need to see you . We ’ re working on a new production .” I said , “ When ?” He said , “ Now . We ’ re leaving for New York this evening on the red eye .” I picked up my 1959 Gibson LG-1 guitar and my two kids , and off we went . I sang an Eddie Cochran tune on guitar accompanying myself . Des stopped me , came up to me , put his arm around me and said , “ What are you doing in two months ?” That was Des McAnuff ’ s intro to a show that had no script yet and was yet to be realized , but he knew that he wanted me to be a part of it .
Sherman : Jersey Boys also started at the La Jolla Playhouse before moving to Broadway . Were there any major changes between its first go around at La Jolla and the Broadway production ?
Hoff : Just like The Who ’ s Tommy , the transition to Broadway was seamless . Very little design changes . It was nearly done .
Sherman : What was it like meeting The Four Seasons and having them in the room with you ?
Hoff : Frankie Valli didn ’ t come until the show was mounted . With Tommy DeVito and Bob Gaudio , it was the same thing . They didn ’ t see the show until it was up and running . The first time that they saw it , it was a full-fledged production . They said it was like seeing a ghost right before their eyes , because we embodied not only who they were , but the era , the story , the
TIME TO CELEBRATE in New York City with
THE INDIE COLLABORATIVE
LINCOLN CENTER December 8th , 2021 , at 7 p . m . Over 20 Grammy , Emmy , and Top 10 Charting Billboard Artists Take center stage for an interfaith holiday concert in the Bruno Walter Auditorium
plus a LINCOLN CENTER DEBUT NOT TO BE MISSED by
KELLY HALL-TOMPKINS , ALEX OTEY , and RACHEL YORK
World-renowned violinist , Kelly Hall-Tompkins , and one of Broadway ’ s most ravishing leading ladies , Rachel York , join forces with the incomparable cabaret artist , Alex Otey , for Kelly ’ s new violin interpretation of the cherished Hanukkah ballad , “ My Mother ’ s Menorah ,” from the Emmy Awardwinning musical , The Odd Potato , created by the BLUESTONE SISTERS ( Gail C . Bluestone / music ; Eileen Bluestone Sherman / book and lyrics ).
An Indie Collaborative Production at Lincoln Center . Produced by Eileen Sherman and Grant Maloy Smith
Ticket Information : www . indiecollaborative . com / event19
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