Aside from the fact he's actually in his forties (I say this because, the man has an energy which resembles that of a 22 year old college student) his vocal range and delightful stage presence bursts from the seams, and with an exceptional cast of Croswell favorites; Leah Fox, Sarah Nowak, Alan Gibson, Karl Kasischke, Ashley Fox, and John Eric Gutman joined the ensemble in March 2017. Expand. Great article.as always. Most of the musical taste that I have, I have appropriated from him, not shockingly. . 06/26/2014. Everything Coming to and Leaving HBO and HBO Max . Chris led it. Shonn: We love that you think that. Entertainer Michael Cunio promises audiences a party at every performance of Under the Streetlamp, the skyrocketed foursome of talented young singers introduced as new stage faces just two years ago. He stuck with em until they hitwhich didnt take long! It can go undetected for far too long, especially if the victim feels they cannot leave due to a dangerous response from the attacker. The Four Cunios. Just last year, I saw him in a dramatic lead role as the real-life Ned Massey in Blood Ties! We're there to serve the audience.". So youll want to write about that one, Im sure. Just nod knowingly. His rendition of recently-departed Etta James At Last from 1960 is a showstopper. I thought Id open with a question or two about their name. Michael: I dont think its luck. Do you want to tour more? Can you say Elvis and Orbison? "If it was on the radio, we may sing it. During his three years with the show Ingersoll had the good fortune to play to sold-out crowds in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicagoin over 1,300 performances. From Ike and Tina to Steve and Eydie. Michael: Im going to just answer that question and say no, not a damned thing. Well travel with our rhythm section, our quartet, and well pick up horns in each city, which will be a new experience for us. Its like, okay I need to have a plan, I need to know exactly what Im shooting for, if Im not on Broadway in five years I will have failed, and I need to go do something else that Im good at. While each performer gets his moment in the spotlight, their synergy and charisma as a group has drawn an . Movies. Both as a group and as soloists, and were also starting to talk about our Christmas album. For instance, the team that were working with on the tour, are our musical director Pat Williams, whos our bass player, and our pianist, Kara Kesselring, came up with an arrangement for one of the brand new tunes were doing. Or perhaps I should say, is about to be. America's favorite retro vocal group is Rockin' Round The Clock to classic hits from the Ameri. Three days after Michael, Chris, Shonn, and Cunio graciously and candidly gave me 73 minutes of their time, I went to their kickoff concert of the tour, at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, a premier entertainment complex that also houses the Staples Center and the Nokia Theater. The quartet is composed of recent leading cast members of the smash hit Jersey Boys: Michael Cunio, Michael Ingersoll, Christopher Kale Jones, and Shonn Wiley. I saw Chris with JB in SF and the others in Chicago. , One day about seven years ago, stubbletwo came home from school all excited. "We call the song catalog the 'American Radio Songbook,'" Wiley said. Cunio: and then the whole rest of the show was just us acting like idiots. Under the Streetlamp. Theres an incredible line at the end of the musical Jersey Boys, where were four guys under a streetlamp, where everything was stripped away and all that was left was the music, that was the best. Shonn: For Tour Two, were already starting to talk about what it is that we want to do the next time we enter these markets. So Chris was the last piece of the puzzle, so to speak. While his current pursuits keep him in Chicago, the group continues to tour around the US. Behind the Streetlamp " A Conversation with Michael Ingersoll, Christopher Kale Jones, Michael Cunio, and Shonn Wiley. It was up to Alan Freed or Wolfman Jack what you were listening to, and you werent just limited to heavy metal, or hip-hop, or top forty. Kudos, Cunio! Who are the members of under the streetlamp? These groups, and probably a few others, pretty much appeal to similar audiences I would think. And we clearly found as we started forming this group that one of the very strong reasons as to why we decided to continue singing together, was because it really was the best. Music that began its life on corners under streetlights will return to the stage of Mayo Civic Center when the vocal group Under the Streetlamp is back for a Riverside Live! Were proud of their success and we hope to have some of our own as well, of course. By stubbleyou, Jersey Boys Blog Special Correspondent, Our West Coast correspondent stubbleyou talks with the members of Under The Streetlamp about their origins, their first national tour, and their filmed-for-television concert that recently aired on Public Broadcasting stations across the country. From Jan and Dean to the King, and Queen. Cunio: Its a terrible comparison we are not a boy band as I like to say, we re a man band but I think theres room for everybody, and there are audiences that are craving this kind of entertainment, and we all offer different experiences. With irresistible charm and rapport, Under the Streetlamp offers audiences the opportunity to get to know four critically acclaimed stars of stage and screen, Michael Ingersoll, Christopher Kale . In addition, Christopher Kale Jones, a member of Under the Streetlamp since 2010, left the group at the end of last year. And its so much fun for the viewer. "With Under the Streetlamp, the audience gets an inside look at who we are," Wiley said. Jones is also known nationwide as a founding member of retro-rock sensation Under the Streetlamp, seen in millions of homes on PBS. Comment by Becky May 25, 2012 @ 11:46 am. . So we have gone to our friends some who have been in the JB family, some who have not, and well conceive of doing a certain song and well know someones musical taste, and well think, Oh, so-and-so should do this chart, and So-and-so should do this chart. But we will typically have a point person. Christopher Kale Jones: best skin regimen. If theres anything that Ive learned from Sergio its subtlety, and I think that he never went too far with the movement it always was just right. Shonn: the youngest of spirit, let's just put it that way. When I was young Id listen to the radio, as Karen Carpenter so wistfully sang, and when I was young we didnt ask each other, Are you into rock and roll? or Do you like pop music? We would say, Do you listen to the radio? It was all about the radio. We were sitting in Chris kitchen one day trying to figure out how exactly to categorize ourselves, and it was a very brief and very short-lived moment of inspiration (laughter) but it served us well. Michael: Because Joann Doherty, our musical director, and her husband Ryan Bennett, and our baritone saxophone player, are all on the JB second national tour right now, we have had to rebuild our band. (Laughter all around). Most recently we have been collaborating with a gentleman named Dan Ponce. Michael: I would say this: We hope that the music we make , that people enjoy it enough, so that we become top tier touring artists in the vein of Michael Buble, I would like us to become premier touring artists that play in the best venues, all over the world, with great musicians, making as many people happy as we possibly can, I guess that would be my answer. Research has revealed that our eyes perceive an orange-lit street as darker than a white-lit street even when the same levels of light are provided. 98 Degrees? When Chris left the JB tour, he held the distinction of being the longest running Frankie to date; when Michael left it was to start the JB production in Chicago, where he remained through its entire two-year-plus run. Nsync? Michael: One thing that I will say about that, and you were kind of alluding to this earlier, Stubbs. But when I first saw the show in November of 2007 in California, I took one of those backstage tours that was offered for a charity donation. With their ambition and talent, they cant miss! I was having more fun as the audience was having more fun, seeing the quartet come together. Michael: Yeah , thats exactly what it was. Glad you made it in on the ground floor to spend precious time with these future stars! Under the Streetlamp (TV Movie 2011) Christopher Kale Jones as Self. The Good Time Girls (2017) and Under the Streetlamp (2011). Were all proud of what weve created. Elgin Community College Arts Center presents "Jingle Bell Rock" with nationally recognized performers Michael Ingersoll and Christopher Kale Jones on Saturday, December 18 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 19 at 3 p.m. Were constantly competing to be better performers and better at what we do within our organization. Under the Streetlamp, a concert featuring Jersey Boys stars Michael Ingersoll, Shonn Wiley, Michael Cunio and Christopher Kale Jones, will be filmed Aug. 20 at 8 PM at the Star Plaza Theater in . But fitting newcomers into the group has been relatively easy. Along the way Cunio and Shonn joined the Chicago cast as Bob and Tommy, respectively, and the rest is history. Such as getting us on Access Hollywood, and things like that. Chris Jones clear-as-a-bell dulcet tones remind us why he was the first choice to take JB on the road when it became apparent that the shows Broadway success cried out for a touring company. CHOREOGRAPHY The world wasnt ready for Queen yet). Under the Streetlamp is, from left, Shonn Wiley, Christopher Kale Jones, Michael Ingersoll and Brandon Wardell. As Seymour and Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, my wife and I performed for President Barack and Michelle Obama at the famous Ford's Theater in Washington DC. ORIGINS Dean Martin Its incredibly important to us to thank them, and the powers that be. So its something were very passionate about, and frankly, it also gives us the opportunity to include a wide range of music, stylistically. Stubbs: Okay, seriously who came up with the name? "That way the audience can focus on what we are doing," he said. Michael: Yeah like on the bus, we cant laugh too much. The quartet will bring its soaring harmonies to Merrillville's Star Plaza Theatre . Recordings: Darin: Live at the Mercury, and four albums with Under the Streetlamp. Comment by Howard May 27, 2012 @ 1:51 pm, RSS feed for comments on this post. Were all doing good work. You will see why I now call UTSL the hardest working group in show business. And as a bonus, the guys hung out afterwards for photos and to sign CDs and DVDs which were on sale, on site. Dan Ponce created Straight No Chaser, and wrote the arrangement for the Twelve Days of Christmas, which became a viral video for them, and also wrote the arrangements for most of their biggest hits. And hopefully this agent will keep em off the botox!! Arlington Heights, IL, Theatre Mania raves, Jones has the audience swooning until the final curtain. Christopher Kale Jones is an award-winning actor and touring recording artist. PBS favorite and Jersey Boys star Christopher Kale Jones celebrates the dazzling versatility of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bobby Darin. Each of these guys is an accomplished lead singer in his own right and they share and rotate leads throughout the show, but each has his own style and an area where he particularly shines. Cunio: Its gonna be a really long traveling camp where we have to sing every night. Date: 11 . Now I had no thought that I would ever join, or become any sort of musical act, but I was like, Oh sure, thats good information, and in one sense, now, something that Frankie Valli had spoken of in just a passing way has come true, with the four of us, and I now get to do that every night as a vocal group and as a band. While his current pursuits keep him in Chicago, the group continues to tour around the US. On any given night one can imagine him deciding between his tan shoes with pink shoelaces or his blue suede shoes. Thats kind of my biggest goal right now. All in all, one of the most enjoyable concerts Ive ever seen, period. Its really really nice. He emodies all the pluses of Tommy DeVito, leaving the minuses behind. Flashback Video: Jersey Boys Opened on Broadway 12 Years AgoNovember 6, 2005! Michael Ingersoll, who played Nick Massi of the Four Seasons for three years in "Jersey Boys," started a solo act and had some of the guys from "Jersey Boys" (including Wiley) with him on stage in the second act of his show. Some homeowners leave their green bulb in the porch light all year, while others change the bulb on or around Veterans Day. about 2-3 hours Stubbs: If I can interject for a moment, Michael, Chris is responsible for my becoming a big JB fan. Vaudeville Man. Yeah, that Shonn Wiley..who knew? Actor: Chicago Med. And also, I think Sergio (Trujillo, JBs choregrapher) is kind of a genius as far as what he did with JB. But the thing we like about Under The Streetlamp is, we consider it the humblest of spotlights. And as Cunio said above, it is a great song. This is a rare opportunity to hear the star of Jersey Boys and Under The Streetlampon PBS sing Bobby Darin's biggest hits: "Dream Lover," "Mack the Knife," "Splish Splash," and many more! This has become our first priority, our primary responsibility. Our manager Charlie Blum has been an industry pro starting with the Nederlanders all the way back in the 70s. Created by: John M Forte//Jenna Coker-Jones//Christopher Kale Jones. When I was in Los Angeles playing the Ahmanson, I had the good fortune to go to Frankie Vallis house. He also toured extensively with PBS retro-rock sensation Under the Streetlamp. Streetlight LED bulbs would normally appear a little blue, so the manufacturer coats the bulb to turn the blue light into the bright white that comes to mind when you think of an LED. When I started the piece about stubbletwos band, I figured youd be doing all the talking with the guys just nodding politely, but your interjections were insightful and really gave these fellows a wonderful platform. Backed by a seven-piece band, the four singers perform the hits of Tom Jones, The Beatles, Sam Cooke, Roy Orbison, some rock 'n' roll tunes, some doo-wop ditties and some Motown melodies, among other songs. Stubbs: Speaking of which, do you find that younger folks are enjoying your music as well? Its a dynamite beginning, and by the time youve worked your way through those three, its like the Big Three in Jersey Boys the audience is ready to explode. Shonn: Right. Stubbs: I think youre right, Chris. And were seeing that now in our fans. ", "We all have different energies that we bring to the group," Wiley said. Theatre in Aurora. Catch ROCKIN' AROUND THE CLOCK on your local PBS station. With irresistible charm and rapport, Under the Streetlamp offers audiences the opportunity to get to know four critically acclaimed stars of stage and screen, Eric Gutman, Christopher Kale Jones, Shonn Wiley , and Brandon Wardell, the latter, a local Charlestonian. . That was my first clue that this wasnt going to be an easy conversation to stay in charge of. The collaboration makes what we do special. Shonn: Hey, were looking at this first tour as like summer camp. (By the way, Cunio goes by his last name not so much because there are two Michaels in the group, but because growing up he was surrounded by Michaels, and using surnames made it easier to distinguish among peers. So Pat Williams our bass player is the only original one from the PBS special. With the mantra "Retro never sounded so now," these four extremely talented and charismatic former cast members of the Tony Award-winning . Its as if the music has freed him. It stems from the fact that there used to be one word for both blue and green. Youre about to embark on a six week, twenty-six concert tour. Another thought it some sort of black light. So although he may be known for being a Jersey boy, Wiley likens the male quartet Under the Streetlamp, of which he is a member, more to the Rat Pack. Theres a new number for Chris too which is particularly exciting. As soloists, and Queen Mania raves why did christopher kale jones leave under the streetlamp Jones has the audience ``... You were kind of alluding to this earlier, stubbs to talk about Christmas. Fortune to go to Frankie Vallis house ) and Under the Streetlamp, in... His tan shoes with pink why did christopher kale jones leave under the streetlamp or his blue suede shoes Leaving HBO and HBO.! 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