'Jersey Boy' Ingersoll may have a new hit

A Broadway film crew set up shop last week at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights.

They were on hand to capture what has become a surefire sellout: singer Michael Ingersoll with his co-stars from "Jersey Boys" in a separate concert performance he calls "Steppin' Out!" that showcases all of their musical talents.

Last week's closing performance was the 18th sold-out show at Metropolis, but it was when the group also sold out the 1,800-seat Paramount Theatre in Aurora in January in the same "Steppin' Out" concert format, they figured they were onto something.

Consequently, they hired a camera crew to record the show, planning to eventually sell it to the public as a DVD as well as use it to pitch the concert to music venues across the country.

The show featured the 15-piece Mulligan Mosaics big band, led by Ted Hogarth, as well as performances by Michael's wife, Angela Ingersoll, a singing talent in her own right.

"This is a bittersweet night for us," acknowledged Metropolis Executive Director, Jim Jarvis. "Because of this man and his music, we've had some of our most successful shows, that have played to more than 5,000 people."

Ingersoll himself reflected on how his big break arrived.

He described how nearly three years ago he was performing with his wife in, "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" at Metropolis when he got the "Jersey Boys" call.

Metropolis officials released from his contract so that he could begin rehearsals for his role as Nick Massi in "Jersey Boys," in what would turn into a nearly three-year, 951-show run performed before 1.3 million people.

When Metropolis officials invited him to return and perform in his own one-man show nearly two years ago now, Ingersoll surprised them by bringing some of "the boys" from the Jersey Boys cast with him.

He also included fundraising as a part of his shows, and as of last week he had raised more than $250,000 for various causes at concerts across the city and suburbs, including $36,000 for Metropolis outreach programs.

What made last week's final Metropolis show memorable was that with Jersey Boys having closed last month, Ingersoll and his co-stars were able to sing some Four Seasons hits from that show, including "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Walk Like a Man."

"It all started here," Ingersoll told the audience of their big band-styled concert. "What we created here, has spread across Chicagoland and we hope across the country. That's why there's no place in Chicago that feels more like home than this."

While audiences have embraced Ingersoll and his musical talent, ironically his next project doesn't include singing.

Ingersoll and his wife Angela are returning to Memphis soon, where he will star this spring as British talk show host David Frost in the play "Frost/Nixon."

Still, if the concert series takes off as a result of the excerpts filmed at Metropolis, he will be happy to reunite with his Jersey Boys friends from time to time, and return to his musical roots.

"Thanks for being part of this incredible journey in Arlington Heights," Ingersoll told the audience. "We'll see you sometime soon."