The Midtown Men Live In Concert! Marks First National Public Television Special For NJTV And Popular Singing Group

Four Stars from the Original Cast of Broadway's Jersey Boys Perform 60s Hits

Concert special premieres 11/29 on NJTV and THIRTEEN; 11/30 on WLIW

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Nov 05, 2014, 10:17 ET

NEWARK, N.J., Nov. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NJTV, New Jersey's public television network, announced the premiere broadcast of its first national public television production, The Midtown Men Live in Concert!, debuting this month. The performance, taped at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark, NJ in May, will debut on NJTV and its sister stations THIRTEEN and WLIW in the New York metro area beginning Saturday, November 29, with additional airings in select markets and a national rollout in March 2015 (check local listings).

The Midtown Men. Photo credit: Kat Villacorte/NJTV

Tony winner Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and Tony nominee J. Robert Spencer formed The Midtown Men after taking Broadway by storm as four stars from the original cast of the Broadway musical, Jersey Boys. Beyond making waves with their talents and onstage chemistry, they shared a passion for singing the music of the Sixties and started touring together in 2010. This fall, the four entertainers began their fifth North American tour, and continue to sell out performing arts centers and symphony halls from coast to coast.

Now, their public television debut brings their lively act to a broader audience than ever possible before.

The Midtown Men Live in Concert! airs Saturday, November 29th at 7pm on NJTV, Saturday, November 29^th at 8:30pm on THIRTEEN and Sunday, November 30th at 7 pm on WLIW21 (check local listings in other markets).

"We're thrilled to bring the excitement of The Midtown Men's live performance to viewers across the country," said NJTV General Manager John Servidio. "It's a milestone for us all, proving that quality content with topnotch talent from a local television network can have a national presence."

The Midtown Men Live in Concert! includes a collection of hit songs from the most popular artists of the 1960s. From New York City groups like The Drifters and The Ronettes to Detroit's Smokey Robinson & The Miracles and the Temptations to the California groove of The Turtles, The Mamas & The Papas and The Association, The Midtown Men perform a jukebox of familiar hits with singular arrangements and precise choreography.

Of course, the set list also includes the songs synonymous with the show that brought these four talents together – the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, like "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Sherry," and "December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)."

The concert special also includes a special appearance by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Gene Cornish, who lends a hand on the harmonica for his band The Rascals' hit, "Groovin'."

The Midtown Men Live in Concert! set list includes these hits and more:

Big Girls Don't Cry/Sherry (The Four Seasons)
Happy Together (The Turtles)
Up On The Roof (The Drifters)
Ain't No Mountain High Enough (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell)
Tears of a Clown (Smokey Robinson & the Miracles)
Be My Baby (The Ronettes)
Never My Love (The Association)
California Dreamin' (The Mamas & the Papas)
Groovin' (The Rascals – with guest appearance by Gene Cornish)

The Midtown Men Live in Concert! is the first national production of its kind from NJTV, and is slated to air on public television stations across the country, including Detroit, Boston, Las Vegas, San Diego, Atlanta and more.

The Midtown Men Live in Concert! is produced by FogoLabs Corp for The Midtown Men LLC and NJTV.

The Midtown Men Live in Concert! is presented by NJTV, LLC in association with WNET. Executive in charge of production: John Servidio. Executive Producers: John Servidio and Betsy O'Connor; Directed and Produced by Pierre & François Lamoureux; Supervising Producers: Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer; Produced by Jeff Vee and Ken Wirth.

About The Midtown Men

During their time in the mega-hit musical Jersey Boys, these four talented artists shared the stage for over a thousand performances. Since forming The Midtown Men in 2010, they have performed over 350 concerts across the continent, and have dazzled television audiences with appearances on "Good Morning America," "Access Hollywood," "Katie," and "The Chew." In 2012, The Men released their first radio single, "All Alone on Christmas," written and produced by rock icon Steven Van Zandt and backed by Van Zandt's bandmates from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band as a fundraiser for the Red Cross after Hurricane Sandy. They were honored to perform the song at the White House for the National Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington DC that year. Additionally, the group has shared the stage with 17 major symphonies, including the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center and the Philly Pops. The "Men" continue to sell-out venues across the U.S. and Canada during their fifth North American tour, which continues through June of 2015, and will include an engagement with the world-famous Boston Pops. Their recordings include their debut album, The Midtown Men: Sixties Hits and their forthcoming new album, The Midtown Men Live in Concert!, a companion recording to their special for public television.

About NJTV

NJTV, New Jersey's public television network, brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to New Jersey and its tristate neighbors. NJTV presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, American Masters, Charlie Rose, and BBC World News America and a range of documentaries and children's programs. NJTV offers an array of local news and cultural offerings on air and online including American Songbook at NJPAC, On the Record with Michael Aron, Driving Jersey, NJDocs, Due Process, One-on-One with Steve Adubato, Classroom Close-Up NJ and State of the Arts. The network's flagship news broadcast, NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams, features stories from across the Garden State. NJTV complements its growing news staff by partnering with state-wide media and higher education institutions. NJTV is also a leader in connecting with viewers on emerging platforms, including the NJTV website where users can stream PBS content for free and local educators can find free, classroom-ready, digital resources.