Oh, What a Show: EA Band Revisits Four Seasons

Performances feature tunes from Broadway’s ‘Jersey Boys’ musical

By Kristen Keleschenyi
The Tube City Almanac
September 13, 2023
Posted in: North Versailles Twp. News

Brennen Runt, Aiden Geary, Landon Kieler and Zachary Meredith belt out the ’60s juke box hits during practice for East Allegheny High School’s new band show. (Kristen Keleschenyi photo for Tube City Almanac)

The East Allegheny Marching Band is taking audiences back in time this year with its 2023 field show featuring the music of “Jersey Boys.”

The musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2005 and ran for 12 years, is inspired by the 1960s rock group The Four Seasons.

Senior band member and co-drum major Daniel Cipcic says the show is certainly something to see. “They may be older songs, but you’ll still know them,” he says. “They’re very recognizable and we put on a good show.”

Alyssa Krisher keeps count while practicing her flag work. (Kristen Keleschenyi photo for Tube City Almanac)

Band Director Justin Rosco says the idea to do this type of show came from watching old band performances with his students back in the spring. One of the shows that struck a chord was one that featured Cipcic’s older sister, Kayla, back in 2007.

“It wasn’t a full Jersey Boys show,” he says. “We used some music from it and actually there is only one tune that was in that show that we are doing with this one and that was ‘Oh, What a Night.’”

Rosco knew he had some strong male/female voices he could incorporate in the show which Cipcic says adds a nice touch. “You can have a voice and the background is the band and then voices in the background with the band coming out,” he says. “It makes it a very nice, rounded performance.”

The band has quite a few newer members this year including Cassidy McNatt who is in seventh grade and plays alto sax. She has been waiting for her moment to shine on the field after watching her two older sisters go through the ranks.

Transitioning to the rigorous schedule of participating in band hasn’t been too difficult for McNatt. “I wanted to be just like my older sisters and from what my sisters told me I kind of expected the hard work,” she says.

McNatt wasn’t familiar with the songs the band is playing this season, but she added them to her playlist. Rosco says, “Even when we did Billy Joel last year, many of them never heard of him and now it's some of their favorite music. It is great in that way too. It introduces a whole new generation to this music that is just timeless in my opinion.”

There are seven seniors who will be graduating after this marching season and while Rosco is hopeful about the new talent he gets to showcase, saying goodbye to the Class of 2024 is going to be hard. “This has been a very special senior class to me. They are one I’m really going to miss. They’re really strong and they’ve been great leaders. They’ve left some big shoes to fill.”

The East Allegheny Marching Band has their home show competition on Saturday at Churchman Stadium located at 1150 Jacks Run Road in North Versailles starting at 6 p.m. The show will feature seven bands including EA, Serra, Penn Trafford and Woodland Hills. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.

Brennen Runt, Daniel Cipcic and Jen O’Donnell are three members of EA’s Jersey Boys quartet. (Kristen Keleschenyi photo for Tube City Almanac)

Originally published September 13, 2023.

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