‘Jersey Boys’ star Travis Cloer: Who loves you, Las Vegas?
Editor’s Note: Every summer when Robin Leach is away on his annual Italian family vacation, he invites his Strip star friends to contribute a guest column. As Robin explores the ancient hilltop town of Matera today where its residents still live in homes built inside hilltop caves, we welcome Travis Cloer, who has a personal take on the closing of JERSEY BOYS at Paris Las Vegas after 8 1/2 years in Las Vegas, and Wanya Morris of The Mirage headliner Boyz II Men who writes about his experience competing on the most recent season of ABC’s DANCING WITH THE STARS. Cloer is up first:
By Travis Cloer
It’s never easy to have a show close, especially one as great as JERSEY BOYS at Paris Las Vegas. We’ve been in town for 8 1/2 years and almost 3,300 performances and are in the history books as the longest-running Broadway show to play on the Strip. A very big part of our success has been due to you, the incredible people of Las Vegas who embraced our show the minute it arrived in 2008 at The Palazzo.
I’d be lying if I said my heart wasn’t a little heavy. There is something magical about our show. The iconic music, the compelling rags-to-riches story and the incredible direction. It has been the best thing to happen to me professionally and one of the top things to ever come along in my life.
Through it, I’ve become part of an ever-growing family. We’ve celebrated weddings, birthdays and accomplishments. We’ve welcomed countless JERSEY Babies into this world. We’ve said goodbye to some dear members of the family who were taken too soon. Our hearts have been on a roller coaster from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.
Yet through all of that, the one thing that always brings us back together is what we get to do onstage every night. No matter how I’ve felt at the start of a performance, my soul has always been rewarded and filled with joy by the last note. That is why I’ve been with JERSEY BOYS for 9 1/2 years. I always said that I would leave when I stopped enjoying it.
That day has yet to arrive. It has given me so much gratification and joy to sing this music and tell this story. I also have never had to do anything so difficult. I’ve gone through three vocal hemorrhages (that I know of). The show uses every millimeter of my voice.
Add on top of that singing it in the desert, and you get a recipe for vocal hell. Yet every time I was on vocal rest, I could not wait to get back to doing what I loved. I felt like a part of me was missing.
Because of your support and love, all these things and more were made possible. We thank you for coming to see us again and again, for bringing your friends and family from out of town when they come to visit. For the posts on social media praising our show. Most of all, we thank you for making us feel like a part of the family.
My wife Jen and I are planning on sticking around this great city after JERSEY BOYS closes. She is dancing, being mom and working on a nursing degree at Nevada State College. I don’t plan to stop performing for you all, either! On Monday, July 25, I’ll be starting my new solo show WITH A TWIST at South Point with my killer seven-piece band and would love to see you there.
I also will be doing my annual holiday show CHRISTMAS AT MY PLACE in December. It has been so incredible to be a part of this community. I’ve never experienced a more loving, giving and selfless city in my life. I look forward to growing even more with you. Your support and love for JERSEY BOYS is more than anyone could ever have asked for.
We take our final bows Sunday, Sept. 18. I hope to see as many of you there as possible. On behalf of the entire company of JERSEY BOYS, from the very bottom of our Jersey hearts, thank you, Las Vegas, so very much for everything.
Be sure to check out our other guest column today from Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men, who headline at The Mirage. Morris talks about competing on the most recent season of ABC’s DANCING WITH THE STARS.
