Along the way, the group went through a string of ups and downs: struggling to get noticed, the pitfalls of sudden fame, massive money mismanagement, substance abuse problems, family drama... it’s the makings of every VH1 "Behind the Music" documentary ever produced.

It's an interesting story, I think, but one that is not fully explored in the hit musical "The Jersey Boys," now playing at the Palazzo in Las Vegas.

Audiences adore this show and it's easy to see why. It's a veritable walk down musical memory lane, packed full with almost every song the group ever did before, during, and after the peak of their fame. Combine great songs with an amazing cast that almost perfectly matches the original's energy and talent and you have the makings of a great revue.

But this is not a revue it's a full-on musical that attempts to tell the group's stories, both professional and personal. We see how they came together, how they fought to get noticed, and the inspiration for many of their hits. "Big Girls Don't Cry" came from a scene in a John Wayne movie, for instance. We see them getting married, getting divorced, fighting, making up, getting involved with the mob, breaking up, continuing on, recording music, performing music, dreaming up music, touring, fighting some more, and on it goes.

What we don't get, unfortunately, is any kind of true grasp of who these people were. Yes, we get that Tommy was the fast-talking, street wise hustler who essentially created the group. We understand that Frankie was a naive teenager with a talent he didn't know how to fully exploit. We see that Bob was the real genius behind the music, writing most of their hit songs. And we know that Nick was the relatively drama-free one. But we know all this through snippets of dialogue; brief, rushed scenes that seem mostly designed to set up the next song than to delve into an exploration of these characters and their motivations beyond fame and money. Everybody comes off as one-note caricatures instead of multi-layered human beings.

The only reason this is a problem is because in the second act, when the going gets tough as it always does in second acts, they seem to be expecting the audience to connect on some level to their struggles. When a family tragedy strikes Frankie, it is constructed as if it is supposed to be the emotional climax of the show. But the person at the heart of the tragedy is only glimpsed once for about 30 seconds and Frankie's relationship with that person comprises about two minutes of material throughout the entire two hour production.

What happens is heart-breaking but it doesn't actually break your heart because you don't know the players involved well enough to be that emotionally invested in what happens to them.

I'm spending a lot of time talking about this because this is musical theater, not just music. I think it’s important to understand that while "The Jersey Boys" is a terrific night of musical entertainment it isn't a terrific piece of legitimate theater, which it clearly aspires to be.

One other word of caution: Jersey boys from the '50s and '60s, were not, as a general rule, genteel creatures. This is not a family friendly show from a language and content perspective.

But who cares, right? You're going for the music and that's where the show shines. The audience I saw the show with was mostly made up of people of an age that meant they probably grew up listening to these songs and their enthusiastic response rattled the rafters. I grew up about a decade behind The Four Seasons' zenith but even I know great music when I hear it. Heck, I still have "She-hare-hare-air-air-air-ree bay-yay-bee" stuck in my head. There are worse things.

If you're a fan of their music, or of music in general, and your primary goal is to walk away (like a man, perhaps) having had a toe-tapping good time then this is the show for you. If, however, you want more theater in your musical theater experience, this one is going to disappoint, I think. I usually want the latter and while I was disappointed, the sheer strength of the songs and how well they were performed are what wound up mattering the most.

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For good or ill (depending on your point of view, I suppose), most of the kitschy glitz is gone due to ongoing facelifts and expansions. Don't get me wrong, the look these days is truly elegant, light, and airy with expanses of marble and detail work done to continue the Roman theme. But Caesars really was the last place on The Strip where you could get a taste of old Las Vegas evoking images of the Rat Pack era.

Okay, I'm done complaining because once I get over those nostalgia pains Caesars is one of the most beautiful hotels in town. Inside and out you'll find ornate columns, colonnades, statuary, paintings, and toga-clad models walking around to give you that perfect photo opportunity (okay, so they didn't get rid of all the tacky stuff... Thank God!).

If you’re driving in, you’ll have plenty of time to admire the Caesars scenery as you hike from the parking garage to the registration desk. The fact that they don’t have sherpas standing by to help you make the ridiculously long trek through the casino laden down with luggage seems like a missed opportunity.

The lobby is huge and gorgeous, a rotunda with gleaming statuary and frescos. Even better, they have a single line check-in queue, eschewing the multi-line check-in that has become increasingly more popular for reasons that escape me.

The older rooms in the Forum Tower have gotten a rehab, turning them into simple but sleek charmers. Rooms in the Palace Tower (completed in '97) are more palatial - many have his and her baths connected by a dual shower stall. All are generously appointed and larger than average.

If you can, though, you should try to get a room in the Augustus Tower (completed in 2005). These giant 600 square-feet digs feature plush couches, a table and chairs, a writing desk, a sleek dark wood wall unit with a mini-bar, a flat panel television, and a bathroom big enough for the Gods complete with a whirlpool tub, separate shower, and plenty of marble. The beds are silly comfortable and the entire room gives you a feeling that you are staying someplace special.

And one other request you might want to ask for as you are checking in: try to get a room on the south side of the Augustus Tower so you can have an unparalleled view of the Fountains at Bellagio.

By the way, the rooms in the older Roman and Centurian Towers are pretty basic and you can find better accommodations for less money.

The casino and the rest of the public areas encompass what seems like more square-footage than it actually does. The years of adding on to the property have made this one of the most rambling, most confusing gaming areas in town – I can’t tell you how many times I was sure I was heading for the room only to find myself going in the complete opposite direction. Watch the signs is all I’m saying.

The good news about that rambling layout is that there are lots of options for gaming spaces. The main table area is under a dome that dates back to the very early days of the hotel. Adjacent on both sides are some slots and video poker.

Then you’re off to another land through the Pussycat Dolls casino area which features tables and pole dancers (fully, albeit skimpily clothed). It had to happen.

Next is the big sports book and then more casino with more table games and slots and video poker. You want choices, you got choices.

Of course, I'd be remiss in not mentioning the Colosseum - a 4,000-seat showroom currently featuring Bette Midler, Cher, and Elton John doing regular stands and other big stars popping up occasionally. It's a nice room but not quite like being in Rome.

There are nightclubs, the adjacent Roman Themed "shopping experience" The Forum Shops, and about a bazillion restaurants. Check the related reviews section of the Caesars page for more things to see, do, and eat there.

The pool area is among the most beautiful in town. Lush gardens surround the four pools, one of which has a covered colonnade in the center for cooling off. Adjacent to this is a spa, which among the usual suspects like massages and workout equipment, has a full-service salon, Zen meditation garden, and a rock-climbing wall.

Caesars Palace of yore and of recent is truly a glorious place but what price glory? A lot. I suppose the planets may align themselves in such a way that you might be able to swing a room here for around $120 a night on a very slow weekday but only if they are truly desperate (and they usually aren't). Normally you'll be forking over at least $150 a night on weekdays (often over $200) and a minimum of $200 on the weekends (often well over $300).

We love to celebrate the increasingly rare historic hotels in Las Vegas, but usually those places are better in our memories than they are in modern-day reality. But Caesars has created a blueprint for how you can keep an older hotel not just alive, but thriving. These really are Caesars glory days.

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