Jersey Boys
Broadway in Richmond: (Info) (Web)
Landmark Theater, Richmond, VA
Through January 19th
2:30 with intermission
$43-$138 (Plus Significant fees)
Reviewed January 7th, 2014
As regular readers of my reviews know, Jersey Boys was one of the shows on the top of my bucket list. As both a boy from Jersey myself, who grew up there in the 60′s and 70′s (yes, I’m old) and a theater reviewer who has heard so many great things about this show, I was excited to bring my son with me to see it.
I was not disappointed. More importantly, neither was my 15-year-old son.
Jersey Boys tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. While utilizing songs the group made famous (and you’d be amazed at just how many of their hits are still classics today) the show avoids the trappings of other “jukebox musicals” that develop a flimsy script around rock music of say ABBA or Billy Joel. The real life back story of the Jersey Boys themselves is interesting and funny yet dramatic.
In a great touch, the plot is set in “four seasons.” Each of the Four Seasons serves as the narrator of one of the “seasons” telling their story from their perspective.
Tommy DeVito (Nicolas Dromard) who was the initial driving force in developing the group tells of their “spring” — their birth and intial growth and development. Bob Gaudio (Jason Kappus) the writing genius tells about their “summer” when they became hot. Nick Massi (Adam Zelasko), who did much of the arranging, tells of the autumn, once they passed their rise to fame. Lastly but certainly not least Frankie Valli (Hayden Milanes) the front man for the group who has been performing for over 50 years now, tells of the winter as things fell apart and one by one the others left the group. While all the performers were talented, I remain in awe of Milanes’ ability to sing Valli’s falsetto songs for 8 shows a week.
The only real negative for me was the audience themselves. I’ve read and heard from people who’ve seen the show on Broadway, that the greatest part of the experience is the shared energy of the audience. Now, I don’t know if it was a weeknight crowd, or the string of cold weather; but I found myself wanting to clap and dance in a sea of statues. Hopefully the weekend crowds will be livelier!
Jersey Boys is part of the Broadway In Richmond series presented by Jam Theatricals. It really is a show the whole family can enjoy — “It’s Just Too Good To Be True.”
Photo Gallery
Nicolas Dromard, Brandon Andrus, Brent DiRoma, Jason Kappus. On sofa: (l to r) Nick Cosgrove and Barry Anderson
‘Sherry’
‘My Eyes Adored You’
Photos by Joan Marcus
The Cast
The Four Seasons
Tommy DeVito: Nicolas Dromard
Bob Gaudio: Jason Kappus
Frankie Valli: Hayden Milanes
Nick Massi: Adam Zelasko
Bob Crewe: Barry Anderson
Gyp Decarlo: Thomas Fiscella
Ensemble: Tommaso Antico, Kaleigh Cronin, Marlana Dunn, Larry Esparza, De’Lon Grant, Wes Hart, Bryan Hindle, Leo Huppert, Ian Joseph, Michelle Pruiett, John Rochette, Rachel Schur, Skye Scott, Shaun Taylor-Corbett and Robert Townsend
Disclaimer: Broadway in Richmond provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.