Theatre Review: Jersey Boys- Oh What a Night of Music

Sunday began the run of Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Though I was surrounded by an audience consisting mostly of people at least 20 years my senior, at times it seemed like I was sitting with teenie boppers falling over themselves as they swooned over their favorite crooners. And with good reason- the actor/ singers did such an amazing job impersonating The Four Seasons that at times, you kinda forget you’re watching a musical and start to think of it as a concert. But, that’s not to take anything away from the entertaining story about four average Joes from New Jersey with aspirations of fame and fortune.

The story of The Four Seasons, told through the viewpoint of its four original members, does not involve four retellings of the same story. Rather, each member becomes the narrator in sequential order starting with the man who takes the credit for their formation- Tommy Devito. This is followed by Bob Guidio’s version of how his songwriting brings the group its glory days, with three number one’s in a row including Sherry, Walk Like a Man and Big Girls Don’t Cry. With his telling comes the interesting origins of some of their songs. For example, December, 1963 (Oh What a Night) was inspired by Guidio’s first sexual encounter. Like all things, it ain’t always peaches and cream, and soon bassist Nick Massi tells of how the group falls apart. Gambling debts, family problems, and the disintegration of the original group then gives way to the rebirth as lead singer Frankie Valli tells of how he and Guidio pull themselves out of the hole and back into the spotlight in their new incarnation Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

While character depth isn’t the strength of the show, the characters are interesting and the actors, entertaining. Of particular note are Deven May as Tommy Devito, the mob-connected goodfella/guitarist always looking out for number one, and John Altieri as Bob Crewe, the gender bending writer/producer with an uncanny ear for number one hits who gives The Four Seasons their first big break. Still, the structure of the show more than compensates for the characters’ lack of depth. Tony Award winning director Des McAnuff successfully uses the music to complement a compelling, if not unique, story rather than trying to fit the story around the music. The fact that one hit after another is intricately intertwined into the story makes it more than just a vehicle for the typical “jukebox musical.” Without a strong foundation, it may have just been a concert by a cover band.

While the music is the icing on an already tasty cake, the icing is the most delicious part. Christopher Kale Jones does a fabulous job belting out Frankie Valli’s falsetto. Hitting all the high notes, not only was his range impressive, but he sounded just like Valli. Granted, The Four Seasons were big before my time, but I have heard their original songs before. In fact, I would be surprised if anyone hasn’t heard at least one song by the group. Does Can’t Take My Eyes Off You sound familiar? How about Working My Way Back to You or Stay (Just a Little Bit Longer)? It was like being at a Four Seasons concert- I half expected women to throw their undies on the stage. Instead, the company got an instant standing ovation at the shows end with the roar of the crowd increasing in intensity as the real members of The Four Seasons took bows with their counterparts. Oh What a Night, indeed!

Jersey Boys

@ The Curran Theatre

445 Geary Street

Tickets: $30-$90

Through Dec 30th