BWW Reviews: JERSEY BOYS Rocks LA Once More

Jersey Boys/book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice/music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe/directed by Des McAnuff/Pantages Theatre/through October 19 only

Jersey Boys, called a jukebox musical, is an uber well-structured, Tony Award-winning show presented in a documentary-like format. It tells the true story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, retaining most of their original musical hits. There are lots of laughs, great rock and roll music and a realistic look at how the group got started in 1963, the difficulties they faced in staying together, their eventual breakup and ultimate survival. Director Clint Eastwood kept pretty close to the book of the show in his recent film adaptation, and the musical score, generated by its lead actors along with some tracks of the real Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, is dynamite. The show has played world wide and now returns on tour to the Pantages for 3 weeks only. Judging by its reception opening night, Jersey Boys keeps on captivating its audiences, young and old. This cast under the original direction of Des McAnuff is every bit as supreme as the original including the first national tour.

Presented in four segments representing the four seasons spring, summer, fall and winter, each of the quartet narrates a segment, giving his point of view of what happened. Tommy DeVito (Nicolas Dromard), the originator of the group, narrates spring; Bob Gaudio (Jason Kappus) summer; Nick Massi (Adam Zelasko), Frankie's brother, fall, and Frankie Valli (Hayden Milanes), winter. At the end when all four reunite at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, each reprises what it all meant, the success and the singing.

From the streets of New Jersey, Tommy, Frankie and Nick all got into trouble with the law for petty crimes and thrown into jail at various times, so the music was their salvation, Valli's success was guaranteed as he possessed that unmistakably belting falsetto-like voice. Gaudio was an outsider. He had had a big hit with "Who Wears Short Shorts?" and was brought in to write songs and to complete the quartet when trios were going out of style. Gaudio and Valli instantly hit it off, causing jealousy with DeVito, who was a control freak and also a big spender. He managed to abuse the group's earnings: hundreds of thousands of dollars, including nonpayment of back taxes. Mafia friend Gyp DeCarlo (Thomas Fiscella) arranged a loan and Valli agreed to pay off Tommy's debt through constant work, playing every club cross country. DeVito was pushed out, taking up residence in Vegas and Nick wanted out too, with the excuse that we wanted to go home to his family. Valli's marriage to Mary Delgado (Marlana Dunn) had already collapsed, as his career came first. Sadness abounded in Valli's life as a daughter Francine, who so wanted to follow in her father's footsteps, died unexpectedly at age 22 of a drug overdose.

Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice have structured the piece so compactly that it plays as tight as a drum with dramatic scenes and musical hits interspersed at a staccato pace for the audience's thorough enjoyment. Klara Zieglerova's scenic design of a tiered metal walkway with staircase with space for orchestra beneath and a screen in the background for rear projections works beautifully. Jess Goldstein's costuming especially multi-colored tuxedo jackets for the guys are quite fetching. Add Howell Binkley's lighting design and Steve Canyon Kennedy's great sound and...you have one helluva show.

The ensemble is super with Milanes, Dromard, Kappus and Zelasko all sensational in their roles. Dromard is a real standout as DeVito, a triple threat performer. Dunn as wife Mary and Jaycie Dotin as a reporter who falls for Valli are both terrific. Barry Anderson has a wonderful turn as gay record producer Bob Crewe and Fiscella stands tall as DeCarlo and others.

If you love Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and their "Sherry","Big Girls Don't Cry", "Walk Like a Man", "Rag Doll", "Dawn" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" among many, many other hits, most are here in vivid array.

Go see Jersey Boys through October 19 only at the Pantages. It's a rock and roll story for the ages that is superbly written, directed and played and stands out surely as one of the most entertaining Broadway shows ever.

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