Review: JERSEY BOYS at New Theatre & Restaurant

JERSEY BOYS at New Theatre Restaurant is a delightful evening out on the town.  The show tells the mostly true story of sixties pop legends Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

This show is an original and fun trip down memory lane with a singing group who offered a unique sound that still resonates almost seventy years later.  JERSEY BOYS was written before almost all the juke box musicals that have overwhelmed the Great White Way today.

The original Four Seasons were four Italian youngsters from New York’s New Jersey suburbs who hung out on street corners and sang harmony.  The founder of the group was a guy named Tommy DeVito. 

Tommy pictured himself as “the big cheese.”  He was a tad older than the other group members and fancied himself a little more sophisticated.  Tommy was not above a little Breaking and Entering.  He had connections to New Jersey’s darker underworld and liked to gamble.  It turns out Tommy was not terribly good at either B&E or Gambling.  He ran up big mob debts and served at least one prison term.  

The Four Season’s breakthrough events from the early days were the discovery of a unique lead singer named Frankie Castelluccio and the addition of Bob Gaudio, a great songwriter/producer. 

Frankie was quickly renamed Frankie Valli. He owned a very high countertenor voice with a reputed vocal range of almost four octaves. Bob Gaudio became Frankie’s business partner on a handshake and the composer of many of the group’s favorite songs.

Bob’s songs, Frankie’s voice and their harmonies created a unique sound that made The Four Seasons stand out from dozens of other male singing pop groups from the early 1960s. Some of their big hits include “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “ Walk Like A Man,” “Oh, What A Night,” “My Eyes Adored You,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “Working My Way Back To You,” and others.

Each of the four principals, Frankie, Bob, Tommy, and Nick get their own opportunity to break the imaginary fourth wall and tell their own story.  This has the effect of allowing the show to make exceptionally good sense and very good theatrical flow.

The New Theater set is designed on two levels across the proscenium with stairways stage left and stage right to the second level.  Each section is backed by LED screens.  The backdrops are lit by moving projections that explore the group’s various travels and locations.

The cast of fifteen is excellent overall with direction by Larry Raben and choreography by Debbie Roshe.  Scenic design is by Robert Andrew Kovach.  Lighting and projections are by Nathan Scheuer.  Musical Director is Daniel A Doss.

Frankie Valli’s incredible range takes a significant toll on one’s voice.  In this case, the part is played alternatively by identical twins Chris and Coby Oram.  The night we saw JERSEY BOYS; we happened to see Coby.  He was excellent.  I have every reason to believe his twin would be just as good.

The other principals are Tommy McDowell as Nick, Eric William Geil as Bob Gaudio, and Collin O’Connor as Tommy.   The blend of the four principals is outstanding.

JERSEY BOYS opened on Broadway in 2006 after about a five-year development process.  It earned Tonys for Best Musical, Best Actor, Best Featured Actor, and Best Lighting.  Additionally, the show was nominated in four more categories.  It continued on Broadway until 2017 or 4650 performances plus West End, National, and International productions.

The music is by Bob Gaudio. The lyrics are by Bob Crewe.  The libretto is by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice.

As always, the food at New Theater is excellent and the service is impeccable.

Today, the real Frankie Valli is creeping up on his 91st birthday on May 3, 2025.  He continues to perform. He is scheduled to sing at the Kauffman Center on September 25, 2025. Bob Gaudio is 82.  He no longer performs, but he remains business partners and friends with Frankie Valli on that same handshake.

JERSEY BOYS continues at New Theatre Restaurant through June 22.

Photos by MIke Savage