A Crowd Pleaser
Reviewed by Vicki Stokes
Drayton Entertainment has been giving Ontario audiences plenty of opportunity to see Jersey Boys, beginning with the Hamilton Family Theatre from March 27th to April 21st, and now at Huron Country Playhouse. Then it moves on to Kings Wharf Theatre from August 8th to September 1st. This is a wise decision: Jersey Boys is a huge crowd-pleaser. On opening night at Huron Country Playhouse, the audience clapped heartily throughout, cheered extensively and gave a prolonged standing ovation. They wanted the cast to “Stay” a little bit longer.
The script is a good one, and I’m sure it doesn’t tell half the story. You learn about the band members and their backgrounds and what drives them. You witness the rise of Francesco Castelluccio from teenager to frontman of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. You see a songwriter of a tender age blossom into a hitmaker: Bob Gaudio penned everything from “(Who Wears) Short Shorts” to “December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)” often in collaboration with Bob Crewe. You find out which member is the weakest link who almost knocks them off their mountain of success. As a bonus, you find out how actor Joe Pesci got his start. The treatment of women is often deplorable, but hey, “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” A true Jukebox musical, it is the story of the Four Seasons told through Four Seasons songs.
Niko Combitsis masters the voice of Frankie Valli. His falsetto is stunning! Combitsis may be familiar to the Grand Bend audience as Barry Mann in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical last year. Add the harmonies of all four members to Combitsis’s voice and the hit songs of the Four Seasons are shiver-inducing! You are brought back to that magical time when the group was at the top of the charts.
Kale Penny, who played Drew in Rock of Ages last year, expertly portrays the founder of the band and hustler Tommy DeVito. He demonstrates how DeVito demands loyalty but betrays the other members behind their backs. Josh Alcantara is perfect as the youthful but wise-beyond-his-years Bob Gaudio, who is driven to succeed and continues to be driven once they’ve topped the charts. Garrett Woods is memorable as Nick Massi, harmonizer and the one who gets stuck with DeVito the most, causing him to explode in anger about DeVito’s slovenly ways.
The other cast members play various parts, the women recreating classic looks with beautiful dresses and wigs, their feminine voices adding to all the beautiful harmonizing. Travae Williams adds some fantastic high notes. The band is wonderful and members make their appearance with the long-awaited horns and other instruments in the final minutes of the show. The set lends itself well to scenes of darkness and light, from prison to star-studded stage.
One small item of note is the use of authentic language from the streets of New Jersey, curse words and all, as well as some mature themes. Age 13+ is recommended by the theatre.
This musical is a powerful crowd-pleaser, with classic hits such as “Sherry,” “Stay,” “Walk Like a Man,” and the lovely “I Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.” If you enjoy these classic hits and want to see Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons recreated in their prime, go see this show!
Jersey Boys continues until August 3rd at Huron Country Playhouse, Mainstage Tickets are available by calling the Box Office at 519-238-6000, Toll-Free at 1-855-372-9866, or by checking www.huroncountryplayhouse.com for availability.
Photo: Niko Combitsis, Josh Alcantara, Garrett Woods, Kale Penny. Photo by Drayton Entertainment.
Jersey Boys
Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice
Music by Bob Gaudio
Lyrics by Bob Crewe
Directed by Danny Austin
Choreographed by Christine Watson
Musical Director – Konrad Pluta
Performed by Josh Alcantara, Mark Allan, Niko Combitsis, Eric Da Costa, Ryan Desaulnier, Robyn Esson, Kale Penny, Mayson Sonntag, Ellie Tanfield, Ocean Williams, Travae Williams, Garrett Woods
Produced by Drayton Entertainment
Mainstage, Huron Country Playhouse, Grand Bend
July 10 to August 3, 2024
Reviewed by Vicki Stokes