A Review

Oh What A Night!

By R. J. Donovan

The tagline on the poster says it all.  "How did four blue collar kids become one of the greatest successes in pop music history?" The answer plays out on stage in "Jersey Boys." Tracking the rise to fame of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, the show won the 2006 Tony Award as Best Musical.

The Four Seasons sold 17 million records worldwide -- all before they were thirty years old. Many fans of the group probably assumed that Valli was the guiding force, start to finish. His name was in the group's title, after all. But "Jersey Boys" points out that was not necessarily the case.  Lead singer, yes.  Creator and visionary, not always.

The narration of the high-energy story is actually shared by all four guys (giving four perspectives), starting with Tommy DeVito, who did, indeed, start the group. Prior to meeting Valli, he and his bandmates had played under a variety of names, eventually grooming young Valli to become their center force.

The evening starts under a street lamp in Belleville, New Jersey, and ends as the group is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."  As far as what happens in between, the show pulls no punches.  This is not a bubble-gummy look at four kids who became famous. The gritty side is just as important as the pop success.  So we get everything from gangsters and priests to infighting, gambling addictions, arrests and drug overdoses.

At first they struggle to find themselves. Then Bob Gaudio joins the group, having already written the hit "Short Shorts." Is he just a One Hit Wonder, or does he bring more to the table? They meet up with lyricist and producer Bob Crewe. Things are better, but not great. Running through a series of boy band names, they eventually click with the Four Seasons, which they pick up off a neon sign. From "American Bandstand" to "The Ed Sullivan Show," all the highs and lows are there.

At the show's core is the terrific catalog of Four Seasons hits, from "Sherry" and "Rag Doll" to "Walk Like A Man," "Bye Bye Baby," "My Eyes Adored You," "Let's Hang On," and more.  Of the 33 numbers in the show, five were #1 hits and 11 others were on Billboard's Top Ten list. What's interesting is learning the backstory of how so many of the songs came to be. (Bet you didn't know "Big Girls Don't Cry" got its inspiration from a Rhonda Fleming movie.)

It's also fascinating to see the guys struggling with the creation or production of a certain song, not knowing exactly which single they're talking about.  Then, as we flip from recording studio to stage, you hear the first few bars of the intro and the wave of warm recognition rolls over the audience.

The show is high energy and moves along at a good clip with the narration coming in quick, dynamic scenes.  A lighting change snaps and we cut to a seedy nightclub or a courtroom or church.  Snap again and we're on stage. In that sense, the production has a very cinematic feeling to it.  Each scene is enhanced by a series of Lichtenstein-like pop art graphics hanging high over the playing area. (Lighting Design is by Howell Binkley. As well, the costuming by Jess Goldstein nicely captures the look and colors of the era.)

The industrial set by Klara Zieglerova is simple, but highly effective for the story of four guys from the wrong side of the tracks.  A bridge over the playing area, linked by a flight of stairs at one end and a spiral staircase at the other, are pretty much all that's there. Minimal set pieces glide on and off, usually maneuvered by the actors themselves. But it's all fast and well choreographed. 

Valli eventually becomes the dominant voice in the story, but only after DeVito has mangled finances and gotten in trouble with the mob.  And despite DeVito thinking he's the creative force, it's actually Bob Gaudio who gives the group its musical legs.  His writing style and production vision pushed them on to achieve things DeVito couldn't even imagine. In particular, Gaudio was determined to make "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" a hit for Valli despite the resistance of everyone he met.

It's also interesting to learn that Valli and Gaudio's relationship was based on a handshake. There were no written agreements, no lawyers, no messy fine print.  It was a "Jersey Contract" that determined everything (and still does.)

As Frankie Valli, Joseph Leo Bwarie (at left) has the voice of an angel. He may not have that slightly raspy high crest that Valli sometimes employed, but he opens his mouth and you're captivated by the purity of his range and the magnitude of his talent.  (It should be noted here that the sound design by Steve Canyon Kennedy is impeccable.  Everything is crisp, clear and balanced, from the lowest whisper to the most frenetic musical numbers.)

The sidebar story angle to Bwarie's appearance at The Shubert is that he was once a student at Emerson, just down the street. Talk about coming home.

As Devito, Matt Bailey strikes the right balance of ego and street thug. His world wasn't far reaching, but he ruled it (or thought he ruled it) with an iron fist. 

Josh Franklin is the real deal as Gaudio. Talented, thoughtful and loyal to Valli, he knew his abilities and didn't need to strong arm anyone to make his point.

Rounding out the foursome is Steve Gouveia (from the Broadway cast) as Nick Massi.  Usually in the least influential position within the group (he described himself as Ringo), Nick eventually left the group because he'd just had enough. Gouveia comes into his own in the second act and also has some very funny moments.

Which is a good time to mention just how funny the show is.  Yes, there's a lot of serious material on stage, but it's balanced by lighter scenes and characters, some of which produce laugh out loud funny moments -- one in particular has Valli meeting Mary DeLardo in a bar.

There are 19 actors with the show, and many of them play 15 or 16 parts. (Special note goes to Joseph Siravo in a quartet of funny roles, including mobster Gyp DeCarlo.) A small trio of actresses play ALL the female roles in the show, changing costumes, wigs and personalities with amazing skill. Renee Marino is especially funny in her barracuda-in-the-bar scene with Bwarie. And Bob Crewe is played by Jonathan Hadley.

Directed by Des McAnuff and with a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, "Jersey Boys" premiered at San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse in 2004. It came along at the end of a long list of lightweight juke box musicals that were short on story and existed for no reason other than to cash in on the hits of people like Elvis ("All Shook Up") and The Beach Boys ("Good Vibrations").

Prior to opening, "Jersey Boys" was initially (and unfairly) lumped with those shows, only to prove it had far more to offer -- a sort of documentary musical, backed by fact and starring a cast of actors who actually became the artists in question. (And lest we not forget these guys are vocally duplicating the hits of musical icons, they are all great musicians.)

Once audiences saw it for themselves, ticket sales soared. In fact, after the opening on Broadway, you had to wait for up to a year to get a ticket.

The evening is capped by "Who Loves You" in a dazzling production number featuring the entire company. With choreography by Sergio Trujillo, it's an exciting end to a fast-paced evening. At the final note, the lighting snaps one last time and Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons are frozen in time as one of the most successful musical groups ever.

And to think it all started under a lamp post in Belleville, New Jersey.

"Jersey Boys" is at Shubert Theatre through September 26. For information, call 866-348-9738.

-- Production Photos: Joan Marcus

-- OnStage Boston

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