JERSEY BOYS Comes to Palo Alto Players Next Month

Join Palo Alto Players will continue their 94th season with the true story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, bringing The Tony Award, Grammy Award and Olivier Award-winning Best Musical JERSEY BOYS to the Lucie Stern Theater. JERSEY BOYS takes you behind the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons to discover the secrets of a 40-year friendship as the foursome work their way from the streets of New Jersey to the heights of stardom.

Directed by Doug Santana (School of Rock, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812), choreographed by Whitney Janssen (Matilda, Something Rotten, School of Rock) and featuring a cast of 17 Bay Area actors, JERSEY BOYS  runs for 11 in-person performances from April 18-May 4, 2025 at the Lucie Stern Theater, located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto.

With phenomenal music, memorable characters, and dynamic staging, JERSEY BOYS follows the fascinating evolution of four blue-collar kids who became one of the greatest successes in pop-music history. With electrifying performances of chart-topping hits including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don't Cry,” “Dawn,” and “My Eyes Adored You,” audiences can't take their eyes off of the electric JERSEY BOYS.

JERSEY BOYS features a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music by Bob Gaudio, and lyrics by Bob Crewe. 

“We are absolutely delighted to be the first theatre company in Silicon Valley to produce JERSEY BOYS,” said Palo Alto Players Artistic Director Patrick Klein. “We can't wait to bring the incredible journey of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons to life with an amazing and fearless cast and creative team. This thrilling, can't-miss musical, with its timeless hits and captivating story, is sure to shake the rafters at the Lucie Stern Theater.”

JERSEY BOYS is directed by Doug Santana, and choreographed by Whitney Janssen with music direction by Nick Kenbrandt and vocal direction by Daniel Lloyd Pias. Director Doug Santana (he/him) has been a presence in the Bay Area theater community for the past thirty years as both an actor, director and the Director of Performing Arts for the award-winning Performing Arts program at Archbishop Mitty High School. Highlights include Bright Star (Archbishop Mitty, Rita Moreno award winner), Natasha, Pierre…(Archbishop Mitty, Rita Moreno award winner), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Archbishop Mitty) and School of Rock (Palo Alto Players). As an actor, you may recognize him from previous Palo Alto Players productions as Gomez in The Addams Family, Francis in One Man, Two Guvnors and Ms. Trunchbull in Matilda.

Choreographer Whitney Janssen (she/her) last choreographed Matilda with Palo Alto Players. Other recent shows include Something Rotten and School of Rock (Children's Musical Theater of San Jose Marquee). Whitney toured regionally in Aida (Theatreleague), Beauty and the Beast, Footloose, and as Maggie in A Chorus Line (Theatrical Arts International). She also taught at American Musical Theater of San Jose's Theater Arts Institute, Archbishop Mitty High School, Marie Stinnett Dance, San Jose State University and Campbell Community Center. Whitney completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theater from Millikin University.

Music Director Nick Kenbrandt (he/him) is best known for playing Jerry Lee Lewis in Million Dollar Quartet (Palo Alto Players, 6th Street Playhouse, Broadway By the Bay), the latter production of which earned him a Theater Bay Area award. Other credits include Elf (Chadwick), Assassins (Hinckley), and Once (Bank Manager) at Hillbarn Theatre. Vocal Director Daniel Lloyd Pias (he/him) recently vocal directed School of Rock at Palo Alto Players and performed in last year's world premiere of Larry the Musical as Chris Mensalvas at the Brava Theatre in San Francisco. Favorite roles include Terk (Tarzan), Sebastian (The Little Mermaid), Teen Angel (Grease), and Mary Sunshine (Chicago). He also sang backup for Jeremy Jordan at Feinstein's at the Nikko. Daniel holds an MFA in vocal performance.

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