Review: JERSEY BOYS at Derby Dinner Playhouse

The biography jukebox musical is quite the unique brand of theatre experience. So many come to mind in recent years (Beautiful, The Cher Show, MJ, Tina, etc.), but you could easily argue that Jersey Boys was the first of its kind in the modern theatre landscape. Many of these shows have specific casting needed to play and portray their subjects, and once they are finally available for regional and community theatres it's quite the undertaking to put out a polished and faithful product. Derby Dinner Playhouse has taken on that challenge by being the first theatre in the area to present Jersey Boys, and I'm extremely happy to report that they have done a tremendous job with this challenging and technically difficult show.

Jersey Boys centers around the creation of The Four Seasons, and how lead singer Frankie Valli rose to fame and success. The show uses their songs amid songs of the era to tell the story. A jukebox musical formula that has become common, but was quite novel at the time of the show’s premiere. Starting with the group’s humble and rough beginnings, the show takes us through their formation, rise to fame, and all the drama along the way.

Our four leads are absolutely stellar. Christopher Oram as Valli is giving perhaps one of the best performances I’ve ever seen on the Derby Dinner stage. Vocally he’s an absolute powerhouse and dead ringer for Valli’s signature falsetto, but dramatically he carries a lot of the show as well and does it with ease. His ballad late in Act 2, “Fallen Angel” moved me to tears. Bobby Conte as Tommy DeVito is also doing wonderful work here. He serves as a narrator in the first part of the show and does a great job setting the tone of the show, dropping us into the rough world the group grew up in. Drew Jacobson as Nick Massi has wonderful comedic timing, and wonderful chemistry with his cast mates. Seth Peterson as Bob Gaudio is in great voice throughout, and really shines in some of the more dramatic book scenes.

The rest of the cast and ensemble are phenomenal as well, executing this high energy show flawlessly. Trent Byers is a comedic delight in his small role as Joey Pesci (yes, that Joe Pesci) and Brittany Cox brings a lot of gravitas to her small role as Mary Delgado. Staged entirely in the round, Lee Buckholz should be commended for making this show work in that setting, and the pacing of the show is pretty immaculate as well. Heather Paige Folsom serves as choreographer for the production, and her work is sharp and lively, exploding off the stage.

It’s been almost 12 years since I last saw Jersey Boys, and I have to say it was a blast to revisit. The show is still so enjoyable, and I had honestly forgotten how great it can be. This production is among the best that Derby Dinner Playhouse has ever produced, and so much of that comes down to the talent behind the scenes and the wonderful work being done onstage. I highly recommend everyone make it a priority to catch this while tickets are still available, I guarantee with a show this great, they won’t be for long.

JERSEY BOYS

Now - September 29th

Derby Dinner Playhouse

525 Marriott Dr, Clarksville, IN 47129

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