Review: We Can't Take Our Eyes Off of JERSEY BOYS at Sierra Rep

Oh, what a night! Jersey Boys, the Tony Award-winning jukebox musical about the rise and fall of The Four Seasons, is rocking the town of Columbia through the summer. It’s a story of the American dream, a rags-to-riches tale that brings four young boys out of Jersey and into the national spotlight. It’s also a story about what’s more important than fame: family, loyalty, and honor.

Jersey Boys takes us back to the 1950s and the beginning of the group that would become the Four Seasons. Tommy DeVito is a budding musician who dabbles in petty crime. He and bandmate Nick Massi escape the lengthy jail terms sentenced to their cohorts, leaving them free to take Frankie Valli under their wing and develop their Signature Sound. The only problem is that trios are out, and quartets are now in. Luckily, their friend Joe Pesci (yes, that one) introduces the group to Bob Gaudio, who has already experienced success with his hit, “(Who Wears) Short Shorts.”

Gaudio completes the group and, with his songwriting and Valli’s sound, catapults them to stardom, penning such hits as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” and “Walk Like a Man.” Unfortunately, success can’t keep the group together. Tommy’s gambling debts force him to leave for Las Vegas, while Nick realizes that he is tired of touring and wants to return home.  Now that the foursome has downsized to two, Gaudio decides the best course of action is to step down and focus on Frankie as a frontman.

Gaudio’s genius is the catalyst behind Valli’s meteoric rise back to stardom, as he tours the nation with new material like, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” and “Working My Way Back to You.” However, what goes up must always come down, and Valli’s success is tempered by personal tragedy, showing him that money truly doesn’t buy happiness.

A cast of Four Seasons veterans leads this stellar production. Adam Marino (Frankie Valli), Matt Michael (Tommy DeVito), Bobby Guenther (Nick Massi), and Quinn Corcoran (Bob Gaudio) steal the show with energetically executed choreography by Ben Bogen and streamlined vocals that capture the essence of a simpler time.

Marino’s Valli is impeccable and his depth of character is impressive. Marino takes us from Valli’s performing infancy to a beleaguered and disillusioned man borne of a lifetime of experiences with grace, sensitivity, and a show-stopping falsetto. Director Jerry Lee has created an electrifying and enthralling exhibition of hit music, complex emotions, and relatable human experiences. Escape the outside heat and work your way to Columbia to watch the temperatures rise at the Fallon House Theatre in this mesmerizing celebration of a bygone era.

Jersey Boys is playing at Sierra Rep in the Fallon House Theatre through August 27th. More information may be found at www.sierrarep.org or by emailing tickets@sierrarep.org.

Photo credit: Sierra Rep

To post a comment, you must register and login.