STAGES’ Jersey Boys Is A Night to Remember

By Pat Lindsey

Oh, what a night it was to see Jersey Boys in the intimate Ross Family Theatre in the new Kirkwood Performing Arts Center! No matter whether you’ve seen this show a half dozen times or never before, it pulls you into the life story of singer Frankie Valli and his 60s group, the Four Seasons in a way that no other jukebox musical has been able to do.
The story begins with four teens singing under a streetlamp in the New Jersey housing projects and chronologically tracks their failures and successes all the way to the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. The group’s original leader, Tommy DeVito (Brent Michael Diroma), makes the first personal contact with the audience when he unabashedly brags, “It all began with me.” As the story unfolds, each member of the group takes his turn explaining his role in the Four Seasons’s success. Bob Gaudio (Ryan Jesse), the group’s songwriter, says they were successful because of the songs he wrote, and he knew they were a big hit when his parents stopped talking about him going to trade school. Nick Massi (Jason Michael Evans) adds a little comic relief when he describes his contribution to the group as being able to room with unsocialized Tommy DeVito for ten years. And, of course, Frankie Valli’s (Christopher Kale Jones) claim to fame was his unique style with his falsetto voice, the group’s trademark.
Truth be told, the Four Seasons existed because of the contributions of each of its members. They wrote, recorded, and performed their own songs and sold more than 175 million records before the group members were 30 years old. Bob Gaudio, who was first introduced to the group by Joe Pesci, wrote his first hit, “Who Wears Short Shorts,” when he was only 15. Collectively, their history was a roller coaster ride of jail sentences, mob connections, rap sheets, gambling debts, heartache, and huge success. Mobster Gyp DeCarlo (Steve Isom), who served as the unofficial consigliere to the young singers, was an integral part of that history.
Every Jersey Boys production must have a good Frankie Valli and Christopher Kale Jones is as excellent as he should be, because he played Frankie Valli in the first National Tour of the show. He sings one familiar hit after another and almost everyone in the audience knows exactly how those songs should sound. The audience got excited when the group sang its first hit, “Sherry,” and there was thunderous applause for every hit after that, including “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” and 28 more. Anyone who loves these songs will love this show.
STAGES’ Jersey Boys is brilliantly directed by Michael Hamilton. It appeals to every human emotion and makes us feel empathy for almost every character in the cast. And its songs have withstood the test of time. The only thing that keeps the audience from singing them out loud are the masks that everyone is required to wear throughout the show.
The Tony and Grammy Award-winning Jersey Boys enjoyed a 12-year run on Broadway and won 57 awards worldwide. The STAGES production will only run through Oct. 24 at The Ross Family Theatre. Don’t miss it and your opportunity to sing “Oh, What a Night” all the way home.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting StagesStLouis.org or by calling the STAGES box office at 314-821-2407.

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