GET READY TO ENBOY YOURSELF
Jersey Boys has been around long enough that you might assume it’s just another jukebox musical, cranking out hits for an easy nostalgia trip. But that’s never been the case. Since its Broadway debut in 2005, the show has stood out by weaving a real, sometimes messy, behind-the-music story into its score of Four Seasons classics. With Musical Theatre West‘s Long Beach Regional Premiere, the show still shines, but you only have until March 2 to catch it..
The story unfolds in four perspectives, each band member—Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito, and Nick Massi—giving their version of events as the group climbs from New Jersey dive bars to international stardom. It’s a smart structure that keeps things moving and lets the audience see the band’s rise and fall from multiple angles. The book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice is tight and often funny, and under TJ Dawson’s direction and superb casting, the pacing is sharp.
Of course, the music is what people come for, and when “Sherry” drops, it’s like a switch flips—the audience is in. The hits keep rolling (“Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “Walk Like a Man,” “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)”) and the cast delivers them well. But designer Alena Milos’s sound issues sometimes got in the way; the vocals were overpowered by the band, and mic levels were inconsistent—frustrating, considering how much of the show’s impact relies on the music landing just right. However, I must say that the performance I saw last Sunday was their seventh show in four days! That’s amazing. So perhaps, some of the vocalists were a bit raw.
The performances, though, are strong across the board. At the Carpenter Center, Nicholas Alexander leads the charge as Frankie Valli, bringing the right mix of falsetto power and presence, while Grant Hodges’ Nick Massi has the perfect deadpan humor and quiet frustration. Anthony Carro makes a charismatic Tommy DeVito, balancing charm and recklessness, and Taubert Nadalini’s Bob Gaudio captures the youthful energy of the group’s songwriting mastermind. Donovan Mendelovitz stands out as Joe Pesci, the then-unknown kid who played a surprising role in the band’s origins.
Visually, the show is effective without being flashy. Stephen Gifford’s set design trades Broadway’s LED-heavy aesthetic for something darker and more textured. Jean-Yves Tessier’s lighting gets the job done, shifting between high-energy concert moments and more intimate scenes. Adam Ramirez’s period-accurate costumes work amazingly well.
What still makes Jersey Boys work after all these years is that it’s not just a tribute concert. It digs into the complications of fame, loyalty, and ambition, showing that success wasn’t as smooth as those harmonies make it sound. Musical Theatre West’s outing captures what makes the show great, even if those darned sound issues keep it from being a total knockout. If you’re a Four Seasons fan or just appreciate a well-structured musical biography, it’s still so worth your time to see it.
Jersey Boys
Musical Theatre West
Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 Atherton St. in Long Beach
ends on July 21, 2023
for tickets, visit visit Musical
