The hit musical is on tour right now with a brief layover at the Center for the Performing Arts in San Jose. Absolutely stunning, the story follows The Four Seasons and their slow and steady rise as one of the biggest musical acts of their time. Frankie Valli (Ben Bogen on opening night), Bob Gaudio (Tommaso Antico), Tommy DeVito (Corey Greenan), and Nick Massi (Chris Stevens) are four guys from New Jersey trying to get out of their lackluster town. Though they run from trouble, trouble seems to follow them; guess you can take a guy out of New Jersey, but you can’t take New Jersey out of a guy.
The show shines a light on how our roots shape us. We follow the men as they come of age, learn to navigate the music industry, react to conflicts, and deal with personal tragedies. They’re not perfect, Nick says in a moving exit monologue, but the production brings such charisma forward that we can’t help falling in love. Another heartwarming aspect is the relationship between the men, especially that of Gaudio and Valli, the writer and the singer respectively. Their decades long friendship and mutual respect is enviable and shines in the performances.
Seamless choreography and a minimilastic set with quick changes really set the mood, and put the music first and foremost. There are times it feels more like a concert than a musical. The way the story is woven in feels effortless, and this tour has done an amazing job recreating the show. The pop art is also a nice nostalgic touch.
The highlight is the songs: we learn a bit about each song — the writing and producing process — and a taste of the performance. Standout numbers: “Walk Like a Man” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry” with fun facts on what inspired Gaudio to write the songs. And not an eye is left dry with “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and “Fallen Angel”… the energy is impeccable during these renditions. Bob Bogen’s voice is incredible, completely reminiscent of Valli’s incredible lead voice which launched a thousand copycats during his prime. The music is decades old and evokes a specific time and place, but it feels timeless, as does the show.
Jersey Boys will be playing at the San Jose’s Center for the Performing Arts now through Sunday, June 10. For more information about the show, visit www.JerseyBoysTour.com or www.broadwaysanjose.com.
There’s a typo in this article. It’s not Bob Bogen…it’s Ben Bogen. They should maybe fix that.