TOE-TAPPING JUKEBOX MUSICAL JERSEY BOYS TAKES THE IVORYTON PLAYHOUSE STAGE
By Kiersten Bjork (August 16, 2023)
Jersey Boys at Ivoryton Playhouse, directed and choreographed by Todd L. Underwood with musical direction by Mike Morris, is a fun and nostalgic musical full of your favorite classic Four Seasons tunes. It features a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music by Bob Gaudio, and lyrics by Bob Crewe. Jersey Boys tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, from the forming of the group to the trials and triumphs that they faced over their careers. Told from the perspectives of Tommy DeVito, Frankie Valli, Nick Massi, and Bob Gaudio, the audience gets a peak behind the curtain at the lives of these incredible musicians. Jersey Boys features hit songs such as “Sherry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night),” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” and is a show that will have you tapping your feet in time and leave you humming those catchy melodies long after the final song ends.
Jersey Boys at Ivoryton Playhouse, directed and choreographed by Todd L. Underwood with musical direction by Mike Morris, is a fun and nostalgic musical full of your favorite classic Four Seasons tunes. It features a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music by Bob Gaudio, and lyrics by Bob Crewe. Jersey Boys tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, from the forming of the group to the trials and triumphs that they faced over their careers. Told from the perspectives of Tommy DeVito, Frankie Valli, Nick Massi, and Bob Gaudio, the audience gets a peak behind the curtain at the lives of these incredible musicians. Jersey Boys features hit songs such as “Sherry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night),” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” and is a show that will have you tapping your feet in time and leave you humming those catchy melodies long after the final song ends.
Michael Notardonato, Sean Burns, Evan Ross Brody, and Brendan McGrady in Ivoryton Playhouse’s Jersey Boys (Ben Hope)
|
Michael Notardonato, Sean Burns, Evan Ross Brody, and Brendan McGrady in Ivoryton Playhouse’s Jersey Boys (Ben Hope)
|
The production opens with Evan Ross Brody as the first narrator, Tommy DeVito, the swaggering, blue-collar New Jersey boy responsible for bringing the group together (or so he claims). Brody is perfect in this role. He’s confident and charming, has just the right amount of roughness around the edges, looks the type, and brings a great voice and strong character choices to the part. I enjoyed the arc of this character, as his spiral is one of the key plot points of the show, and Brody really went above and beyond with his portrayal of DeVito.
The iconic Frankie Valli is played by Sean Burns, who shines in the role with a strong, smooth falsetto. Burns brings a youthful energy to Valli, which is great since Valli starts off essentially as the baby of the group. Granted, a show like this does have me wishing that the script and budgets allowed for casting a “young” and “older” version of characters like this, particularly when the show begins with them as young teens and ends decades later. Burns’ portrayal still felt young in the later years of the character, but I think the energy worked overall.
Michael Notardonato steals the show at times as songwriter Bob Gaudio. Notardonato has a fantastic voice – his opening to “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)” gave me chills and had me humming along to the iconic song. His Gaudio is self-assured and put-together, talented and sophisticated, and a sweet blend of naivety and confidence.
Rounding out the original four is Brendan McGrady as Nick Massi. Massi is presented as the somewhat neurotic, uptight member of the group, and McGrady aces this aspect of the role by leaning into the humor in it. The audience was practically in tears from laughing so hard at the outbursts that McGrady played up. I liked what I could hear of his voice, but the balance of the sound wasn’t ideal for hearing the bass lines that he was holding down.
The iconic Frankie Valli is played by Sean Burns, who shines in the role with a strong, smooth falsetto. Burns brings a youthful energy to Valli, which is great since Valli starts off essentially as the baby of the group. Granted, a show like this does have me wishing that the script and budgets allowed for casting a “young” and “older” version of characters like this, particularly when the show begins with them as young teens and ends decades later. Burns’ portrayal still felt young in the later years of the character, but I think the energy worked overall.
Michael Notardonato steals the show at times as songwriter Bob Gaudio. Notardonato has a fantastic voice – his opening to “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)” gave me chills and had me humming along to the iconic song. His Gaudio is self-assured and put-together, talented and sophisticated, and a sweet blend of naivety and confidence.
Rounding out the original four is Brendan McGrady as Nick Massi. Massi is presented as the somewhat neurotic, uptight member of the group, and McGrady aces this aspect of the role by leaning into the humor in it. The audience was practically in tears from laughing so hard at the outbursts that McGrady played up. I liked what I could hear of his voice, but the balance of the sound wasn’t ideal for hearing the bass lines that he was holding down.
Michael Barra, Evan Ross Brody, Brendan McGrady, Michael Notardonato, Sean Burns, and Raphe Gilliam in Ivoryton Playhouse’s Jersey Boys (Ben Hope)
|
Michael Notardonato, Sean Burns, Evan Ross Brody, and Brendan McGrady in Ivoryton Playhouse’s Jersey Boys (Ben Hope)
|
The four are supported by a strong ensemble of actors playing a variety of characters, my favorites of which are Michael Barra as Gyp DeCarlo and Ryan Knowles as Bob Crewe. Barra’s performance screams “mob boss” in all the right ways, while Knowles had me cracking up with his delivery of Crewe’s astrology references. Liv Kurtz brought spunk and a sultry confidence to Mary, Frankie Valli’s first wife who has the iconic line about how Valli should spell his new last name. Cartreze Tucker steals scenes with his ensemble roles, pulling out all the stops with character voices and amusing physicality. Raphe Gilliam is imposing as the loan shark Norman Waxman and adds a touch of humor as Tommy’s brother, Nick DeVito. Nick Petrelli has moments of comedy gold as the young and overly enthusiastic Joey (also known as that Joe Pesci), and Michael Prescott McClure gives a strong performance as Norm. Sarah Warrick plays Francine Valli, Frankie’s daughter, with sass and spirit, and Stephanie Wasser’s Lorraine is charming.
Scenic designer Cully Long has created a simple yet effective set featuring several tiered platforms all framed by brick walls and steel beams. The platforms form a “stage” on the stage itself, far upstage, which is well utilized by director Todd L. Underwood throughout the production. Small moveable scenic pieces are set and struck as needed to further establish each setting, and the overall design serves the production well.
Lighting designer Jessica Ann Drayton does an excellent job lighting this production, from great color choices to tasteful spotlights, with my favorite moment being the Act I closing sequence leading into intermission. Such a fantastic way to end the act! Costumes and wigs by designer Elizabeth A. Saylor are all beautifully done as well. I lost count of just how many different jackets the boys were wearing, but each was more iconic than the last, particularly the iconic red jackets. Sound design by Jacob Fisch was not my favorite. Particularly for the first portion of the show, the balance wasn’t ideal to the point that I had a hard time hearing many of the performers when they were singing over the orchestra. I feel like I missed a few significant moments as a result. Additionally, while Ivoryton makes a point to use live musicians, the sound was being piped to where I sat at the back of the house through the sound system. So, despite the fact that live musicians were being used, the overall sound was still rather canned. Granted, one could argue that it gave the sound a more realistic feel if they were going for a “radio” quality, to play into the nature of a jukebox musical.
Jersey Boys at Ivoryton Playhouse has famous songs, talented leads, and a strong ensemble, all working in harmony to create a solid production. While I wish the sound balance better served the onstage talent, Ivoryton has put forth a fun show. There were laughs and applause in abundance, and even a brief audience sing-along at the end of the performance. If you like the music of the swinging sixties, and particularly the Four Seasons, there’s no reason for you not to enjoy Jersey Boys! Catch the production before it closes on September 10.
Jersey Boys will run from August 10-September 10 at the Ivoryton Playhouse in Ivoryton, CT. Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm; evening performances Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm; and Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $60 for adults, $55 for seniors, and $25 for students. Tickets are available online at ivorytonplayhouse.org or by calling the box office at 860.767.7318. (For information on group rates, please call the box office.) The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.
Kiersten Bjork is a theatremaker and reviewer with the Connecticut Critics Circle from Branford, CT.