Jersey Boys Sparkles at TBTS

Director/choreographer Kevin P. Hill, working from a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, has crafted a crisply paced and entertaining show about the rise and fall of 1960s singing group The Four Seasons. 

Tommy DeVito (Chris Marsh Clark) is the brash and egomaniacal leader of the group, who discovers teenaged Frankie Valli (Zane Zapata) and takes him under his wing.

After some run-ins with the law, Tommy and Frankie hook up with Nick Massi (Kevin Patrick Martin) and Bob Gaudio (a delightful Aidan Cole), a prolific songwriter.

The quartet starts off singing backup for other performers until they sign a record deal. Gaudio proves to be the creative force in the group, penning a string of number one songs including “Sherry” and “Walk Like a Man.”

As the group becomes more and more successful, tensions rise and friendships are fractured. Frankie becomes a breakout performer due to his trademark falsetto and charismatic stage presence. Tommy plunges into massive debt after borrowing money from mobsters. Feeling a sense of moral obligation and loyalty to his mentor, Frankie pledges to pay Tommy’s bills.

Not long after, some of the members depart and Frankie goes on the road as a solo act. 

Meanwhile, a series of personal tragedies shakes up Frankie’s world. His wife Mary (well-played by Alaina Mills) grows impatient with his constant touring and lack of attention to their family.

Clark gives a sharply nuanced portrayal as Tommy, a callous, cynical, irresponsible man jeopardizing the future of the group. He’s crude, boorish, and is threatened by Gaudio’s partnership with Frankie.

Zapata does an effective job of showing Frankie’s conflict between his career and his family. He finds himself struggling to maintain a balance as everything else seems to be spinning out of control.

Kevin B. McGlynn excels in multiple roles including Tommy’s best buddy Gyp and mobster Frank Knuckles.

The strength of “Jersey Boys” is the camaraderie among the four lead actors as they perform these classic songs. They all sing great, look great, and create fully realized characters. We also get an inside look at the peculiarities of the music business, where success is often based on luck and timing as opposed to merely pure talent.

Zapata brought the house down with a rousing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”

Cole sang the lead on the upbeat “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)” which pays tribute to an evening of debauchery in a hotel room.

Kyle Dixon’s smashing set design and costuming by Dana Pinkston accentuated the show’s feel-good vibe.

Overall, “Jersey Boys” features a lot of humor, heart, poignancy, and energetic singing and dancing. What more could you want from a trip to the theater?

Jersey Boys runs through September 10. The theatre is located at 364 Cards Pond Road, Wakefield, RI. Tickets are $65 – $88 (additional fees may apply). Discount rates are available for groups of 10 or more by calling (401) 782-3800 x112. Tickets are on sale at the box office Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm and performance days from 11:00 am until curtain, (performance Sundays 12 noon until curtain), online 24-hours-a-day at www.theatrebythesea.com and via telephone during normal box office hours by calling (401) 782-TKTS (8587).

Author: Joe Siegel

Joe Siegel is a regular contributing writer for WarwickPost.com. His reporting has appeared in The Sun Chronicle in Attleboro and EDGE.