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A Walk Down Memory Lane

The audience was swaying and boppin’ in their seats at the opening night of Jersey Boys at Ivoryton Playhouse.

That’s because the music is infectious, and it also brings back memories for many of us.

The show tells how four teens from Belleville, New Jersey, became rock ‘n roll hall of famers: the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. (Joe Pesci is a side character in the story, having grown up in the same neighborhood.)

The opening may confuse you; it certainly did me when I first saw the show on Broadway in 2005. A group of contemporary performers enters and sings ”Oh, what a night” in French! But we are soon back to the 1950s, and Tommy DeVito tells us how the group began (without Valli) and how he discovered and taught Valli “everything he knows.” It is a relatively common story. The group goes from a trio to a quartet, it changes its name and style frequently, it struggles to get bookings, and two of the members end up in jail, which is not a new thing for Tommy and his brother, Nick.

When Bob Gaudio joins the group as a performer and songwriter, things begin to happen. Gaudio had a number one hit at 17 (“Short Shorts”) but was struggling to get another.

And this being Jersey and an Italian neighborhood, the underworld is present in the person of Gyp, head of the syndicate.

The story switches narrators to Bob Gaudio, Frankie, and Nick, the fourth member of the group. This allows each to “correct” the others or add another point of view. One of the funniest bits is when Nick talks about the trials and tribulations of rooming with Tommy on the road.

Tommy not only wants to control everything, but he has a serious gambling addiction. At one point, he owes a loan shark nearly $200,000, plus the group owes $500,000 to the IRS because he never paid the group’s taxes. Gyp brokers a deal which forces Tommy out of the group; out of loyalty to him, Frankie says the group will pay off the debt.

While the book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice is way above those for most bio-musicals, it is the songs that will capture you. All the Four Seasons’ hits are there: “Sherry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “My Eyes Adore You,” and of course, “You’re Just Too Good to Be True”.

Ivoryton has assembled a fine cast, many of whom have done the show before. As Valli, Sean Burns has the vocal stylings down pat. If this isn’t what Valli sounded like, it is what he should have sounded like. Burns helps you understand Valli’s blind loyalty to Tommy and his sense of honor. His rendition of “You’re Just Too Good to Be True” will give you chills.

Michael Notardonato is great at Bob Gaudio. Gaudio was the outsider who grew up in another New Jersey town and who Tommy views as a threat.

As Tommy DeVito, Evan Ross Brody tries to capture Tommy’s bravado but it doesn’t always work. At times it was difficult to understand him; he needed to be clearer and perhaps a bit slower. We need to see this character’s insecurities and immaturity.

Nick, played by Brendan McGrady, is the quieter member of the group, but his recounting of rooming with Tommy is a high point. When he explains his reasons for leaving the group, it touches you.

Other cast members have moments: Nick Petrelli as the young Joe Pesci trying to fit in with the older guys; Liv Kurtz and Stephanie Wasser as two of Frankie’s love interests; and Ryan Knowles as music producer Bob Crewe.

But it is the music that captures us. Director and choreographer Todd L. Underwood makes it shine. From the standard moves of ‘50s vocal groups through the choreography for the French group that opens the show, he captures the times and the styles.

Two minor complaints. The show needed a slightly faster pace, which should now be fixed. I saw it on the second night in front of an audience. The other is a problem for many theaters–the sound system and sound design. It has improved, but there were still times when understanding dialogue or song lyrics was difficult.

Underwood deals with the multiple settings by using projections on two screens, one on each side of the stage. Some of these were very evocative and effective, but others, particularly one that appeared to be of a recording studio, weren’t clear or added to the show.

Music director Mike Morris and the nine-piece orchestra did a great job.

I had a great time at Jersey Boys. You will too.

For tickets or information, visit IvorytonPlayhouse.org.