Review-Jersey Boys (5.2.06)

Jersey Boys (Tuesday, 5.2.06, 7:00 p.m.)
August Wilson Theatre (Broadway)

Starring: John Lloyd Young (Frankie Valli), Christian Hoff (Tommy DeVito), Daniel Reichard (Bob Gaudio), J. Robert Spencer (Nick Massi)

Season after season, creators have been attempting to craft tributes to various musical performers by creating a Broadway show out of their catalog of songs. For the most part, these efforts have been an abysmal failure. This season has seen no less than three such attempts crash and burn – Lennon, Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash) and Hot Feet (Earth, Wind & Fire), and seasons past have seen many more. Perhaps inspired by the success of Mamma Mia! (which for me has remained the only satisfying jukebox venture), these would-be creators persist, searching for that right combination of story and song.

Perhaps we should tip our hats, then, to all of these failed efforts, as it appears they have finally culminated in a truly enriched, theatrical piece which succeeds both as a tribute to its musical creator and as a satisfying theatrical experience all on its own. “Jersey Boys” is at once a celebration of the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, but even more so, it is a compelling portrait of their rise to fame and an emotionally satisfying and entertaining piece. Des McAnuff’s fast-paced direction, reminiscent of his work in the first act of Tommy, is relentless, but with the snippets of recognizable music and a smooth narrative, it is never too much too fast. It is a joy-ride from start to finish.

Which is not to say that it glosses over the more difficult aspects of Valli’s story, and in fact it is in allowing the story to be told from so many different perspectives that it becomes a rich experience. Each of the characters becomes a true character, and not just a mouthpiece for delivering the catchy music. All four men playing the "original" Seasons – John Lloyd Young, Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer are uniformly excellent. Each man reveals his character's flaws, but each also shows how his was a necessary contribution to the success of this famous group.

John Lloyd Young’s nasal, high-pitched falsettos are remarkable, and his covers of Valli’s famous anthems and songs are extremely entertaining. But what is more impressive is how he inhabits the character, from his discovery as a 15-year-old boy to a 40-something leader who becomes his own man and takes charge of his life and the group. Young’s acting and musical ability make it his the standout musical performance of the season, and he should be rewarded come Tony time.

Daniel Reichard brings his smooth-crooning and good looks to the part of Bob Gaudio, a would-be one-hit wonder who finds his voice writing for Valli. Gaudio is the kind of character who would ordinarily blend in the background, but Reichard makes sure that Gaudio's combination of ambition and talent ensure that he will remain in the forefront. Although Gaudio eventually gets his wish to stop performing and to focus on his writing and producing, he takes pleasure in knowing just how important he has been to making the Four Seasons’ success possible. Reichard captures this sense of satisfaction, and makes him out to be an all-around good guy.

Christian Hoff has perhaps the most difficult story to tell, because Tommy DeVito’s character is more difficult to sympathize with. But Hoff is terrific from the opening notes of the show through the end. Rounding out the quartet quite nicely is J. Robert Spencer, whose turn as the ordinarily quiet Nick Massu who knows how to lash out and eventually abandons the group, is deep and satisfying.

The book is exceptionally well-put together and thought out. It is filled with plenty of silly and even corny one-liners. But in the context of the show, everything works. It also is remarkably successful in its more dramatic moments, including a pivotal act two scene involving Frankie’s daughter. What the creators have considered is how best to use the music – sometimes it is just presented as numbers (such as cataloging the group’s early hits), other times it is used to further the story thematically, and still other times it is a combination of the two (such as the use of the reprise of “Walk Like a Man” by the group to confront Tommy at the end of Act I. This flexibility allows the music to be used for maximum effect. It has been a long and difficult road, but the creators of Jersey Boys prove that it is possible to use a catalog of pop music and successfully create a moving and complete theatrical experience. Jersey Boys stands up as easily the best new musical of the season, and one of the more satisfying experience of the past several years.