Stage Review - Jersey Boys (TMP)
Stage Review - Jersey Boys
Presented By: Tacoma Musical Playhouse (TMP)
Show Run: March 01 - March 24, 2024
Date Reviewed: Sunday, March 17, 2024
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman
Jukebox Musicals are the one subset of the genre that I’m generally lukewarm about. I think “lazy” is one word I’ve used to describe them in the past, but in those cases I’m specifically referring to the musicals that use existing songs to tell a new story using already released and popular songs in the role of musical accompaniment. I’ll always prefer to see new stories with new music, but all that said, there is another group of these musicals I feel do have a lot of value, and these are ones in which a particular artist’s music is used to tell the individual’s or group’s story, presenting their history through their own music. Out of these, I hold up Jersey Boys as the gold standard against which the rest can be compared. The story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons features all of their greatest hits, including “Sherry”, “Walk Like a Man”, and “Rag Doll”, but it’s the quality of the storytelling in Jersey Boys that, for my part, makes it stand heads and tails above the others. It’s also a show that Jon Douglas Rake, Tacoma Musical Playhouse’s Managing Artistic Director, has had his eye on since first seeing it in previews on Broadway and was able to secure the rights to present it during the theatre’s current season after a long and arduous wait. The show, directed and choreographed by Jon, with musical direction by Jeffrey Stvrtecky, runs onstage through March 24 in Tacoma. It’s clear that this production is a labor of love, as it marks a return to the kind of quality and precision that has been a trademark of TMP and which I feel has been lacking in its most recent productions, dating back to last season.
This version of Jersey Boys features Lucas Delamarter in a starring role as Frankie Valli, along with Jake Atwood, Braeden Linkenback, and Jesse Geray as the Four Seasons, Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio, and Nick Massi respectively. Each takes a turn narrating the history of the group, from their start in New Jersey, through the peak of their fame, and eventually to the band’s split and finally a nod to present day. From the storytelling perspective, Jake’s Tommy DeVito takes on the bulk of it, walking the audience through the formation of the group, times when they went up against the law, through the hiring of Bob Gaudio as a songwriter, and up until the group began to have some semblance of success. Tommy may have been the most troubled of the group, and Jake plays him very well and with an accent and personality many have come to associate with New Jersey itself. During this past Sunday’s performance, I found his portrayal very good, especially at the beginning of the show. As the show moved on, his personification started skewing toward a more over the top stereotype, seeming to lean more in this direction as Jake loosened up during the progression of the show. That said, his Tommy is big on personality and Jake’s work here thoroughly entertaining. Each of the Four Seasons is managed well here, each with their unique personality, which the actors all portray very well. Jake’s Tommy feels larger than life, but always looking out mainly for himself, Braeden’s Bob Gaudio is the songwriter that takes The Four Seasons to the next level, he’s all about the music, but determined to make sure his future is secure as well, despite where he thinks Tommy is leading them. Braeden plays him with a level head throughout, but with an underlying drive for success. He’s the one who has no allegiance to their old neighborhood in New Jersey, more focused on the road ahead. Nick Massi, meanwhile, is the more subdued of the group and is extremely talented as well, especially when it comes to vocal arrangements. I like Jesse in this role, especially when Tommy’s behavior comes to a head and Nick steps out of that subdued shell, Jesse has the opportunity to present a good deal of emotion and he takes full advantage. Finally, Frankie Valli is, well Frankie Valli. He’s the voice of the group, the central figure, and as such the character around which most of the story revolves. Lucas Delamarter is good here, but where he is strongest is vocally. It’s a rare feat at this level not just to be able to handle the falsetto required, but to do it with the level of control that Lucas does. He lacks some of the lower range of Frankie Valli, but that takes nothing away from the overall quality of the performance. In fact, each of the Four Seasons is excellent when it comes to singing, and their harmonies strong. Lucas’ falsetto, Jake’s lead, Braeden’s tenor, and Jesse’s bass all come together to provide solid and consistent vocals throughout. Any fan of The Four Seasons will appreciate this quartet’s ability and the way they honor the music and the history of the band through their performance.
Jon Douglas Rake has cast his production of Jersey Boys as well as can be hoped for, and those who have seen other versions of the production will be happy to see how well this has been done. The leads mentioned above are of course all top notch, but Jon didn’t stop there, he’s amassed a supporting cast that is filled with talent. Mauro Bozzo is perfection as the flamboyant record producer Bob Crewe, Howy Howard is very good as a young Joe Pesce, and Jonathan Bill displays his versatility as multiple characters, especially mobster Gyp DeCarlo. Rounding out the cast is Scott Polovitch-Davis as Tommy’s brother Nick DeVito, Royeen Daley, Alan Plaster, Melissa Maañao, Elise Campello, and Cori DeVerse as ensemble members. Each of these members of the ensemble roll in and out in multiple supporting characters, all coming together to create a group that delivers an outstanding version of Jersey Boys.
Beyond the acting and singing, this version of Jersey Boys doesn’t derivate a lot from others that I’ve seen. Staging, choreography, vocal arrangements all are very familiar, but one area in which this production does stand out is in the live music from a band under the direction of music director Jeffrey Stvrtecky. I will always prefer live music over pre-recorded tracks, and when it’s done this well, it is most satisfying. This may be the best regional production of Jersey Boys that I’ve seen, and I believe it stands up well with some of the professional versions as well.
Jersey Boys is a nostalgic trip down memory lane for any fan of The Four Seasons, or the music of their generation. From the streets of New Jersey, to the lights of Las Vegas and so many stops in between, Jersey Boys follows this quartet through all of it, the highs and the lows, the trouble, and the triumphs. The Tacoma Musical Playhouse production, under the direction of Managing Artistic Director Jon Douglas Rake, is a faithful and well done tribute to the band and their music. Music has a way of tapping into certain emotional parts of us as humans, and when a piece of art can present that music along with superb storytelling, it’s a magical thing. This production of Jersey Boys does all of that, and much more, it’s the best TMP show of the year.
Jersey Boys runs onstage at Tacoma Musical Playhouse through March 24. For more information, including ticket availability and sales, visit https://tmp.org/.
