Mike Woody reviews jukebox musical Jersey Boys, now at Lacomedia Dinner Theatre in Springboro thru March 23
Review: Jersey Boys at La Comedia thru March 23
To fit the style of Jersey Boys, if there was a four letter word to rate it, I would. One that starts with F would be more accurate. To use…fine…would be a disservice. Megan Murray as Mary Delgado does look ‘fine’ in a red dress, but that’s a different story. Even after searching my thesaurus, the best I can do is fool. Anyone would be a fool to not see Jersey Boys at La Comedia…a darned fool.
Of all the shows I’ve seen at La Comedia, Jersey Boys is the closest I’ve seen to a real Broadway production. For fifty years, La Comedia has offered a ‘taste of Broadway.’ Jersey Boys serves up a full course meal of excellence, plus a whole buffet of tasty sensations to enjoy. Everything ranging from the cast to the set design is top notch.
The cast is Broadway ready, with voices that blend together better than beer batter and fish (even during Lent). An executive should be signed that the four male leads be the halftime show for next years Super Bowl. Prior to Jersey Boys, all I knew about Frankie Valli were the sad videos I see online of him still performing at 90 years old in a near vegetative state. A much younger and more vibrant Valli is played by Derrick Bertram. Bertram’s voice is smoother than a freshly rolled cannoli. The naïveté of a young Valli, developed into a dedicated frontman is portrayed perfectly by Bertram. The audience is lead to not only invest in Valli’s heart, but also his entire being.
Each member of the quartet takes turns serving as narrator, beginning with Jordan Thomas Burnett as Tommy DeVito. Off stage, DeVito was the groups leader and was responsible for bringing them all together. If I was a betting man, I’d wager that stardom is in Devito’s future…my hand to God that’s true.
With a voice as deep as the national debt, Kyle Brace was born to play Nick Massi. Brace brings a sound that really enriches the already stellar vocals. Perhaps he should start his own band someday.
The final member is Bob Gaudio, portrayed by Jonathan Wilson. Gaudio was the groups lyricist and preferred being in the shadows. Wilson has a common man likability, which puts him in the spotlight while on stage.
The talented ensemble features a personal favorite, Jonathan Pendergrass as the flamboyant record producer, Bob Crewe. Pendergrass is a metaphor himself for being an ultimate team player in any show he’s a part of. A valuable friend to the Four Seasons is Gyp DeCarlo, played by Colin Cranstoun a.k.a ‘The Mailman’ because he always delivers. Whether a stagehand or cast member, Cranstoun brings his A game. In addition to standing out in a red dress, the aforementioned Megan Murray also provides a lesson as Delgado on how anything truly Italian must end with a vowel. How Olive Garden doesn’t end in a vowel is beyond me.
I won’t spoil who it is, but Mark Edelstein plays who would grow up to be an Oscar nominated actor and a good fella…apparently a real Italian, or more so than Olive Garden.
It’s fitting the group called themselves The Four Seasons as like nature/weather they endured a lot of change. Times of sunshine were followed by turbulent storms. Perhaps their name was a sign. Those who pay close attention will notice that a season is designated for each portion of the show. It follows their rise to stardom after several failed attempts, only for some personal demons to put everything at risk. The group was then reborn with a new look only to reunite for a high honor.
Each of the acts is just over an hour long, and the action never stops from beginning to end. The transitions are seamless. Credit to the crew for maintaining such a steady pace.
Working video cameras also provide a neat visual of The Four Seasons and the audience on the stages big screen during the groups television appearances. Everything just comes together to form a top rate production.
The script is performed as written, which does include natural Jersey language. It will leave some wanting more of The Church Basement Ladies. It’s nothing that hasn’t been heard before, but in La Comedia’s fifty years, Jersey Boys likely holds the record for the most curse words. A sign is even up in the lobby warning audience members of the adult content before they enter.
With that being said, I’ll drop my own F-bomb. Don’t be a….fool, and miss The Jersey Boys. It’s La Comedia at their absolute best. Hmmmm, is La Comedia Italian?
More information: Jersey Boys at La Comedia Dinner Theatre
