Jersey Boys Delights Carolina Girls (and Boys) at DPAC!

The Jersey Boys tour starred (from left) Corey Greenan, Eric Chambliss, Jon Hacker, and Michael Milton (photo by Joan Marcus)

A packed house (comprised of people of all ages) rocked the Durham Performing Arts Center during the Friday, April 29th, performance of Jersey Boys, a Broadway music biopic that chronicles the career of The Four Seasons -- a group that was phenomenally popular in the 1960s and 1970s and has continued to wow fans ever since.

The show begins with a bit of a surprise -- a short musical number that is definitely not their style of music -- and transitions into a mix of narration/dramatization and songs that follows their career from the humblest of beginnings (in "the old neighborhood" in Belleville, NJ) to its heights and beyond. Various members of the group address the audience at times to set up the delightful series of vignettes in which we learn about their personal lives as well as their career, regaling the audience the entire time with hit song after hit song.

Tommy DeVito (lead guitar and baritone vocals) and Nick Massi (bass guitar and bass vocals) recruited Francesco Stephen Castelluccio (later known as Frankie Valli) as lead singer; and, eventually, the group recruited Bob Gaudio (songwriter, keyboards, and tenor vocals) to join them as "The Four Lovers," who -- after a gig at a hotel named "The Four Seasons" -- found their new name.

Pictured (from left) are Michael Milton, Jon Hacker, Eric Chambliss, and Corey Greenan (photo by Joan Marcus)

Along the way, we get to know the four men, along with some of their associates and loves. We also learn why Valli spelled his name with an "i" instead of a "y." We learn about such concepts as "a Jersey Contract" and "shopping Jersey-style," and we are treated to the (let's call it "super-salty") New Jersey way of talking.

But, suffice it to say: The Four Seasons' story is not all riches and success -- there are more than a few downsides, but the entire experience is uplifting

The Show:

With book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, Jersey Boys opened on Broadway in 2005, and went on to win four Tony Awards® and then won an Olivier Award while playing in London's West End, beginning in 2008.

The ladies include (from left) Katie Goffman, Connor Lyon, Amy Wagner, and Ashley Bruce (photo by Joan Marcus)

The Production Values:

The current touring show, directed by Des McAnuff and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo's, highlights music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe. It showcases the design talents of Klara Zieglerova's (sets), Jess Goldstein (costumes), Howell Binkley (lighting), Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound), Michael Clark (projection), and Charles G. LaPointe (hair and wigs). All production values are top-notch.

The Cast:

It is hard to believe that the four major roles in Friday night's dynamite performance were played by understudies! Bruno Vida (as Frankie Valli), Sean McGee (as Bob Gaudio), Alec Michael Ryan (as Nick Massi), and Kevin Patrick Martin (as Tommy DeVito) were all s pot-on and flawless.

A very capable ensemble fills out dozens of other roles (including that of a surprise appearance by Justin Albinder as a very young Joe Pesci) and deftly handles a plethora of scene changes.

From left, Michael Milton, Corey Greenan, Jon Hacker, and Eric Chambliss perform "Dawn" (photo by Joan Marcus)

The Verdict:

It took the final number to bring the entire house to its feet, but every song had its "pockets of fans," standing while swaying, and singing along. Jersey Boys gives a full evening of entertainment and enlightenment, and I highly recommend it to anyone who would not be offended by a script that includes more than a few four- and seven-letter words.

The tour starred (from left center) Eric Chambliss, Jon Hacker, Corey Greenan, and Michael Milton (photo by Joan Marcus)

Bob Gaudio, Bob Crewe, Marshall Brickman, and Rick Elice's JERSEY BOYS (In Person at 1 and 7 p.m. Sunday, May 1st), presented as part of WRAL Greatest Hits of Broadway at DPAC (Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham). TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-PCt0gsnik. THE PRESENTER/VENUE: https://www.dpacnc.com/, https://www.facebook.com/DPACNC, https://www.instagram.com/DPACNC/, https://twitter.com/DPAC, and https://www.youtube.com/user/DPACLive. DIRECTIONS: https://www.dpacnc.com/plan-your-visit/directions. PARKING: https://www.dpacnc.com/plan-your-visit/parking. DPAC COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS: https://www.dpacnc.com/events/vaccination-and-covid-19-test-requirements. THE TOUR: https://jerseyboysinfo.com/, https://www.ibdb.com/tour-production/jersey-boys-499646, https://www.facebook.com/JerseyBoysBroadway, https://www.instagram.com/jerseyboysbroadway/, https://twitter.com/JerseyBoysInfo, and https://www.youtube.com/user/jerseyboys. TOUR CAST/CREATIVE TEAM: https://jerseyboysinfo.com/tour/cast. FRANKIE VALLI AND THE FOUR SEASONS: http://www.frankievallifourseasons.com/, https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/four-seasons, http://vocalgroup.org/inductees/the-four-seasons/, https://www.britannica.com/topic/the-Four-Seasons-American-music-group, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Four_Seasons_(band). TICKETS: $33.50 and up, plus taxes and fees. Call 800-982-2787 or click here to buy tickets. GROUPS (10+ tickets): 919-680-2787, Groups@DPACnc.com, and https://www.dpacnc.com/events/groups-services. INFORMATION: 919-680-2787 or CustomerService@DPACnc.com. Susie Potter's Review.

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