Jersey Boys

Performing "Dawn" - (L to R): Keith Hines, Nicolas Dromard, Hayden Milanes and Drew Seeley. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Achieving success and fame is a tough feat for any musical group. This ambition is made even more difficult when that band happens to be made up of four New Jersey boys from the wrong side of the tracks in the late 1950s. Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, a Tony Award-winning smash hit, is the true story of one of the most famous musical groups of all time, and is rich with spectacular performances of hit songs.

The production is divided into seasons, and told through the perspectives of the members of the Four Seasons themselves. Growing up in gritty, crime-filled New Jersey, they have all either done jail time themselves or have a friend or loved one currently doing time, which is narrated very casually by singer Tommy DeVito (Nicolas Dromard). Tommy and his friend Nick Massi (Keith Hines) form a band which is later joined by Frankie Castellucio (later Valli), a huge young talent. Frankie Valli is played by Hayden Milanes, who embodies Valli's likeable, teen idol persona. As a few years pass, Frankie gets married and Tommy is in and out of prison, while the band struggles to make a name for themselves. Their luck, and name, changes when they meet Bob Gaudio (Drew Seeley), a highly successful songwriter and musician who becomes the fourth member of their band, and they call themselves The Four Seasons. The rest is music history.

Jersey Boys is a symphony of hits from the '60s. The Four Seasons achieved their first success with “Sherry," followed by two more hits, “Big Girls Don't Cry” and “Walk Like a Man,” all written by Bob Gaudio, who notes that after three consecutive hits, the world knows The Four Seasons are here to stay. These three songs are all performed flawlessly and energetically by the band, and a screen is used behind them to showcase their performance in black and white, which brings a truly authentic feeling to the production.

Bob Gaudio is always wondering what's next, and his ambition propels The Four Seasons to worldwide stardom, as they continue to produce hits such as “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)” and “Dawn.” However, the road to fame is not a smooth one, as the band experiences a wealth of personal tragedies and strained relationships with family members. Tommy finds himself in a huge amount of debt, while Frankie's marriage crumbles and his relationship with his daughter Francine is a turbulent one.

The songs in the second half of the production, such as “Opus 17 (Don't You Worry About Me)," and “My Eyes Adored You” take a more serious turn, following the storyline. The crown jewel of the production is Milanes' performance of “Can't Take My Eyes Off You,” Valli's solo smash hit.

Jersey Boys is in Toronto for two weeks only (until January 4th) at The Ed Mirvish Theatre. Don't miss this sensational musical and inspirational story. Visit mirvish.com for more information and to buy tickets.