Frankie Valli celebrated his 90th birthday on May 3, and what a career he’s had to celebrate! 

Through 60 turbulent years, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons have claimed numerous hits, 40 in the Top 40, 19 in the Top 10, and eight No. 1s to be exact. Each song is as memorable as all the others, from “Sherry” and “My Eyes Adored You,” to “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” just to name a few. 

As most music lovers know, behind every good song is a story, and for Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, that story is brought to life on stage in the mega-hit musical Jersey Boys, featuring 20 of the band’s timeless hits with a book (script) written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. 

The show, which took home the Best Musical Tony Award in 2006, is a glimpse at the people behind a sound that has managed to endure more than four decades in the hearts of the public. The musical is now playing in Fort Wayne at Arts United Center, brought to life by Fort Wayne Civic Theatre. 

Having opened Saturday, May 4, Jersey Boys continues each weekend through May 19. A note for theatergoers: like Clint Eastwood’s film version, Jersey Boys is definitely an R-rated show, since there is a significant amount of coarse language, innuendo, and adult themes.

Setting the scene

Jersey Boys gets to the heart of the relationships at the center of the group with a special focus on Valli, the small kid with the big falsetto. 

In addition to following the quartet’s coming of age as performers, the core of the show is how an allegiance to a code of honor learned in the streets of their native New Jersey got them through a multitude of challenges: gambling debts, mafia threats, and family disasters. 

Given the vast amount of time Jersey Boys covers over the course of two acts, it would seem like a very difficult scene to set, but Fort Wayne Civic’s design team has done an excellent job creating a set that is modular and indicative of The Four Seasons’ home. 

The set, comprised of an upper and lower level, features the famous streetlight on the corner that Valli has fondly remembered in many interviews over the years, the New York City Skyline, and a stage complete with lights that are often faced toward the audience, giving a feeling of what the characters see when blinded by the rocketing success.

Walking like the men

Rocketing success is a phrase I could definitely use to define this cast. As I am sure you can imagine, the show would not take off without the four actors who portray The Four Seasons being in perfect harmony. The Civic’s cast delivers. 

Adam Cesarz (Valli), Owen Saalfrank (Bob Gaudio), Dylan Record (Nick Massi), and Aaron Mann (Tommy DeVito) are a dream team. Their harmonies are on point and their steps in sync. They have excellent chemistry and seem to embrace the family dynamic well, even sparring with the intensity of brothers.

Individually, the gentlemen each have their strengths that add to the performance. 

Mann’s performance is every bit the Jersey bad boy that those of us who have watched The Sopranos have come to love. He’s rough and will defend his family at all costs, but will also joke, scheme, and give everyone a hard time.

Saalfrank, as the business-minded Gaudio, is the perfect voice of reason. His portrayal is even-keeled and warm. He comes off as very genuine and no-nonsense at the same time. Saalfrank and Cesarz share some very heartfelt moments, and the bond reads very much like the friendship that sustained The Four Seasons for so many years.

Speaking of Cesarz, his portrayal of “The Voice” of the group is inspired. 

Valli’s voice is difficult to imitate, and Cesarz’s falsetto soars. As the anchor point of the storyline, Cesarz’s Valli runs the gamut of emotion, and you can see it in his eyes and on his face. From the joys of early stardom, to the family tragedy of his later career, Cesarz nails it.

And then there’s Record, whose performance as the stoic Massi reminds me very much of a young Steve Buscemi: broody, offering the occasional smart remark, then out of nowhere exploding with a rant that will leave you speechless. It’s a pleasure to watch.

Sticking with the times

Leslie Beauchamp’s direction and choreography is also to be applauded. 

It was easy to see as the decades passed in the show how trends in choreography changed as well. There were the classic 1960s box steps and microphone swings, moving into more disco like moves, then some slides from the background dancers as Act 2 moved into the 1980s. 

There were also subtle moments, like The Four Seasons getting out of step as the band fell apart, and the tender moment between Valli and his daughter during “Fallen Angel,” that really put the icing on the cake.

The Civic’s Jersey Boys is a delight. A party from beginning to end. A great night out for any fan of music or theater … or both!