Presented by: Northern Light Theatre Company
Reviewed: 7 October 2022
Since first hitting the stage in 2004, and then Broadway in 2005, Jersey Boys has been an award winning smash hit musical with fans of all ages. Northern Light Theatre Company’s current production of Jersey Boys at The Shedley Theatre in Elizabeth continues this tradition, with an outstanding cast and support crew.
The best thing about Jersey Boys is that you don’t need to be a fan of The Four Seasons, or even know who Frankie Valli is, to be able to enjoy it. The show itself tells enough of the story, including fourth-wall-breaking narration from each of the lead characters themselves.
I really loved this show, and frankly I wasn’t sure that I would beforehand. I’m familiar with the work of enough of the cast to know that the performances would be great, and I wasn’t disappointed. But I was quite surprised at just how engaging the story was, and I loved just how much every actor (not just the leads) had paid serious attention to character embodiment.
The four leads include Sam Davy as Nick Massi, Michael Coumi as Bob Gaudio, and Kristian Latella as Tommy DeVito, but it’s Deon Martino-Williams as Frankie Valli, who steals the show. Martino-Williams’ singing and falsetto were impeccable, and he looked entirely comfortable in a role that comes with enormous pressure.
There were some oh-so-slightly clunky moments at the very beginning, and the occasional follow-spot delay, but theatre regulars would easily have spotted these as nothing more than opening night teething moments. There was perhaps a little too much reliance on mic’s as well, but with a show as vocally-reliant as this it’s completely understandable that the cast might want to conserve their voices for the demanding two and half week run.
It may be cliche to say it, but be quick if you want tickets. And believe me, you do. Tickets for the season are almost all gone. There are some tickets left for great seats at some shows, but these will go quick.
Congratulations to Northern Light Theatre Company, who seem to be going from strength to strength with each latest production they put on. Their Jersey Boys is a great night out that will have you singing all the way home and throughout the next day.
Reviewed by: Doug Phillips
Venue: Shedley Theatre
Season: 7 – 22 October, 2022
Duration: 2 hours (including interval)
Tickets: $24 – $40
Bookings: https://nltc.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/75579
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