Horray for Jersey Boys in Hollywood–Review Roundup!
October 13th, 2014Terrific reviews for JERSEY BOYS at Pantages Theatre (playing through 10/19/14) in Hollywood. Check out excerpts to reviews around town below:
BeverleyPress.com: For the “Jersey Boys” who took the stage Sunday, namely Nicolas Dromard (Tommy DeVito), Jason Kappus (Bob Gaudio), Hayden Milanes (Frankie Valli) and Adam Zelasko (Nick Massi) as The Four Seasons, with Barry Anderson and Thomas Fiscella, they treated the audience with fabulous renditions of “Sherry”, “Big Girls Don’t’ Cry”, “My Eyes Adore You”, “Walk Like a Man” and the ever-memorable “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, among many others.
Milanes’ voice was so reminiscent of the “real Frankie Valli” you believed it to be him.
NeonTommy.com: This particular performance featured an extra surprise— Frankie Valli himself was in the audience, and he came out onstage to thunderous applause during the curtain call. Riding the emotional high of the show’s closing number “Who Loves You?,” it was challenging not to feel overwhelmed by his presence after having just borne witness to his story. Seeing the original Jersey Boy on stage, I couldn’t help it — this big girl did cry.
Examiner.com: FIVE STARS! It just doesn’t get any better. I was totally enraptured by the movie Jersey Boys, but when I saw it on stage at the Pantages in Hollywood it took me to yet another level of total exhilaration. Vibrant, poignant, brilliant and pure energy are all fair descriptions of Jersey Boys, but why is this so?
Without a doubt one of the prime motivators of the more seasoned crowd is the simple fact that the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons had been a huge part of our young lives. We all knew in some way “Sherry baby” and then, of course, we also knew that we really had to “Walk Like a Man.” The amazing music from the Four Seasons and the amazing voice of Frankie Valli lit up our young lives. But the show delivers so much more.
BroadwayWorld.com: The ensemble is super with Milanes, Dromard, Kappus and Zelasko all sensational in their roles. Dromard is a real standout as DeVito, a triple threat performer. Dunn as wife Mary and Jaycie Dotin as a reporter who falls for Valli are both terrific. Barry Anderson has a wonderful turn as gay record producer Bob Crewe and Fiscella stands tall as DeCarlo and others.
LA.com: Cleverly breaking the story into four different points of views(one from each member of the group) and four “seasons” as well, “Jersey Boys” begins with Spring, narrated by the group’s founder, Tommy DeVito (played with nervous verve and toughness by Nicolas Dromard). Tommy is a small-time wheeler-dealer who dreams of making it big as a singer/musician, but has to make ends meet as a small-time hood. Tommy is the one who discovers Frankie Valli (magnificently performed by Hayden Milanes) and manages the group’s early struggles.
It’s only when the group finds songwriter Bob Gaudio (Jason Kappus) do things really begin to take off for them, with one hit song after another. Bob narrates “Summer,” which chronicles the explosive success of the group. “Fall,” narrated by unappreciated Nick Massi (Adam Zelasko) follows the stress of success on the Four Seasons. And Frankie Valli narrates the final portion of the evening, “Winter,” chronicling his solo success as a performer without the original members. The use of the story points and characters’ lives gives emotional resonance and context to the group’s musical repertoire in a way that enriches both to an elevating experience.
