Stage West’s most recent production, Jersey Boys, features a variety of immensely talented performers and crew members. This show is the true story of the trials and tribulations of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons. This musical, based off of the book written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, shows you the in-depth character of each of these magnificent musical talents. Right from the start of the show we are thrown into the fast-paced life of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Though it takes some time to get our four boys together, once they unite, their rise to success is almost unstoppable. The group has to face adversity to get this success and the way they reach the top is an inspiring story of perseverance and undying loyalty. With a cast and crew of 53 exceptional talents, this show will leave you dancing in your seats and singing along with the performers.
Our story starts off of course, in New Jersey, where our first narrator, Tommy DeVito, introduces us to his current makeshift band. After a little negotiation, he is able to bring Frankie under his wing like a little brother. As different members of the group are entering and leaving prison, Frankie gets tossed around while they try to find a song or a writer that can let his spectacular voice shine through. As is expected, it’s not easy to make it to the top in the music industry. After singing backup vocals and attempting to speak with multiple producers they finally make a hit, and then another. When they reach their hat-trick they solidify their group and talent in the industry, and are not soon to let go. Seeing as they’re constantly touring, some members of the group have trouble maintaining relationships with each other and also those back home. Tommy DeVito made sure the group got through any problems that came up, using his backhanded ways to get the money they needed. However, the group later finds out that Tommy has not been paying back his now over one million dollar debt as quickly as the mobsters wanted. This, of course, throws a wrench into everything the group had been working so hard to accomplish. To find out just how much this hurt the group and how they each got through it, Stage West is waiting to tell the story.
This production is made up of characters with complex personalities that will keep you guessing what they will do next. With each of the characters having their own look at life and how to deal with it, we are given a group that brings a whole new take on show business. With each of these complicated characters, we are given talented actors to portray them. With the exceptional vocal and acting talents, the performers of this show made you believe you were watching the journey of the real Four Seasons as they made their big break. The energy that was brought to this stage was fantastic and kept the audience engaged the whole time. Under the brilliant stage and musical direction of Liz Gilroy and Konrad Pluta, these performers were able to truly break out of the box and shine. While the music is the main part of this show, one cannot ignore the spectacular choreography that was done as well. With choreographer Phil Nero the audience is truly able to gain a better sense of the characters through their movements on stage. We got to truly see how the characters differed from each other through the dances, giving us further insight into these incredible characters. This style of dance and music that is so rarely found nowadays helps bring audience members into the setting and personality of the show. The cast and crew have used amazing techniques to fully immerse you into this brilliant work of theatre.
Stage West has put on this spectacular rendition of Jersey Boys that is an enthralling experience for people of all ages. The music is something everyone can get into whether you know these musicians or not. The incredible songs of the Four Seasons will keep being hummed and sung by audience members for days after the performance. For those in the audience who grew up with the music of Frankie Valli, Stage West’s production is a wonderful time to relive those years with some of the best music to come out of them. For younger viewers, this show is a chance to experience for the first time one of the most incredible styles of music that cannot be found like this anymore. To purchase tickets and to find out about upcoming shows you can go to https://stagewestcalgary.com/.
