There’s a moment in “Jersey Boys” when Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons must decide whether to bail out bad-boy gambler Tommy DeVito or throw him overboard to the loan sharks.
In a smoky boardroom, Valli gets up from the table and declares his intentions to walk like a man. They’ll pay off DeVito’s debt and behave like a family.
At this moment, it may occur to you that “Jersey Boys” is more than just a seamlessly crafted jukebox musical describing the public acclaim and behind-the-scenes struggles of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons: It is also a tale of honor and loyalty to rival Mario Puzo ("The Godfather") and Shakespeare ("The Merchant of Venice").
And I'm happy to report that the touring production at the Fox Theatre through June 10 is the slickest, best-looking and most dramatically resonant telling of the expletive-spewing 2006 Tony Award winner for best new musical that I have seen. As the diminutive lead singer with the voice of an angel, the troubled personal life and the heart of gold, Brad Weinstock is simply electric. His performance is as good as you will see on any stage, anywhere.
Written by Woody Allen collaborator Marshall Brickman (“Annie Hall,” “Manhattan”) and Broadway first-timer Rick Elice, “Jersey Boys” is a pop-culture “Rashomon” told in a Jersey accent — a quartet for spring, summer, fall and winter in which each band member recounts the journey as he remembers it. The crime, the philandering, the sibling rivalry, the self-doubt and the fickle game of survival that accompanied the birth of rock and roll: It’s all up for appraisal in director Des McAnuff’s splendidly conceptualized musical drama.
Though Valli’s flaws were considerable, DeVito’s were apparently even more troubling, and Colby Foytik plays the stock villain with a mixture of snarl and charisma. The handsome Jason Kappus portrays Bob Gaudio, the musical brains of the group, as fresh-faced and likeable, while Brandon Andrus exudes plenty of masculine energy as bass singer Nick Massi, the quiet soldierly one who can only endure so much. As "Fifth Season" Bob Crewe, the group's lyricist and frequent producer, Barry Anderson is a delightfully flamboyant figure who recalls Hugh Jackman playing Peter Allen in “The Boy from Oz.”
Though they remain very much in the background, the females of the ensemble are all good, too. As Valli's wife, Mary, Natalie Gallo gets to spout some funny Jersey speak. Ruby Lewis is charged with playing, among other roles, both the star's mother and his troubled daughter. And Kaleigh Cronin does a nice job as Lorraine, the journalist who catches his eye but can't quite hook him.
As the party girls who entertain the boys after one memorable gig, the women look stunning in Jess Goldstein's slinky red costumes, which are especially luminous under the sumptuous lighting of Howell Binkley. Klara Zieglerova's scenery — mostly an all-purpose, on-stage proscenium of metal scaffolding — is efficient, cleanly designed and packs just the right visual punch.
At the tender age of 7, "Jersey Boys" is already a Broadway classic, and this terrific touring version does it proud. Each time I see this show, on Broadway and in Atlanta, I find new facets to admire. As for Weinstock and company's Fox Theatre turn, it's impossible to give it anything but love, baby.
Theater review
“Jersey Boys”
Grade: A
8 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. 2 p.m. Saturdays. 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sundays. Special matinee 1 p.m. June 7. Through June 10. $28-$135. Presented by Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St., Atlanta. 1-800-982-2787; www.broadwayinatlanta.com
Bottom line: A jukebox musical for all seasons.
