Jersey Boys – Music Theatre of Connecticut, Norwalk, CT, USA

Jersey Boys, Winner of Best Musical – Tony Awards® and Olivier Awards® opened the Music Theatre of Connecticut’s 37^th season, and Luxury Experience was there for the exciting opening night on Saturday, September 16, 2023. Although Jersey Boys debuted on Broadway in November 2005, this was the first time we had seen it, and the MTC performance was riveting. While we had certainly heard the music of Franki Valli and The Four Seasons, (My Eyes Adored You, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Sherry, and so many more), we knew nothing about the man and the band behind the music. Jersey Boys remedied that with its well-written book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice that tells the very interesting story of four young guys growing up in Newark, New Jersey, with the songs woven in to complement the rich story line.

Nathan Cockroft (Tommy DeVito), Michael Fasano (Frankie Valli),
Sean McGee (Bob Gaudio), Stephen Petrovich (Nick Massi)
Jersey Boys

Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons comprised of Franki Valli (born Francesco Stephen Castelluccio in 1934), Tommy DeVito (1928 – 2020), Bob Gaudio (born in 1942), and Nick Massi (born Nicolas E. Macioci (1927 – 2000) were four talented Jersey guys with a dream in 1960, whose music launched them into fame with more than 25 hit songs that reached the top of the charts. Their talent, perseverance, and sheer chutzpah took them on a rollercoaster of ups and downs, both musically, financially, and personally, with one underlining constant, their friendship, and a Jersey contract (a handshake).

Nathan Cockroft (Tommy DeVito), Jeff Raab (Joe Pesci)
Jersey Boys

However, before they achieved fame, it is essential to understand their backstory of how four young guys from Newark went on to become Franki Valli and The Four Seasons. Tommy DeVito was a musician with a band that included his brother Nick DeVito and a dream of hitting it big while playing small time gigs. When Frankie Valli joined the band with his distinctive falsetto, they started to get some notice, and when Joe Pesci (yes, THAT Joe Pesci, the actor) introduced the band to promising singer songwriter Bob Gaudio (born in 1942 and who wrote Who Wears Shorts Shorts when he was only 15 years old), that their sound took off.

Sean McGee (Bob Gaudio), Stephen Petrovich (Nick Massi)
Jersey Boys

The musical spans from the 1950s until the early 2000s, and features a stellar cast with Michael Fasano as Franki Valli, and Nathan Cockroft as Tommy DeVito, Stephen Petrovich as Nick Massi, and Sean McGee as Bob Gaudio, as The Four Seasons.

Michael Fasano (Frankie Valli)
Jersey Boys

Under the direction of Kevin Connors, the well-chosen cast delivers memorable performances in their portrayals. Michael Fasano is riveting to watch in his role as Frankie Valli whether he is acting or singing. Reprising his Jersey Boys role at MTC after 2 other Jersey Boys productions, he immediately connects with the audience and delivers the nuances and the essence of the engaging Franki Valli that rings true. Having seen Michael Fasano in the 2022 MTC production of Lend Me A Tenor, where his comedic talent and spot-on timing shined through, he is an actor to watch, as his star is sure to continue to rise.

Sean McGee (Bob Gaudio), Matt Mancuso (Bob Crewe)
Jersey Boys

Nathan Cockroft as the older ringleader and guitarist Tommy DeVito plays the role with believable swagger, confidence, and arrogance. Sean McGee plays Bob Gaudio, who joined the band while still a teenager and who wrote the music with Bob Crewe that launched the band to success. Having been on the National Tour of Jersey Boys, he brings experience and energy to the role and delivers a well-crafted performance. Stephen Petrovich delivers a great performance as bass player Nick Massi, who is always on the fence about whether he wants to stay or leave the band. Jeff Raab plays a young Joe Pesci and captures the nuances and inflections spot-on of the acclaimed Jersey born actor.

Michael Fasano (Frankie Valli)
Jersey Boys

Rounding out the exceptional cast are Brianna Bauch, John Tracey Egan, Skye Gillespie. Michael Luongo, Matt Mancuso, David L. Murray, Robert Peterpaul, and Emily Solo as Mary Delgado (and Others) as Franki Valli’s wife.

From start to finish, Jersey Boys at the Music Theatre of Connecticut is "must-see" theatre. The story is compelling, the cast delivers, the music will take you down memory lane, and the costumes will transport you from the 1950s to the 2000s; all in all, a perfect evening of theatre. Bravo!

Stephen Petrovich (Nick Massi), Nathan Cockroft (Tommy Devito),
Michael Fasano (Frankie Valli), Sean McGee (Bob Gaudio)
Jersey Boys

Until next time, keep enjoying and supporting the arts!

Jersey Boys runs from September 15 – October 1, 2023. The runtime is 2 hours and 30 minutes including a 15-minute intermission.

Jersey Boys Performance Schedule: Fridays at 8:00 pm, Saturdays at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm. There are 2 Thursday performances on September 21 and September 28 at 7:00 pm.

For information or to purchase tickets, please visit the website: https://www.musictheatreofct.com/, call the box office at 1-203-454-3883, or email them at: admin@musictheatreofct.com.

The box office is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 am until 3:30 pm and 2 hours before every performance.

Jersey Boys – The Cast

Jersey Boys – The Creative Team

Jersey Boys – The Band

Current and Upcoming Productions for 2023

About MTC

"Music Theatre of Connecticut is the premier provider of musical theatre performance and training. Founded in 1987, we produce an annual series of Equity productions featuring New York professionals (MTC MainStage), numerous annual student productions, and a conservatory-style School of Performing Arts with curriculum-based training for students ages four through high school, including the nationally recognized College-Bound in the Performing Arts program for performance career-focused high school students."

"The Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC) was founded in 1987 by Kevin Connors (Artistic Director and Co-Founder) and Jim Schilling (Co-Founder), where MTC’s focus is musical theatre performance and training."

You might also like to read our Backstage Interview – Kevin Connors and Jim Schilling of Music Theatre of Connecticut to learn the backstory.

For more information on the Music Theatre of Connecticut, please visit their website: www.MusicTheatreofCT.com.

Music Theatre of Connecticut
509 Westport Avenue
(Enter the Bright Beginnings parking lot and look for MTC’s orange awning)
Norwalk, Connecticut 06851
United States
Box Office: +1-203-454-3883
Fax: +1-203-557-0496
Website: www.MusicTheatreofCT.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusicTheatreCT
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