Directed by Des McAnuff with choreography by Sergio Trujillo, the musical will officially open in the West End March 18. The cast will be headed by Ryan Molloy as Frankie Valli, Stephen Ashfield as Bob Gaudio, Glenn Carter as Tommy DeVito and Philip Bulcock as Nick Massi.
Jersey Boys, according to press notes, "is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons – Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi – and how this group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American and international pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were thirty."
Songs heard in the hit musical include "Sherry," "Walk Like a Man," "December, 1963 (Oh What a Night)," "Big Girls Don’t Cry," "My Eyes Adored You," "Let’s Hang On (To What We’ve Got)," "Bye Bye Baby," "Can’t Take My Eyes Off You," "Working My Way Back to You," "Fallen Angel," "Rag Doll" and "Who Loves You."
Jersey Boys features music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. The London production will feature the entire original Broadway creative team, including director McAnuff and choreographer Brickman as well as scenic designer Klara Zieglerova, costume designer Jess Goldstein, lighting designer Howell Binkley, sound designer Steve Canyon Kennedy and projections designer Michael Clark. The orchestrations are by Steve Orich, and the music direction and vocal arrangements by Ron Melrose.
Jersey Boys opened at Broadway's August Wilson Theatre in November 2005. The musical, which continues to play to sold-out audiences on Broadway, won four 2006 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Jersey Boys will be produced in London by Dodger Theatricals, Joseph J. Grano, Tamara and Kevin Kinsella, Pelican Group, in association with Latitude Link and Rick Steiner, and a small group of U.K. colleagues.
Show times will be Mondays-Saturdays at 7:30 PM, with matinees Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2:30 PM.
Tickets, priced £20-£60, are available by visiting the Prince Edward Theatre box office (which is now open) or by calling 0844 482 5151. For more information visit www.jerseyboyslondon.com.
