“Jersey Boys” is often referred to as a ‘jukebox musical’ meaning a group of hit songs is taken, made into a story and presented on stage but this show is more than that with one of the hardest working casts on any musical stage. Sixteen actors/singers/dancers make it seem as if there are at least 50 people on stage plus each one of them is moving props on and off stage.

This is a “true” story of 4 guys from a blue-collar background in New Jersey, though technically Bob Gaudio was from Michigan, who become Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and each one has their own truth. The facts are they brought a new sound to pop music with such tunes as “Working My Way Back To You”, “Walk Like A Man”, “Sherry”, “Big Girls Don’t Cry”, “Oh What A Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” among others, won Grammy awards and, to them, one of the most important awards of all, their entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Miguel Jarquin-Moreland as Frankie Valli, Corey Greenan as Tommy DeVito, Tommaso Antico as Bob Gaudio, and Chris Stevens as Nick Massi each take a turn at telling their truth and even though they had many personal problems when they get up to sing it is as if all is right with the world as the soaring harmonies wash the problems away, at least for a few minutes when they are lost in their songs.

Just as gifted as these four men are the cast working with, behind and in front of them including Dianna Barger, Ben Bogen, Tristen Buettel, Sean Burns, Jonathan Cable, Wade Dooley,Todd DuBail, Caitlin Leary, Keven Patrick Martin, Michelle Rombola, Jenna Nicole Schoen and Kit Treece. Nor can one forget the orchestra who give solid support to all of them.

The set is basically simple with a projection machine offering color and illustrations to the various scenes and the various tables, chairs, microphones and other props which help keep the show moving.

With the book by Marshall Brickman and Rice Elice bringing many clichés that are familiar to most of the audience they can hit a moving scene such as Frankie learning of his daughter dying or the knowledge that Tommy got into debt to both the mob and the IRS that make the audience realize these are human beings with a world away from songs.

“Jersey Boys” is an entertaining musical that had the audience on their feet swaying, clapping and some even singing along to the encore song, after their bows, of the cast singing “Oh What A Night”. The show is entertaining with a story that holds your interest and a score that will bring back many memories to many in the audience and will sound familiar to the younger members and have many dancing up the aisle as they leave.

Between “Chicago” in Miami and “Jersey Boys” in Fort Lauderdale South Florida and Broadway Across America are ending their season in high form with talent equal to any to be seen on Broadway!

“Jersey Boys” runs 2 hours and 30 minutes including a 20 minute intermission. It will be at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts until May 20^th.