Albury-Wodonga's Livid Productions stages Jersey Boys, February 11-19

Jersey Boys - The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons opens next week at Albury Entertainment Centre after being postponed from October.

The Livid Productions show had been forced into Zoom rehearsals by last year's COVID-19 lockdowns, hence the move to seven performances between February 11 and 19.

Vocal director Lauren Schmutter, who is also production assistant and producer, said the impact of the Omicron outbreak remained a concern, with some cast members missing rehearsals because they were isolating as close contacts.

"It's just a day by day thing at the moment," she said.

"Everyone is being very COVID safe and doing all the right things."

Evidence of the lengthy process lies in the birth last week of baby Harrison - his parents, cast member Luke McClounan and his wife Renee, had not long found out they were expecting their first child when rehearsals began.

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Jersey Boys tells how four working class men rose to singing stardom, as well as the problems they faced through their relationships, rivalries, addictions and even run-ins with the Mafia.

Songs like Sherry, Walk Like A Man and Big Girls Don't Cry are woven into the story.

Schmutter admitted her first thought when director David Todd proposed the show was where to find singers who could portray The Four Seasons.

"But you don't know until you try," she said.

"We were really confident about how talented people are in the Border region, so we held auditions and we just were blown away.

"All the right people walked in and they're all perfect for all the parts that we cast."

The 24 actors are led by Mitch Clarke (Frankie Valli), Corey Cooper (Tommy DeVito), Jacob McCrohan (Bob Gaudio) and Micah Stratton and Craig Quilliam, who will share the role of Nick Massi.

Clarke, who directed last year's Singin' In The Rain Jr by BTYESized Productions, has the task of emulating Valli's trademark high vocals.

"It's such a great role to be able to perform and play so as soon as I heard about it I was in there practising," he said.

"Developing it even more during rehearsals, doing anything I can to get up in that range."

The Four Seasons members began working together in June to create the necessary connections.

"We've gotten to bond and get along over the past six to eight months," Clarke said.

"I could consider them my family at this point, the amount of time we've spent together, it's been a great experience."

Both Clarke and Schmutter believed the COVID challenges had actually united all the performers.

"It could have made the cast all just go, 'We've had enough, it's just too much'," Schmutter said.

"But everyone has really come together and it is like a family.

"It's probably one of the most special shows I've ever been involved in as far as cast chemistry and friendships are concerned."

Jersey Boys, presented by Livid Productions, can be seen on February 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19 at 8pm, as well as 2pm on February 12 and 19. Book via the Albury Entertainment Centre website.

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