The Border is blessed with high quality community theatre and Jersey Boys, now halfway through its season in Albury, can be added to a long list of memorable musicals.
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Telling the story of American rock band The Four Seasons, Jersey Boys is presented by the experienced team at Livid Productions, responsible most recently for Spamalot (2020), Nunsense (2018) and Les Miserables (2017).
Although different in musical style, the 2022 project continues previous shows' effective sets, careful lighting and seamless transition between scenes.
Such attention to detail is a credit to the production team, which includes director David Todd and assistant director Narelle Parker, along with Lauren Schmutter (vocal director, producer and production assistant), Caitlin Clarke (choreography) and Sue Adams (costumes).
Among the cast of 24, the title characters played by Mitch Clarke (Frankie Valli), Corey Cooper (Tommy DeVito), Jacob McCrohan (Bob Gaudio) and Craig Quilliam (Nick Massi) dominate, as they should.
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All fine singers individually, the quartet blends together effortlessly and combines with the live band to create a credible Four Seasons sound.
Nineteen year-old Clarke has the toughest task trying to emulate Valli's famous falsetto vocals and does an admirable job.
The four band members take turns narrating the story, with Cooper commanding the stage as DeVito, cocksure even when events prove his self-confidence is a little misplaced.
But McCrohan more than holds his own as the skilled songwriter Gaudio and just when you think Quilliam's Massi might be an affable onlooker, he finds his voice in no uncertain terms as well.
In the supporting roles, some familiar, reliable actors make the most of every line and character, with the (hyper) energy of Luke McClounan as Joe Pesci particularly enjoyable.
And there are some female roles (that points to a wider discussion of musicals for another time); Jess Hooppell and Lisa Semmler bring pathos as Valli's first wife and a later partner.
The ensemble work is commendable, as is the band under musical director Katja Jorgensen, who leads from her drum kit.
Jersey Boys is not for all ages - the swearing is in context, but frequent, and some of the themes are most definitely adult. There are plenty of laughs but also heartbreaking moments, especially when Valli tries to repair a family life fractured by constant absences and money pressures.
For the opening night of an amateur show - yes folks, these talented performers live, work and study among us - everything ran smoothly, with no technical glitches worth mentioning.
After eight months of COVID-affected rehearsals, the Jersey Boys cast deserves a large, appreciative audience for its last four shows on Thursday, February 17, and Friday, February 18, both 8pm, and Saturday, February 19, 2pm and 8pm, at Albury Entertainment Centre.
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