“You’re just too good to be true, can’t take my eyes off of you,” are lyrics from Frankie Valli’s song, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You,” as well as words to describe how I felt while watching the performance of “Jersey Boys.”

“Jersey Boys,” which is currently on a national tour, came to the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, MD from Sept. 27- Oct. 2. As someone who is a huge fan of musical theater and who has seen the movie, I knew I needed to see this show.

“Jersey Boys” is a  jukebox musical that follows the story of the 1960s rock band- The Four Seasons. The show is presented in a documentary-style format where each member of the band narrates the story once throughout the show. The title “Jersey Boys” is a reference to the state of New Jersey where the band started and most of the members of the band are from. The music is by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe, and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice.  

From the moment the music rose, the lights went down, and the actors came on stage, I was immediately hooked. The show is rather long, but throughout the entire show, I was engaged and entertained.

What makes this show so entertaining is not only the fun music, but also the compelling story about the band that is portrayed throughout the show. With this great combination, any musical is destined to be a hit.

The music in the show consists solely of music that the band recorded back in the 1960s which is an unique element to the show. All of the songs from The Four Seasons are classics as well as throwback songs that are so much fun to listen to.

The first song the audience hears when the band is finally established as The Four Seasons is “Sherry.” Then after that song, the rest of their hits follow continually such as “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “December 1963 (Oh, What a Night),” “Dawn (Go Away),” “Beggin’,” and “Big Man in Town.”

When I saw the show, the actor who played Frankie Valli, the lead singer of the group, was Aaron de Jesus, and he was phenomenal because his voice sounded exactly like it was Frankie Valli’s actual voice. The other actors who played the band members all did a fantastic job doing justice to the songs as well because they brought a fun energy to the songs, making you feel like the actual band members were singing the songs.

Besides from the music that makes the show awesome, there is also an interesting story about the band. The show portrays how the band started, their highs and lows while together, and ultimately the fall of the band.

The storyline does a great job of capturing each character and emotions. While sitting in the audience, I got a sense of who each band member was and their motives throughout the journey of the band. One thing that stuck out to me was the scene where Frankie Valli and his wife get into a fight that leads to divorce. You get to see how Frankie’s family life was affected due to his career and how this divorce effects Frankie.

It is also a somewhat relatable story in the sense of experiencing the band’s high points and low points. Every human experiences the same types of high points and low points that the band faces, and it is refreshing to be able to hear of the low points of the band, something that is normally not showcased with bands that are huge successes.

The story intertwines with the music seamlessly, creating a very smooth transition between dialogue and music. The show is fast paced without any breaks, blackouts, or major set changes, except for intermission. I love when a show is fast paced because it allows for constant movement and makes the story continual.

Also, the show is full of funny moments in very subtle ways, making me laugh throughout the whole production. In contrast, the movie is not funny and takes a more serious tone. I think it works in the show’s favor to be funny because it only adds to the experience of the upbeat music and makes it a musical that will put the audience in a good mood.

“Jersey Boys” is a unique musical. Between the awesome music and the compelling story, there is no wonder why the show has been such a success. Whether you know nothing about theater or are a huge theater fan, “Jersey Boys” will definitely keep you entertained and signing “December 1963 (Oh What a Night)” after you see this terrific show.

Adriana Guidi is a Perspectives Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.