The Tony and Olivier–winning Jersey Boys officially opens at the newly renovated Trafalgar Theatre in London's West End August 17 following previews that began July 28. The production had been scheduled to open August 10, but the date was postponed due to canceled performances for precautionary measures related to the coronavirus.
Leading the cast are Ben Joyce in his professional stage debut as Frankie Valli with Adam Bailey (The Book of Mormon) as Bob Gaudio, Karl James Wilson (Dirty Dancing) as Nick Massi, and Benjamin Yates (Wicked) as Tommy DeVito.
Watch Joyce, Bailey, Wilson, and Yates rehearse "My Eyes Adored You," accompanied by musical director Katy Richardson, in the video above. Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan penned the song, first recorded by The Four Seasons in 1974.
The original Jersey Boys creative team, led by Tony-winning director Des McAnuff and Tony-winning choreographer Sergio Trujillo, reunited for the new London production.
The company also features Ben Irish as Bob Crewe, Mark Isherwood as Gyp de Carlo, Koko Basigara as Lorraine, Melanie Bright as Mary Delgado, Jack Carl Douglas as Norm/Hank, Matteo Johnson as Joe Pesci, Jacob McIntosh as Barry Belson, and Helen Ternent as Francine with swings Elliot Allinson, Jack Campbell, Huon Mackley, Bonnie Page, and Andy Smith.
Written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe, the international hit musical details the rise of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
Jersey Boys opened in New York in November 2005, ending its 11-year run January 15, 2017, after 4,642 performances at the August Wilson Theatre. The musical first ran in London from March 18, 2008–March 26, 2017, and, at the time, was the sixth longest-running musical in the West End. The musical also began an Off-Broadway run in November 2017 at New World Stages.
READ: Jersey Boys Sets Fall Off-Broadway Return
The production also features scenic design by Klara Zieglerova, costume design by Jess Goldstein, lighting by Howell Binkley, sound by Steve Canyon Kennedy, and projection design by Michael Clark. The orchestrations are by Steve Orich, with music supervision and vocal arrangements by Ron Melrose.
Jersey Boys is produced in London by the Dodgers and Trafalgar Theatre Productions, with BB Investments, Kevin Kinsella, Pelican Group in association with Latitude Link, and Eilene Davidson Productions.
(Updated August 10, 2021)
