By Shari Barrett
Center Theatre Group in association with CMI and Daryl Roth are presenting the thoroughly entertaining Cameron Mackintosh-devised production of Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends in its North American premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre through March 9 prior to opening April 8 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 West 47th Street in NYC. Directed by Matthew Bourne, side by side with Julia McKenzie, with choreography by Stephen Mear, it contains enough glitz, glamour, and good old-fashioned Broadway theatrical magic to dazzle every audience member. With musical supervision by Alfonso Casado Trigo and Stephen Brooker, musical arrangements by Stephen Metcalfe, with Annbritt duChateau enthusiastically conducting a powerful on-stage orchestra, this highly-recommended extravaganza stars two-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters and Tony Award winner Lea Salonga.
Joining Peters and Salonga are an ensemble of triple-threat performers including Jacob Dickey, Kevin Earley, Paige Faure, Jasmine Forsberg, Kate Jennings Grant, Bonnie Langford, Tony Award winner Beth Leavel, two-time Tony Award nominee Gavin Lee, Alexa Lopez, Greg Mills, Peter Neureuther, multiple Olivier Award nominee Jason Pennycooke, two-time Olivier Award winner Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb, Kyle Selig, Maria Wirries, and Daniel Yearwood, with each of their powerful voices raising the roof throughout the show.
Old Friends is a great big Broadway musical extravaganza born out of Cameron Mackintosh and Stephen Sondheim’s lifetime of friendship and collaboration. The two of them came up with the idea during the pandemic, drawing on the many shows that they had done together in collaboration with their good friend Julia McKenzie. Once theatres reopened in London and New York in the fall of 2021, Mackintosh was able to visit Sondheim again and this new show remained something they continued to discuss; but, sadly, shortly after, Sondheim passed away in November 2021. It fell to Mackintosh to pick up where he and Sondheim left off, collating their notes, and structuring the show that would initially become a spectacular star-studded gala at the Sondheim Theatre in London’s West End in May 2022 to celebrate Sondheim’s life and work, as well as raise funds for the newly-formed Stephen Sondheim Foundation.
It’s quickly paced with amazingly transformative scenic elements designed by Matt Kinley, projections designed by George Reeve that move from back alleys in London to Vaudeville stages, and costumes designed by Jill Parker that honor the emotional impact of the 39 songs performed to perfection. While there isn’t enough space here to talk about each one, a few of the greatest songs ever written for musical theatre by one of theatre’s greatest geniuses included “You Could Drive a Person Crazy” from Company performed by Bonnie, Kate and Joanna in colorful slit-to-the-hilt gowns; the fast-paced “Not Getting Married” performed by Joanna, Kevin, Maria, and company; six brilliantly performed songs from Into the Woods including a rousing “Agony” performed by Kyle, Kevin, and Maria as Rapunzel; Bernadette’s soul-searching rendition of “Send in the Clowns” from A Little Night Music; and Jeremy and Lea commanding the stage performing songs as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett, whose spunky, comedic rendition could convince anyone to try “A Little Priest.”
After intermission, Act II highlights included a gloriously evocative “Tonight Quintet” from West Side Story lit to romantic brilliance by Warren Letton on Kinley’s dual-level, movable set pieces; a trio of favorites including Bernadette, Jason and company celebrating being a “Broadway Baby” from Follies; Gavin, Jason and Kyle performing a comical dance routine to “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid” from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum while dressed in Man Maids aprons and handling feather dusters will aplomb; and the always show-stopping “You Gotta Have A Gimmick” from Gypsy performed by Bernadette as Miss Mazeppa, Beth as Electra, and Joanna as Dressy Tessie Tura. But it was Jason’s solo tour-de-force performance singing “Buddy’s Blues” from Follies and Lea’s dazzling “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” from Gypsy that brought down the house with tumultuous applause.
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends is a star-studded, stupendously entertaining musical extravaganza not to be missed by Sondheim fans and lovers of high-quality Broadway shows. Performances continue through March 9 on Tuesday through Friday evenings at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Ahmanson Theatre, 135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles 90012. Ticket prices begin at $25, available by calling (213) 628-2772, in person at the Ahmanson Theatre box office, or online at centertheatregroup.org. Order yours soon before the run sells out!
Jersey Boys premiered at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway to critical acclaim on November 6, 2005 and ran for 11 record-breaking years. The Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning hit musical is now being presented by Musical Theatre West at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach through March 2, directed to perfection by TJ Dawson. The popular jukebox musical, written by Academy Award-winner Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe is a behind-the-music story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons who started out singing together under a street lamppost as “just 4 guys from Jersey” until original member Tommy DeVito brought the miraculous falsetto voice of Frankie Valli into the group. And soon they had a sound nobody had ever heard – and their fans quickly multiplied.
But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story, told through not only memories and songs but also with behind-the-scenes depictions of their on-and-off-stage camaraderie, wild nights while touring, and financial conflicts that rocked the group to its core. Along the way, the group became international stars, best friends, and business partners all based on a handshake. The show features over 30 of their hits including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Oh What A Night,” “Walk Like A Man,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and “Working My Way Back To You.”
Thanks to choreographer Dana Solimando and a rocking live band conducted by music director Lyndon Pugeda, we are entertained with many of the group’s famous dance moves energetically performed by outstanding triple-threat performers Taubert Nadalini as piano playing singer/songwriter Bob Gaudio, Anthony Carro as guitar playing, tough street kid gambler Tommy DeVito, Grant Hodges as mild-mannered bass player Nick Massi, and Nicholas Alexander, whose high-pitched voice and impressive acting skills allow him to totally inhabit the role of Frankie Valli.
The ensemble includes Joe Abraham, Johnny DiGiorgio, Marlana Dunn (as Frankie’s first wife Mary Delgado), Michael Ray Fisher, Skyler Gaines (a standout as record producer Bob Crewe), Giovanna Martinez, Mel Mehrabian, Donovan Mendelovitz, Elijah Munck, Dominic Pace, and Dayna Sauble, with each performing numerous roles from childhood through the group’s ultimate successes as well as financial challenges. Of special noteworthy praise are Martinez, Mehrabian, and Sauble as The Angels, the dressed to the slit hilt “girl group” famous for their hit “My Boyfriend’s Back” who went out on tour with The Four Seasons early in their career.
Like so many of my readers, the music of The Four Seasons was so much a part of my teenage years and seeing Jersey Boys brought back so many great memories. Kudos to the entire technical team for their contributions to the production’s astounding staging, including scenic designer Stephen Gifford (but why no lamppost?), lighting designer Jean-Yves Tessier, sound designer Alena Milos, costume designer Adam Ramirez, wig designer Kirklyn Robinson, projection designer Jon Infante, props designers Melanie Cavaness and Gretchen Morales, and technical director Jim Thomas Mora.
Jersey Boys is rated PG-13 and contains adult language, simulated violence, smoking, and sexual situations. Run time is 2 hours, 30 minutes with one intermission. Tickets start at $28, available at musical.org/events/jersey-boys, calling the box office at (562) 985-7000, or via email to cpac@csulb.edu. Tickets are also available in person at The Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts box office, located at 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach 90815 (near Palo Verde, on the CSULB campus) Wed-Fri 12-5 p.m. Event parking is $10 by card only in Lot G12.
