Review: JERSEY BOYS at Turner Theater

Jersey Boys - A Hit Parade of Nostalgia and Heart

By: Carolan Trbovich | May 09, 2025

Jersey Boys has been called a jukebox musical, but it isn’t just a jukebox musical; it’s a time machine written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe.

With Artistic Director Patrick Cassidy and Managing Director Todd Morgan at the helm, the audience is swept into the gritty streets of 1950s New Jersey and the rollercoaster rise of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. With crisp storytelling, dynamic performances, and an irresistible score of chart-toppers, this show hits all the right notes.

What sets Jersey Boys apart is its unique structure. The story is staged as a living documentary, unfolding from the perspectives of all four band members with each “season” offering their own layer of insight into their fame, feuds, and failures. The musical is not just about the music, although songs like “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” bring the house down, Jersey Boys is about the bond between four working-class guys chasing the American dream and the dynamics of their friendship and loyalty.