Muny Announces Full Cast for Jersey Boys

ST. LOUIS (May 10, 2018) – The Muny announced today its full cast and design teams for the world regional premiere of Jersey Boys, July 9 – 16. This will be the first licensed production of Jersey Boys in the world. Jersey Boys is proudly sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.

“We’re so honored to have this premiere in our 100th season,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “This is a thrilling cast, and I can’t wait to see them inspire our audience to rock ’n’ roll ecstasy.”

Joining the previously announced Mark Ballas (Frankie Valli), Bobby Conte Thornton (Bob Gaudio), Nicolas Dromard (Tommy DeVito) and Keith Hines (Nick Massi) are Neal Benari (Gyp DeCarlo) and Nicholas Rodriguez (Bob Crewe). A suave ensemble including Michelle Aravena, Candi Boyd, Phillip Johnson-Richardson, Tommy Martinez, Carissa Massaro, Trina Mills, Harris Milgrim, Dakota Mullins, Ben Nordstrom, Michael Seltzer, Gabi Stapula and Victor Wisehart completes this cast. The company will also be joined by the Muny Teen youth ensemble.

The design team includes scenic design by Paul Tate dePoo III, costume design by Andrea Lauer, lighting design by Rob Denton, sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge, video design by Matthew Young, wig design by Robert Pickens, with production stage manager J. Jason Daunter.

As previously announced, Jersey Boys is directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes with music direction by Rick Bertone.

MARK BALLAS (Frankie Valli) has captivated audiences on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars for 19 seasons, making Ballas a two-time champion, 10-time finalist and 2011 Emmy nominee for his work on the show. Ballas made his Broadway debut in the final cast of Jersey Boys playing Frankie Valli. Additional theatre credits include Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Copacabana (Tony), Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and more. Choreography credits include Pepsi’s Super Bowl commercial starring Sofia Vergara and the Oscar commercial for Shonda Rhimes’ The Catch. Ballas is also half of music duo Alexander Jean, alongside his wife BC Jean. Their music has over 7 million Spotify streams and several number one hits. Training: The Italia Conti Performing Arts School, London. @MarkBallas @_alexanderjean

BOBBY CONTE THORNTON (Bob Gaudio) made his Muny debut in 2013 as Enjolras in Les Misérables. Broadway: A Bronx Tale (directors Robert De Niro and Jerry Zaks). Other New York theatre: My Fair Lady (Bay Street Theater), Starting Here, Starting Now (York Theatre Company). Regional: all-male A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Two River Theater), Ken Ludwig’s A Comedy of Tenors (McCarter Theatre Center/Cleveland Play House, world premiere), Grease (Paper Mill Playhouse). Film/TV: If Beale Street Could Talk, Madam Secretary, The Code (pilot). Training: BFA, University of Michigan; Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

NICOLAS DROMARD (Tommy DeVito) has been singing, dancing and acting all over the world  from Broadway to Norway for the last 20 years! He was last seen in the off-Broadway production of Jersey Boys as Tommy DeVito. Other favorite credits include: Mary Poppins (Bert), Wicked (Fiyero), 42nd Street (Billy Lawlor), White Christmas (Phil Davis), Gypsy (Tulsa), Hairspray, Mamma Mia!; Oklahoma!; West Side Story and The Boy from Oz. For more, visit www.nicolasdromard.com

KEITH HINES (Nick Massi) Off-Broadway credits: Cougar the Musical (Buck), Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man (Stefan). National tour: Jersey Boys (Nick Massi). Other credits include: Les Misérables (Enjolras) and Urban Cowboy (Bud, West Virginia Public Theatre), Camelot (Lancelot) and 1776 (Thomas Jefferson, Pittsburgh Public Theater) and The Crucible (John Proctor, New Ohio Theatre). Master’s Degree in Music, Oklahoma City University and acting at Jayd McCarty’s The Studio/New York. For more, follow on Instagram @keithhinesjr

NEAL BENARI (Gyp DeCarlo) has been a performer for over 30 years. For the last seven years, he has been teaching English and music in Taiwan. Broadway: Fiddler on the Roof, Aida, Victor/Victoria starring Julie Andrews, Peter Hall’s The Merchant of Venice, Chess, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Roza and The First. Benari has also worked extensively in regional theatres and on national tours: Lend Me a Tenor (Tito Merelli), The Man of La Mancha (Don Quixote/Cervantes) and My Fair Lady (Henry Higgins). He has toured in Aida (Zoser), The Sound of Music (Captain Georg von Trapp) and Les Misérables (Thenardier). He also appeared with several symphonic orchestras (Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston) as Boris Thomashefsky in Michael Tilson Thomas’s The Thomashefskys. Film/television: The Sopranos, Law & Order, And the Band Played On, Sea of Love with Al Pacino.

NICHOLAS RODRIGUEZ (Bob Crewe) Muny: The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast (’10 and ’15), Tarzan, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Muny Magic at the Sheldon. Broadway: Tarzan. Off-Broadway: Toxic Avenger, Almost Heaven, Death for Five Voices, Collette Collage, Bajour. Carnegie Hall: Guys and Dolls. Tours: The Sound of Music, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Hair. Regional: Carousel (Helen Hayes nomination), Mother Courage and Her Children, Oklahoma! (Helen Hayes Award); My Fair Lady (Helen Hayes nomination), Destiny of Desire, The Light in the Piazza (Arena Stage), The Ten Commandments (Kodak Theatre), Mothers and Sons, Les Misérables, Master Class, Love! Valour! Compassion! (ZACH Theatre); Guys and Dolls (Milwaukee Rep), South Pacific and The King and I (Casa Mañana). Film: Sex in the City II (also soundtrack). Television: Madam Secretary, Nick Chavez on ABC’s One Life to Live (GLAAD Award). His debut album The First Time… is available at www.psclassics.com and on iTunes. www.thenickrod.com

Link for more information: https://muny.org/jersey-boys/

ABOUT THE SHOW:
Jersey Boys has a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe.

The international sensation arrives at The Muny in style! Jersey Boys, winner of the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical, is the authentic biographic story of the magic behind the music of worldwide megahit group, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Featuring over 30 chart-topping hits, including fan favorites “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” this Muny premiere is almost too good to be true, and will leave audiences saying, “Oh, What a Night!”

The seven shows in the 2018 Muny season are: Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (June 11-17), The Wiz (June 19-25), Singin’ in the Rain (June 27-July 3), Jersey Boys (July 9-16), Annie (July 18-25), Gypsy (July 27-August 2) and Meet Me In St. Louis (August 4-12). For more information, visit muny.org.

Season and single tickets are currently on sale. In addition, Muny gift cards for the 100^th season are now available online and at The Muny Box Office. For more information, visit muny.org or call (314) 361-1900.

World Wide Technology and The Steward Family Foundation have once again made a leadership gift to continue as the Muny’s 2018 Season Presenting Sponsor. They became the first overall season sponsor in the history of The Muny in 2014 and continue that role through 2018.

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The Muny’s mission is to enrich lives by producing exceptional musical theatre, accessible to all, while continuing its remarkable tradition in Forest Park.  As the nation’s largest outdoor musical theatre, we produce seven world-class musicals each year and welcome over 370,000 theatregoers over our nine-week season. Now celebrating 100 seasons in St. Louis, The Muny remains one of the premier institutions in musical theatre.

For more information about The Muny, visit muny.org.