On the Town: Lyric Theatre's summer season continues with 'Jersey Boys'

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma is bringing another great storytelling addition to the music history scene with its production of “Jersey Boys” at the Civic Center in Oklahoma City through Sunday.

The opening night show, which I attended on Tuesday, happened to fall on the 20 ^th birthday of Manny Tijerina, who played the well-known music artist that the show hinges on Frankie Valli. It was fun to hear the cast sing Happy Birthday after the show’s curtain call to the talented University of Oklahoma musical theater student. It was even more fun to listen to the depth of Tijerina’s vocal and acting range throughout the show, as he sang hit after hit of The Four Seasons, the group that Valli fronted beginning in 1960.

Rounding out The Four Seasons, with their wonderful voices and portraying the characters’ interesting stories, were Trace Benton Burchart as Bob Gaudio, Sean McGee as Tommy DeVito and Jackson Barnes as Nick Massi.

This quartet took the audience members back to the 1960s and ‘70s as they sang the gamut of the musical group’s songs to tell its stories “December 1963 (Oh What a Night)”, “Earth Angel,” “Sunday Kind of Love,” “Sherry,” “(Who Wears) Short Shorts the song written by Gaudio before he joined the group, “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and so many more. It was a musical extravaganza and also included songs like “My Boyfriend’s Back” by the Angels.

The ensemble cast was strong, too, with Lyric’s Producing Artistic Director Michael Baron stepping in for the day as manager Bob Crewe due to an illness.

I have enjoyed seeing musicals that focus on the stories behind the music we grew up loving with the music itself. Lately, these have included Lyric’s “Million Dollar Quartet,” featuring stories of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins a few years ago, and the national touring productions of “Tina Turner The Musical” and “Ain’t Too Proud” about The Temptations from OKC Broadway. The music artist’s stories are very human and often tragic, which we don’t think about when we’re bee-bopping along.

For information or tickets to “Jersey Boys,” go to lyrictheatreokc.com or call 405-524-9312. It’s part of Lyric’s summer season at the Civic Center; Lyric provided media tickets. The summer shows end with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella July 30 through Aug. 4.

Art reception

If you ever make it to the Paseo Arts District’s First Friday Art Walks on the First Friday of each month, make sure you stop by the opening reception for the JRB Art at the Elms gallery showcase of the month’s featured artists this month, Carolyn Farris in the gallery’s main room in addition to Michele Mikesell and Cherrie Hampton. Also sprinkled in the gallery are works by Buck Kennedy and my mom, Helen Ford Wallace, among others. It’s always a treat to see the art that gallery owner Joy Reed Belt brings us. For information follow @jrbartgallery on social media or go to jrbartgallery.com

Have an idea, item or event for On the Town? Email lillie.beth@yahoo.com.

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