Stage

Jersey Boys, the smash-hit Broadway musical comes to Malaysia

'Big Men in Town: A Jersey Boys Tribute to Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons' will play at Zepp KL on November 22

Updated 3 years ago · Published on 08 Nov 2022 7:00PM

Jersey Boys, the smash-hit Broadway musical comes to Malaysia
Tunku Naqiyuddin (C) with Nicholas Pinder (R), founder of Homme Productions at today's press conference. – Pic by Kalash Nanda Kumar, November 8, 2022

by Kalash Nanda Kumar

FOR one night only, Malaysian audiences will be able to witness the rags-to-riches tale of music legend Frankie Valli and his band The Four Seasons, who dominated the charts in the US in the 1960s. 'Big Men in Town' promises to be a non-stop celebration of the iconic group that graced us with chart-topping hits like Oh What a Night! and My Eyes Adored You.

The production is a fundraising initiative by Tunku Naquiyuddin in aid of his charitable foundation, Yayasan Tunku Naquiyuddin (YTN) and the Tuanku Ja’afar Educational Trust (TJET). The gala performance will take place on November 22 at Zepp Kuala Lumpur. 

With exquisite vocals and tight harmonies, the musical follows the origins of Frankie Vallie (Jordan Kennedy), Tommy DeVito (Adam Curtis), Nick Massi (Benjamin Keith), and Bob Gaudio (Jordan Smart) as they rise to prominence, followed by their eventual decline, paving the way to front Frankie’s solo career.  

Nicholas Pinder, founder, and director of Homme Productions, who is responsible for bringing the show here, says the “... the smash hits of the Jersey Boys are so familiar to audiences globally. Many of us have literally grown up with these hit songs. The world is coming out of the pandemic and people need cheering up. Frankly, I cannot think of a better medicine or antidote than the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.” 

The production, which has toured internationally in the United Kingdom and United States, guarantees an exhilarating revue of the band’s best work presented as a live all-singing, all-dancing fully staged show. The musical will faithfully recreate songs that have been the soundtrack to many people's lives for over half a century, such as Big Girls Don’t Cry, Beggin', Walk Like a Man, Rag Doll, and many others. 

Big Men in Town guarantees a world class experience with talents coming from around the world. Jordan Kennedy who plays the lead role is an accomplished musician and was featured in The Return of Neverland, Elvis & Me as well as Sleeping Beauty. Adam Curtis was trained at the prestigious Liverpool Theatre School and is also the musical director and choreographer of this musical. Benjamin Keith is a consummate stage actor and has over a dozen credits to his name. Jordan Smart has performed in iconic venues like Buckingham Palace and Manchester Arena. 

Pinder added that productions like this encourages cultural exchanges between British and Malaysian talents. “Besides the four leads, there are over thirty Malaysians involved backstage from sound technicians, lighting, and production design. The stage manager, for instance, was trained in London but is based here. It is a collaboration and people are learning from each other,” he added. 

For his part, Tunku Naqiyuddin hopes to raise over half a million ringgit through the show to fund the various educational programs that TJET has been doing over the past 29 years. TJET was formed with the vision of providing educational support to those who are in the lower income bracket.  

Tunku Naquiyuddin strongly believes the provision of proper educational opportunities and necessary financial support are essential to the beneficiaries to succeed and fairly join the ranks of those with jobs and career opportunities. He has raised close to RM10 million over the years through similar fundraising events.

“Out of all the proceeds, less than 5% is used for administrative costs,” he emphasised during the press conference. 

The show will see the attendance of Tunku Najihah binti Tunku Besar Burhanuddin and many other Malaysian luminaries.  

For ticketing and event details, please visit: https://www.cloudjoi.com/shows/big-men-in-town – The Vibes, November 8, 2022

Big Men in Town is a musical tribute to Frankie Vallie and The Four Seasons. – Courtesy Homme Productions
Big Men in Town is a musical tribute to Frankie Vallie and The Four Seasons. – Courtesy Homme Productions

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