Ryan Jesse will make his Broadway debut as Four Seasons mastermind Bob Gaudio in Jersey Boys beginning October 12. Jesse, a vet of the show’s national tour, replaces Sebastian Arcelus, who is set to depart on October 10 to assume the lead role in the holiday musical Elf.
Jesse joins a cast led by Matt Bogart (Nick Massi), Dominic Nolfi (Tommy DeVito) and Jarrod Spector (Frankie Valli) as the Four Seasons, with Peter Gregus and Mark Lotito. The cast also includes Miles Aubrey, Erik Bates, Bridget Berger, Scott J. Campbell, Kris Coleman, Ken Dow, Russell Fischer, John Hickman, Katie O’Toole, Joe Payne, Jessica Rush, Dominic Scaglione Jr., Sara Schmidt and Taylor Sternberg.
Winner of the 2006 Best Musical Tony Award, Jersey Boys is prepping to celebrate its fifth anniversary at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre, where the show opened on November 6, 2005, directed by Des McAnuff. The Boys are currently headlining in New York, Las Vegas, London, Sydney, Australia, and in cities across the U.S. on the show's national tour.
The true story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Jersey Boys features a book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe. The show features all 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.”
In addition to the Jersey Boys national tour, Jesse has toured in Cinderella with Lea Salonga and appeared in Grey Gardens at the Portland Center Stage and The Last Starfighter at the New York Musical Theatre Festival.