With its inspiring story and iconic music, it’s hard to imagine a better show to close out Studio Tenn’s “Rockin’ Retro” season than Jersey Boys. And who better to direct that show than Studio Tenn’s original managing director Jake Speck, who spent more than three years performing in Jersey Boys on Broadway.
Part of a Jersey Boys costume on display at Studio Tenn's One Night Only event Saturday, April 5, 2025
“It definitely feels like a full-circle moment,” says Speck, who was with the Broadway company of Jersey Boys from 2008-2010, and currently serves as the artistic director at Christ Presbyterian Academy. “Honestly, to direct Jersey Boys anywhere would feel pretty full circle. It’s a show that means so much to me on a personal level. It’s where I spent almost three and a half years of my life. But then to direct it with Studio Tenn – the theater that I helped start – it’s somewhat surreal, but very exciting.”
Written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, Jersey Boys follows the the rags-to-riches true story of the 1960s band Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Showcasing irresistible tunes like “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “Who Loves You,” “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)” and more, the Broadway production ran from 2005-2017, earning four Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
“One of my favorite things about Jersey Boys is the way it surprises the audience,” Speck says. “I think a lot of people come in expecting your typical jukebox musical, and are really surprised by how moving the story is. Four blue-collar guys from Belleville, N.J., who had a dream and wanted something more for their lives. It’s powerful. And then you add in all that iconic music, and it’s like lightning in a bottle.”
In order to tell that story, Speck has assembled a great mix of Broadway and local talent. Russell Fischer (who stars as Frankie Valli) spent six years in the Broadway company of Jersey Boys. Eric Gutman (playing Tommy DeVito) has performed both on Broadway and in the National Tours. Jonathan Cable (Nick Massi) starred in the Off-Broadway closing production and spent two years on the National Tour. And Ben Laxton (Bob Gaudio) is currently performing on Broadway in The Book of Mormon. Laxton also is a Belmont University alum, and a Studio Tenn veteran – having performed in the company’s 2010 production of Hello, Dolly! Meanwhile, the supporting cast includes familiar faces like Brian Charles Rooney, Corey Caldwell, Brian Michael Jones, Dylan James, Chamberlin Little, Lane Adam Williamson, Mariah Parris, Emma Rose Williamson and Melissa Steadman.
“This is such a stellar cast, across the board,” Speck says. “It was important to me that our four leads have a personal connection with this show and this material. They all care deeply about this show, and that comes through in their performances. They’re all spectacular vocalists, but they also are phenomenal on the acting side. Plus, they’re all just great guys.”
When asked if there’s a particular moment that Speck is looking forward to revisiting, he quickly points to the musical reveal of “The Big Three” – or the first three hit songs by The Four Seasons – “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Walk Like a Man.”
“I think that one of the smartest things that Rick and Marshall did in the way they constructed this script is that you don’t hear a Four Seasons song until maybe 40 minutes into the show,” he says. “I know they had people consult on the script early on, and they were like ‘No, you’ve got to give the audience a Four Seasons song much earlier in the show. You’re making them wait too long.’ But how glad I am that they stuck to their guns, because it really makes for a more compelling story.
“I remember the first time I experienced it,” he adds. “I went to see the gypsy run when they first brought the show to New York – where they invite people from the Broadway community to a run-through just before previews start. And I got so sucked into the story, so invested in these characters. By the time they got to ‘Sherry,’ everyone in the audience just sort of lost their minds. And the fact that you’re getting those three songs back to back to back – the reaction is electrifying. That moment absolutely explodes off the stage, and I can’t wait for Studio Tenn audiences to experience it.”