Jersey Boys has a special relationship with Melbourne. The beloved biographical musical itself tells the story of Franki Valli, Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi and Bob Gaudio, collectively known as The Four Seasons/Franki Valli and The Four Seasons. Yet, for the Australian premiere production, which opened at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre way back in July 2009, for Bobby Fox, Scott Johnson, Glaston Toft and Stephen Mahy, their stories were just beginning.
Four unknowns, only collectively meeting when they were getting their haircuts for the promotional launch of the Australian production of Jersey Boys – in Las Vegas (even meeting Mr. Valli himself during the process), Johnson, Toft, Mahy and Fox have had successful thriving careers since being in Jersey Boys, both on and off-stage, and in case you were wondering whether these four supremely talented lads have ‘still got it’ 17 years later, you need look no further than – Jersey Forever – to satisfy your curiosity.
In a highly anticipated reunion that’s been long overdue and has generations of Aussie theatre fans frothing, the original Australian fabulous four are finally back together. Jersey Forever is a celebration of their journeys thus far, visits their contributions to Franki Valli and the Four Seasons’ growing legacy, and is an open love letter to the, I dare say, golden age of Aussie musical theatre, when musicals in Australia used to have super long residencies and toured for years.
I had the honour of attending that phenomenal production in Melbourne with the original foursome all those years ago, long before I started writing reviews, so it honestly felt like an out of body experience seeing Fox, Johnson, Mahy and Toft on stage together again, and I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. There was magic in the air with some keen theatre fans even wearing their Jersey Boys merch and bringing their pristine conditioned program books to get signed by the original cast.
To kickstart the special event, theatre queen Ruva Ngwenya brought the Tina: The Tina Turner Musical magic back to the Australian stage, donning the big hair, gold dress and fearless energy to passionately perform epic Tina Turner tracks, ‘River Deep Mountain High’, ‘Proud Mary’ and ‘The Best’. Titan talent Ngwenya originated the role of Tina in the recent Australian production, and it was so wonderful to see her as Tina again, even if but for a short amount of time. She slayed!
Prior to the original quartet making an appearance, 3AW Melbourne’s David Mann made a lovely speech about the legacy of Jersey Boys which was heartfelt, with Mann proudly sharing that he had seen the musical 11 times and that he would see it again in a heartbeat. You know what? Me too.
When Bobby Fox, Scott Johnson, Glaston Toft and Stephen Mahy took to the Melbourne stage in an epic entrance to ‘Who Loves You’, the energy in the Palais Theatre was electric. Immediately, the venue overflowed with joyful vibes and you really just had to be there to feel it.
Jersey Forever is a very different kind of beast to its musical counterpart. Jersey Forever has the original cast sharing of their experiences in Jersey Boys. Usually with musicals, you can’t sing along, dance, film and take photos, but with Jersey Forever, you can! It’s encouraged too! And yes, admittedly, I was up on my feet dancing to a few numbers, filming and taking photos like any other great concert.
Melbourne patrons happily sung along to ‘Walk Like A Man’, Scott Johnson got to showcase his smooth guitar skills and vocal prowess with ‘Working My Way Back To You’, Stephen Mahy showed off his suave energy and finesse, equipped with his beaming smile and strong vocals to ‘Cry For You’, Bobby Fox displayed his insane vocal range and gorgeous falsetto to ‘My Eyes Adored You’, but the surprise of the evening was when Glaston Toft, whose character Nick Massi never gets a solo in Jersey Boys, serenaded us with a stunning rendition of ‘Fallen Angel’ that probably could make angels weep. Group number wise, ‘Beggin’’ is a huge favourite of mine and I even found myself doing the hand movement choreography along with them (I am as surprised as you are, that was hiding in my brain).
It wasn’t all Jersey Boys themed though! We had a little Barry Gibb penned ‘Grease Is The Word’ and Bee Gees ‘More Than A Woman’ for good measure, plus Billy Joel’s ‘Uptown Girl’ which had Melbourne patrons up on their feet and dancing. But it was the Franki Valli and The Four Season songs reworked, reimagined and passionately done with love that were the highlights of the evening.
This included a stripped back version of ‘Dawn’, and an a cappella version of ‘Earth Angel’, accompanied with intimate lighting to recreate the atmosphere of when The Four Seasons were initially singing together under a streetlamp a lifetime ago. With no accompaniment from the big band on stage and nowhere to hide, Fox, Johnson, Toft and Mahy’s voices married together beautifully, like no time had passed, and soared.
Fox, Johnson, Toft and Mahy aren’t just coworkers getting back together for some fine tunes and nostalgia, what you’re seeing on stage with their undeniable chemistry, is a family. These four still devastatingly handsome and audaciously talented men are a true brotherhood that I’ve no doubt will be mutually cherished, survive and thrive for years to come. These Jersey Forever shows have also unearthed and reunited a community that fell in love with the award-winning musical, and it was so wonderful to feel and see that magic again. I must confess, throughout the concert, I could not stop smiling.
I was reminded of a time when I adored Jersey Boys so much, that when I met my now husband, we decided to fly up to Sydney to see the incomparable production as our first musical together, and I’m sure for many that were lucky enough to be in the Melbourne venue for this concert, this was a full circle moment for them too. Although, you didn’t have to be a fan of Jersey Boys or even have seen the musical to have enjoyed the concert or know that what everyone was witnessing in the room was truly a special moment in Australian theatre history. After all, it’s not every day original cast members get together to perform songs like this.
Jersey Forever is a true gift to the Australian stage. Whether you’re a diehard Jersey Boys fan, a musical theatre fan, a fan of Franki Valli and the Four Seasons, love concerts, supporting live music, or just want a guaranteed great night out with excellent vocals and legendary tunes, Jersey Forever is proof that you actually can catch lightning in a bottle twice.
Jersey Forever had its Melbourne show at the Palais Theatre in St. Kilda on Friday the 7th of August 2026.
Unfortunately, this was for one night only, however, a little birdy told me that they may be touring in the future, so make sure you follow them on socials and keep your eyes peeled.
For more information and future ticketing, visit:
https://jerseyforever.com.au
https://www.instagram.com/jerseyforeverau
Photography by Grant Alexander.
