Jersey Boys is a high-energy musical based on the true story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, one of America’s most successful pop groups.
The show follows four working-class men from New Jersey as they pursue their dream of becoming famous musicians. The group goes from singing on street corners to becoming international superstars, while traversing financial problems, relationship struggles, disagreements, Mafia connections and the pressures of time.
We interviewed actor Sarah Coleman, who plays Francine, Frankie Valli’s daughter. Coleman’s character plays a vital emotional role in Jersey Boys, representing the personal cost of Valli’s pursuit of fame.
360West Magazine: In your own words, can you give me an overview of what Jersey Boys is about?
Sarah Coleman: Jersey Boys is a rags-to-riches story about four guys from New Jersey who become The Four Seasons. It follows their rise to fame as they navigate friendships, personal struggles and sacrifices that come with their success. At its heart, it’s about loyalty, ambition and how fame affects those closest to you.
360West: Can you explain how the show is structured?
Coleman: The show takes place over several decades, following the group from their early beginnings, through their success and their eventual reunion at the Rock ’n Roll Hall of Fame. It’s cinematically divided into four sections named for the seasons, each narrated by a different bandmate — spring, summer, fall and winter. Each member of the group gets to tell their side of the story from their own POV. The seasons reflect the different stages of their journey, from starting out, to facing conflict and then eventually looking back on everything they’ve experienced.
360West: What was the biggest surprise you discovered about playing Francine while preparing for Jersey Boys, and how did it change the way you play the role?
Coleman: The biggest surprise was how much Francine wants something so simple: time with her dad. Frankie is a huge star to the rest of the world, but to her, he’s her father. That has shifted my focus toward what she wants from him in each moment: his attention, his approval, or just a little more time together. There’s a quote from Hamlet I think about a lot, especially for the women in the show: “to hold, as ’twere, the mirror up to nature.” In many ways, the Jersey Girls hold that mirror up to the men, revealing how their choices affect the people around them. For me, that means grounding Francine in her own needs and hopes, so the audience can see what those choices cost her.
360West: What kind of challenges do The Four Seasons face before reaching fame
Coleman: Before reaching fame, The Four Seasons struggle to make ends meet and find their identity as a group. They come from working-class New Jersey, where they have run-ins with the law and others that complicate their ambitions. They play small gigs in small towns, go through MANY different names and other band members and face rejection while trying to get someone to believe in them. It takes finally finding the right sound and songwriting that gives them the opportunity to break through.
360West: Jersey Boys has a recognizable history and iconic music. How do you balance honoring the original story with bringing your own personality and interpretation to the character?
Coleman: The balance comes from respecting the real people and iconic music that the audiences come to see, while finding some personal and truthful within each role. I play Francine, but I also play Lead Angel and multiple other roles, so I get to explore several sides of the world of the show. With Francine specifically, I draw on the very human desire to feel close to a parent, while also bringing in my own humanity to the relationship. With Lead Angel, there’s room to bring out more playfulness and attitude. The fun is in making each character distinct and fully alive, while keeping them rooted in the period and the story we’re telling.
360West: What have you learned about their music, harmonies, or performance style that audiences might not realize?
Coleman: Since getting to work on this show, I’ve come to appreciate how much precision goes into making this music feel effortless. Frankie’s falsetto is so recognizable, but the other vocal parts are essential to creating The Four Seasons sound. A lot of audiences don’t realize that the four boys are not the only ones singing during the iconic numbers. As a company, we are all doubling The Four Seasons backstage/ onstage to make the sound pop.
360West: Why do you think the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons continues to connect with audiences across generations?
Coleman: I think people come for the music and stay because they recognize something of themselves in the story. Beneath the success are very familiar desires of belonging, making something of your life and doing right by the people you love. The characters don’t always know how to balance those things and that makes them human. Nostalgia is also a huge reason. For some, these songs bring them back to a particular time in their lives. For others, this may be their first introduction to the music. Either way, the joy is immediate and these relationships give it an emotional depth thatreaches across generations.
Bass Performance Hall presents Jersey Boys from November 3-8.
For more ticket information please visit basshall.com.