All four actors cast as the Fur Seasons have now been named. Pictured is Max Beal as Frankie in the Invercargill 2023 production of Jersey Boys. Photo / Caleb Lay
All four actors cast as the Fur Seasons have now been named. Pictured is Max Beal as Frankie in the Invercargill 2023 production of Jersey Boys. Photo / Caleb Lay
New Plymouth Operatic Society’s upcoming production of Jersey Boys will feature three residents and a former South Islander as the Four Seasons.
This week, New Plymouth Operatic Society (NPOS) announced the names of the three local actors who will make up the Four Seasons alongside Dunedin actor MaxBeal, who was cast as Frankie Valli this year. Max has relocated to Taranaki for both work and the show, and will be working for a business in New Plymouth’s central business district from May.
Joining Max on the TSB Showplace stage in July are Callum Stuart, Cameron McHugh and Jordan Barnes.
Callum Stuart will play Tommy DeVito in New Plymouth Operatic's Jersey Boys. Photo / Chris Hill Photography
Callum, who works as a geologist for Red Jacket Engineering, is no stranger to stage or screen. Originally from the UK, Callum completed a screen acting summer course in Berlin in 2022. He also has a Bollywood screen credit to his name, appearing in ‘83, a 2021 Indian Hindi-language movie about the Indian cricket team. In the movie, Callum played Ken MacLeay, an English-born Australian cricketer. A press release from NPOS says Callum, who will be playing Tommy DeVito in Jersey Boys, has also trained in screen acting in Belgium. He says the role of DeVito is “at the total opposite ends” to his own personality.
Cameron McHugh will play Bob Gaudio in New Plymouth Operatic's Jersey Boys. Photo / Chris Hill Photography
Cameron McHugh will play the youngest member of the Four Seasons — Bob Gaudio. Cameron and his wife, Helena, are well known in the theatrical community, having founded performing arts school Thespa together. Cameron, a graduate of the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art in Christchurch, co-directed both Curtains and Little Shop of Horrors at New Plymouth’s 4th Wall theatre. Cameron is a member of the New Plymouth Operatic Board. He says he is looking forward to the “slickness” of Jersey Boys, having first seen the show back in 2012 when it toured New Zealand.
Jordan Barnes is looking forward to bringing the character of Nick Massi to life in Jersey Boys. Photo / Chris Hill Photography
Jordan Barnes also saw, and loved, that 2012 production and is looking forward to bringing the character of Nick Massi to life in the NPOS version of the show. Jordan, a fulltime artist, is a newcomer to NPOS but not to Taranaki theatre, having made his acting debut playing Vincent Van Gogh in New Plymouth Repertory’s 2023 production of Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Elusive Ear. As well as being an award-winning painter, Jordan is a singer-songwriter. Since releasing his debut album in 2015, Jordan’s music has reached a wide audience, including five songs of his being featured on the Emmy Award-winning Fox TV show Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and one of his songs featuring on MTV’s The Challenge reality show.
Jersey Boys director Carolyn Murphy says she is excited to get things under way, with rehearsals beginning this week.
“We’ve a fantastic team of performers and experts, all working together to bring this iconic story to life.”
