Jersey Boys: Michael Longoria is to be Broadway's new Frankie Valli

Michael Longoria is to assume the role of Frankie Valli in the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys from 22 Nov 2007.

Longoria will assume the role from John Lloyd Young, the Tony-Award winning star of the Broadway musical who is leaving the show on 21 Nov 2007.

Longoria currently plays the role of 'Joey' in Jersey Boys, and has been the understudy for the role of Frankie Valli since the musical opened. Longoria made his Broadway debut in Hairspray.

John Lloyd Young is the first of the original featured cast to exist the musical. Daniel Reichard, who plays 'Bob Gaudio,' announced in early October that he will be leaving the show on 6 Jan 2008.

Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi, about a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks who became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide - all before they were thirty.

The musical opened on Broadway at the August Wilson Theatre on the 6 Nov 2005, following previews from the 4 Oct and is currently booking to the 28 Sep 2008.

The musical opened to excellent reviews: "The real thrill ... is that Mr. Young (Frankie Valli) has crossed the line from exact impersonation into something more compelling." (New York Times); There's no point in beating around the bush � I had a great time." (New York Daily News); "A hot new Broadway show." (Star-Ledger); "It�s basically a nostalgic evening�but a thoroughly enjoyable one." (newyorktheatreguide.com)

Winner of the 2006 Best Musical Tony Award about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Jersey Boys is written by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe, and is directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Des McAnuff, choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, with Orchestrations by Steve Orich and Music Direction, Vocal Arrangements and Incidental Music by Ron Melrose.

The cast of Jersey Boys features Tony Award winner Christian Hoff (Tommy DeVito), Daniel Reichard (Bob Gaudio), J. Robert Spencer (Nick Massi) and Tony Award winner John Lloyd Young (Frankie Valli) as The Four Seasons, and Tituss Burgess, Heather Ferguson, Steve Gouveia, Peter Gregus, Donnie Kehr, John Leone, Michael Longoria, Mark Lotito, Jennifer Naimo, Dominic Nolfi, Erica Piccininni and Sara Schmidt.

Jersey Boys is produced on Broadway by Dodger Theatricals, Joseph J. Grano, Tamara and Kevin Kinsella, Pelican Group, in association with Latitude Link and Rick Steiner/Oshen/Staton/Bell/Mayerson Group.

Jersey Boys debuted at the La Jolla Playhouse, running from 5 Oct 2004 through to 16 Jan 2005, with an opening night on 17 Oct 2004. It became the most successful production in the history of the playhouse, extending three times.