Apple of My Eye! Richard H. Blake to Star as Tommy DeVito in Broadway's Jersey Boys

Broadway vet Richard H. Blake is working his way back to the Great White Way! Blake will assume the role of original Four Seasons member Tommy DeVito in the Broadway company of Jersey Boys beginning January 9, 2014. Jersey Boys tour member John Gardiner will join the cast as Tommy DeVito from December 3 through January 8. Blake and Gardiner are taking over for upcoming Rocky headliner Andy Karl, who will play his final performance on December 1 at the August Wilson Theatre.

Blake's Broadway credits include Matilda, Legally Blonde, The Wedding Singer, Wicked, Hairspray, Aida, Saturday Night Fever and Rent. In addition to Jersey Boys, Gardiner also appeared as Timon in the national tour of The Lion King.

The Tony-winning musical Jersey Boys tells the story of how Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons went from being unknown New Jersey kids to international pop superstars. Each member of the band recounts his own section (or season): spring (Tommy DeVito), summer (Bob Gaudio), fall (Nick Massi) and winter (Frankie Valli). The show features over 30 hit songs, including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”

In addition to Karl, the current Broadway cast stars Dominic Scaglione Jr. as Frankie Valli, Matt Bogart as Nick Massi and Broadway.com's Hit Maker video blogger Drew Gehling as Bob Gaudio. The cast also features Peter Gregus, Mark Lotito, Miles Aubrey, Erik Bates, Candi Boyd, Cara Cooper, Jared Bradshaw, Joseph Leo Bwarie, Ken Dow, Russell Fischer, John Edwards, Katie O’Toole, Joe Payne, Mauricio Perez, Kyli Rae, Nathan Scherich and Sara Schmidt.