One of the most popular musicals of all time - with roots in Newark - is about to return to the New York stage.

Cast members of the hit musical “Jersey Boys” say that they are looking forward to the moment they can bring the classic musical back to live audiences following a 19-month shutdown from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Jersey Boys” stars Aaron DeJesus as Frankie Valli, the lead singer of the 1960s musical group the Four Seasons. It is a role DeJesus has played on tour and in New York for nearly a decade.

“My last count was somewhere between 2,600 and 2,800 performances of "Jersey Boys,’” DeJesus says.

The role may be the same, but rehearsing has changed drastically in the era of COVID-19. The cast is masked while practicing most of the time. They say that it presents its own set of challenges. The cast says it is difficult to sing through a mask and that it creates a sound barrier.

They say that if they are not careful, they could push themselves harder than they should and tire themselves out.

"Jersey Boys" debuted on Broadway 16 years ago, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical. After closing in 2017, the play reopened off-Broadway.

DeJesus says he believes the story and familiar songs of the Four Seasons will not only entertain the audience, but uplift them as well.

“It really does touch hearts and lives and makes a difference,” he says, adding that it is at a time when audiences need it the most.

“Jersey Boys" will be performed at the New World Stages, where it will reopen on Nov. 15.