Bobby Fox Ready to Play Frankie Valli!
July 2nd, 2009
JERSEY BOYS Melbourne’s Four Seasons: Stephen Mahy (Bob Gaudio), Scott Johnson (Tommy DeVito), Glaston Toft (Nick Massi), and Bobby Fox (Frankie Valli)
Michael Lallo of The Age has a fascinating interview with Irish-born performer Bobby Fox, who will be playing the legendary singer Frankie Valli in the Melbourne production of JERSEY BOYS, which opens Saturday at the Princess Theatre.
Fox talks candidly with Lallo about growing up, becoming a dancer, moving to Australia, and the excitement and challenges of playing the role of Frankie Valli.
For the past three years he has lived in Melbourne, most recently playing the role of Eddie in Mamma Mia!. Naturally, he leapt at the chance to audition for Jersey Boys — only to make a hash of it.
“It was terrible,” he says, wincing at the memory. “I chose the wrong songs and I didn’t sing well because I was nervous. But fortunately there were a few people in the room for whom I had auditioned before and they knew that I wasn’t an idiot.”
So they gave him a second chance and he eventually landed the part.
Recently, he went to Las Vegas to meet Valli, whom he describes as a “nice, cool guy”. He also spent time with former Four Seasons member and songwriter Bob Gaudio.
“Bob said to me, ‘Frankie’s the kind of guy who could sing Mary Had a Little Lamb and have you in tears because of the way he interprets it’. But I don’t think about this role as me playing one of the most famous pop stars on the planet,” Fox says.
“That’s not how Frankie saw himself. He considered himself a worker. He was a blue-collar guy who came from nothing. All he had was ambition.”
Read the full story on TheAge.com.au.
Hi there , sat in the front row tonight with my daughter 16 and 3 other friends from Ireland , it was an amazing nite , thank you guys so much you were fantastic , ill definitely be booking tickets to see it a second time , Didnt realise Bobby was Irish btw , go on ya good thing !!!!
Comment by jeanne heather — October 7, 2011 @ 7:47 am