Jersey Boys Blog

Oh, what a year it’s been for Bobby Spencer! The birth of his son, Geddy; writing, directing, producing, and starring in his first feature film, “Farm Girl in New York”; and continuing to star as Nick Massi in the hottest show on Broadway! Prior to his May 9 matinee performance, Jersey Boys Blog had the marvelous opportunity to sit down and chat with Bobby about the big events in his life; his most memorable Jersey Boys’ experiences; his thoughts on playing Nick Massi on the West End; and many other surprises!

JBB: Hi Bobby, Great to see you! Last time we chatted was right after the Tonys. What’s been happening and how’s everything been going?

BS: Ahhh, nothing much…(laughs)

Well, my wife and I recently celebrated the birth of our son, Geddy Robert Douglas Spencer. He’s four months old now. It’s incredible!

JBB: Congratulations to you and Jenny-Lynn! How about your film, “Farm Girl in New York”?

BS: It’s been crazy! The film is about two guys who want to get laid, so they hold a fake audition in New York City to meet hot chicks. It’s like “Wedding Crashers” meets “Waiting for Guffman.” It’s rated PG-13—there’s no nudity or anything, just a shot of my butt in one scene.

JBB: What was your shooting schedule like?

BS: I would get on the set in the morning at 6 a.m., shoot till 6 p.m. and still do Jersey Boys at night, five days a week. We didn’t shoot on Wednesdays and Saturdays because those were two-show days. We wrapped right before Thanksgiving. It’s in post-production now.

We hired this great graphic design kid…well, I call him a kid ‘cause he’s younger than I am. (Bobby shows me this really amazing mock sketch.) He’s done caricatures of the characters in the film. The graphic representation is similar to what was done in “American Graffiti” or “Bad News Bears.”

JBB: Is there a release date for the film?

BS: We’re now looking for a distribution dealer. We’ll be sending the film off to festivals and my producing partner is going off to Cannes. I wish it were 100% completed, but we still need to do the sound mix, and this and that.

JBB: Since winning the Tony for Best Musical, have you had any career surprises that you weren’t expecting?

BS: The film has been an amazing experience, but the real surprise is still having people loving the show, coming back again and again, getting tickets months in advance. That’s the Wow! moment for me! We’ve been paid back in spades!

JBB: So many celebrities have come to see Jersey Boys since it opened. Is there any celebrity that stands out as one of the most memorable to you?

BS: For me, it was meeting Kurt Russell. When he and Goldie Hawn came backstage, I gave Goldie a kiss and told Kurt, ‘You’re the man!” He and Goldie had such an amazing energy. I grew up watching Kurt Russell and loved his work in films such as “Escape from New York” and “The Thing,”

JBB: Jersey Boys tours are popping up everywhere. Have fans at the stage door been talking to you about the tours?

BS: People sometimes ask us, ‘Hey, are you going to LA? Are you going to London?’

JBB: Any plans for you and the Jersey Boys to go elsewhere to perform?

BS: We’re staying right here on Broadway, but would I love to go to the West End? The four of us would love to perform on the West End. There’s Broadway; then there’s London. We’ll see what happens.

JBB: Speaking of tours, there are a lot of young actors who would love to play Nick Massi in one of the upcoming Jersey Boys’ tours. Do you have any advice for them?

BS: No advice to be Nick. You either are that role, or you’re not. Whatever the role-Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio, or Nick. Sure, I can sing like Frankie Valli, but I’m 6’1″, so that was not going to work. So, whatever role you’re up for, give it your best. If the chemistry is right and if the director thinks you’re the right one for the part–then do your best.

JBB: You’ve been playing the role of Nick Massi since 2004 at La Jolla Playhouse. What have you discovered about yourself that you didn’t know before you played this role?

BS: What have I discovered about myself that I didn’t know before I played the role?? Not to follow Nick’s path. His path ended up being destructive on a lot of levels. And everyone, not just me, should learn from all their lessons.

Thank you so much to Bobby Spencer for this wonderful interview! All the best and continued success to him on “Farm Girl in New York,” Jersey Boys, and his future projects!