September 28, 2012

What It Takes to Maintain the Stamina to Play the ‘Frankie’ Role, According to Brad Weinstock

September 28th, 2012

Donna Doherty, Register Arts Editor, has a terrific in-depth interview with JERSEY BOYS second national tour’s “Frankie Valli,” Brad Weinstock. Brad talks about what it takes to maintain the vocal stamina to play the legendary pop star.

Brad Weinstock, 28, the real-life New Jersey boy, who plays the Valli role (which he shares on weekends with Hayden Milanes), said in a phone chat earlier this week, that, “I’d always been a tenor. I don’t think you’d find many that don’t start high. I could do a falsetto, but never sustain it through a whole song like Frankie has to do.”

Keeping him in that upper trajectory is vocal coach Katie Agresta, with whom he was about to have a vocal lesson by Skype after the conversation. “I call her the Frankie Whisperer,” he jokes, of the woman who has worked with such stars as Jon Bon Jovi and Cyndi Lauper.

He says Agresta, whom he calls “brilliant,” takes what might be considered a bit of a New age approach to maintaining the accuracy and stamina of the vocals.

“The thing I do most that’s kind of weird and I never did a lot of is I pull my tongue a lot, so it keeps loose and makes sure my jaw doesn’t get in the way. You also bite your pinkie to loosen your lower jaw. She’s knows exactly what to do.”

Visit NHRegister.com for the entire interview.

1 Comment »

  1. Brad:

    You and the rest of the company were fabulous.

    We really enjoyed the show and wanted to say
    “thanks” -

    Wishing all of you a very happy new year.

    Sheila and David Smith
    Lake Worth, Florida

    P.S. Who would think that a handsome, nice jewish boy would pull off a very believable Frankie Vali!!

    Comment by sheila and david smith — December 31, 2012 @ 8:44 am

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