Dayton City Paper Theatre Critic Chats with JB 2nd Natl Tour’s ‘Tommy DeVito–Colby Foytik!
January 22nd, 2012The JERSEY BOYS second national tour production runs in Dayton from January 17 through February 5 at the Schuster Center in downtown Dayton. Dayton City Paper’s theatre critic Brian Sharp had the opportunity to talk to Colby Foytik who plays Tommy DeVito. According to Foytik this was one of his dream roles. He says “DeVito is the guy you love to hate – a wonderful character.†Below is a preview:
Foytik, who was born in southern California, spent most of his youth interested in music – playing the saxophone – not in theatre. After high school he attended one year of college and then had the opportunity to get into theatre. Wanting to build a resume he took roles in shows in southern California. Foytik says “nothing fulfilled me as much as being on stage.†Knowing that he wanted to perfect his craft – he enrolled in Ithaca College and received his BFA in musical theatre – graduating in 1999. He moved to New York in August of that same year. He was a non-Equity actor so he took a regional role in Sleeping Beauty that rehearsed at Radio City Music Hall but performed in Virginia. For the next ten years he did regional, summer stock, off-Broadway, cruise ships and even performed in Russia. Then he settled in Cleveland and heard about an audition for the national tour of Fiddler on the Roof. While he felt he was probably just auditioning for a chorus/villager role…he was cast as Perchik. He toured for nearly a year and a half and had the opportunity to work with the likes of Topol, and Harvey Fierstein in the role of Tevye. The Fiddler on the Roof tour was a tough one says Foytik – each of the runs were about one week long – meaning your only day off became a travel day.JERSEY BOYS is a much different kind of tour. Each of the runs lasts three weeks or longer, which allows the cast a little bit of time to get to know the city during their “golden days†– also known as days off.
When asked about his favorite roles – Foytik named three. “George†in Sunday in the Park with George – “Jamie†in The Last Five Years – and this role “Tommy DeVito†in Jersey Boys.
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