August 4, 2009

Four Guys Who Play The Four Seasons in Boston

August 4th, 2009

JB Natl Tour
JB National Tour’s Four Seasons: Steve Gouveia, Joseph Leo Bwarie, Josh Franklin, and Matt Bailey (Photo Credit: Joan Marcus)

EdgeBoston.com has a marvelous piece about the four young actors playing The Four Seasons in the JERSEY BOYS national tour, the hit musical at the Shubert this summer in Boston.

The four – Joseph Leo Bwarie (who plays Frankie Valli), Matt Bailey (Tommy DeVito), Josh Franklin (Bob Gaudio) and Nick Massi (Steve Gouveia) – took some time to answer a few questions. Here’s a preview!

Joseph Leo Bwarie (Frankie Valli)
Q: Frankie Valli has a unique sound. Is it difficult to replicate it?

A: Honestly, portraying an American music legend made iconic due to his signature sound comes with huge responsibility. I steer clear of the words ’replicate’ or ’duplicate’ or ’imitate,’ rather, my goal is to emulate the bright, undeniable voice of Frankie. And from what I hear, people say I sound just like Mr. Valli himself. That is high praise.

Matt Bailey (Tommy DeVito)
Q: Is Tommy the bad boy of the group?

A. If there were to be such a label in the group it would certainly be Tommy. He has no qualms about making it known who’s in charge, and Tommy always puts himself and his selfish interests at the forefront of his life, regardless of how that affects the group.

Josh Franklin (Bob Gaudio)
Q: Jersey Boys fits the template of the jukebox musical. Is it one? And, if not, what makes it so special?

A: Typically a jukebox musical uses the musical catalog of a specific group, band, or singer and sort of forces a story around the music, sometimes successfully and sometimes not. Jersey Boys is in a category of its own. Yes, it uses the music of the Four Seasons but the story is a mostly true one and the songs aren’t forced into a characters emotional journey. Rather, the story is happening while these guys are on the road together and performing in various venues. Of course, cleverly, the story occasionally is reflected in the lyrics of the song that the group happens to be performing. Essentially, Jersey Boys is a fantastic play that coincides with a kick ass rock concert. I assure you, it is no jukebox musical.

Steve Gouveia (Nick Massi)
Q: Coming from the original cast, what’s unique about performing on the road? And do you like it?

A: Every time we get to a new city, it’s like opening night on Broadway all over again. To see how big our show has become, from a 500-seat theatre in San Diego to this international pop culture “event,” is amazing. And every city has a unique response to the show, and every theatre we perform in has a different sound or vibe. Sometimes it’s very subtle, and sometimes it’s very obvious, but in the end it’s all the same. People love the show, and they want to come back to see it again. And I love traveling with the show. I get to see a lot of cities I’ve never been to, and we’re in each city for such a long time, that you really get to experience each one.

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