Luke Baker talks 20th-anniversary production of ‘Jersey Boys’: “I’m sure a few actors have blown out their voices playing Frankie Valli”

One of the most awarded jukebox musicals of all time returns to the UK in an extensive tour honouring the original production, which will be running for all four seasons until August next year. Guillermo Nazara chats with the show’s star to learn more about his portrayal and what a night audiences are likely to have at the theatre.

How does it feel to be playing an icon in one the most popular jukebox musicals ever written?

It’s an incredible show and an incredible role. I think this piece was written to challenge people. It’s a really demanding role, but I enjoy the challenge. I think doing something like Jersey Boys is a safe bet. You know that the script is good, the story works, and the audience is enjoying it. As a performer, you feel in safe hands. It truly is a gift of a role. You can’t just the show half, you need to go full back. But that’s what makes it great.

What makes the role so demanding?

In terms of repertoire alone, Frankie Valli has 26 songs in the show. But I also think that his emotional arc and his struggles when it comes to relationships, making the band a success, the death of loved ones, and the overall hauntingness of his mind contributes to the challenge to. There’s the physical aspect, too. During Act Two, I don’t leave the stage at all. It’s an amazing to do, however, as you experience the character without any breaks like you might do in other shows. You can’t slip up with Frankie. If you do it once, there is a knock-off effect.

What’s been your process to portray this real-life character?

There is no autobiography of Frankie. And there is no much information available. What we know is actually what the show tell us, because the creatives spent so much time with Frankie himself when developing it. What I did, however, is to watch as many videos available of Frankie so I could internalise his mannerisms. It would be very easy to play him as the squeaky little guy he’s been portrayed like before. But that’s not actually how he was at all. Playing him is also about finding his drive, which started with the wish to get out of his neighbourhood. But even when he found success, he was still searching for something else. Frankie has just stopped singing now, and he is in his nineties. That already tells us so much about the guy and his personality. And I think it’s important to incorporate a little bit of that. The great thing, however, is that we are working with the original creative team. So, if we have any questions, we can just ask them, although the script so well-written that it explains itself.

Have you been allowed to take any artistic licenses?

To a degree. At the end of the day, it’s a product. I had a singing lesson the other day with the same teacher every actor who’s portrayed Frankie has had. He described the show as Burger King — it needs to taste the same all around the world. There are a few little things you can do. There are some musical segments that we can play with, while others are very strict. Every actor has a different thought-process and that permeates their performance, but it’s still a product. And as a product, you can’t take things too far.

How challenging has it been to master Frankie Valli’s distinctive timbre?

It’s really hard. It takes time and practice. It’s also a case of “less means more”. The air pressure to get those high notes is very intense, so it has to be controlled and safe. I’m sure a few actors have blown out their voices playing Frankie Valli. But as long as you’re healthy and hydrated- and you do it within your range -then you can do it. It’s also important to preserve style and make sure that it sounds as if from the 60s instead of contemporary. It also requires a lot of discipline — you have to live like a monk: hydrate, sleep, and not talk to much. And a couple of hours before the show, you transition your voice into Frankie and get your larynx high. The rest is history!

Have you found any other challenges?

Consistency and focus. Making sure that you are hitting the marks, too. And on top of the show’s structure, you need to make your performance is spontaneous but controlled. Viewers must feel like you’re addressing them instead of reeling off a list words. The more personal you make it for an audience, the more they’re gonna connect. Luckily, it gets easier with time. It’s a long tour, so we’re still in the process of getting it to a point. And we do, we must sustain it and not get lazy.

Have you had any funny bloopers so far?

There are a couple of fake moustaches on the show. One of my colleagues, Oliver, plays a gangster who, at the end of Act One, is extorting him for 150 grand. During one performance, his moustache was flapping as he was doing that scene. I was struggling to be serious. I couldn’t look at him with a straight face, and neither could the rest of the cast!

What’s the biggest highlight in the show for you?

That would be Can’t Take My Eyes Off You. It’s just an electrifying moment, which is usually followed by a massive round of applause. But the whole show is brilliant.

Why come see this new production of Jersey Boys?

The music stands for itself. Every song is an absolute banner. You’d be surprised at how many songs you know. It’s a show that will please people that don’t go to the theatre that often. And the story is so true. The real Four Seasons helped create the show, and that makes it so special. We’re doing our very best to recreate the original piece, and the cast is amazing. But that goes to all shows — the talent in this country is just amazing, and it’s just getting better and better.

Jersey Boys is currently on tour across the UK and Ireland. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara