Places, Please! by Daniel Robert Sullivan

Author:Daniel Robert Sullivan [Sullivan, Daniel Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Biography & Autobiography, Entertainment & Performing Arts, toronto, memoir, Des McAnuff, Frankie Valli, theatre, Places, Tommy DeVito, auditions, backstage, musicals, Jersey Boys, Please!, broadway, Daniel Robert Sullivan
ISBN: 9780987826725
Publisher: Iguana Books
Published: 2012-07-12T00:00:00+00:00

May 27th, 2009

Cara left for Cincinnati this morning. It was a trip planned long before I was offered the out-of-town job, long before we knew this will be my last week in New York for at least a year. I won’t see her again for three weeks when we’ll meet in Toronto for my opening night. By now, I think anyone reading this knows how I am feeling today.

My own workday begins with an early fitting at yet another costume shop. This shop is the exclusive builder of the “Four Lovers” jacket worn by four guys in the show for just one very short scene.

Then, for a great mini-climax in my rehearsal process, I go to see a matinee of the Jersey Boys Broadway Company. I am permitted to sit on the stairs at the side of the auditorium and see the show for free. An usher asks me, “Are you an actor?”

“Yes, I am,” and I’m glad to be answering this question.

“Are you going into this show somewhere?”

“Yes, I am,” and I’m proud to be answering this question.

“What role will you be playing?”

“Tommy,” and I’m bragging with this answer, maybe just a bit.

“Tommy? But you’re blond!”

Why is this such an issue?

The stairs I sit on are comfy enough and have a great view of the audience and their reactions. And the reactions to this performance, especially happening so close to New Jersey, are rowdy! But here’s the thing: now that I know the show so well, I am much less intimidated by it. No longer does this show seem unattainable or impossible to perform.

And now I see another variation of the Tommy character. This is the fourth version I’ve seen, and the toughest. Dominic Nolfi is spectacular, and has been playing Tommy for about a year since Christian Hoff left. Dominic has been with Jersey Boys since it began out at La Jolla Playhouse in California, and is the only guy I have heard of to understudy both Frankie and Tommy. Imagine the vocal range he must have! And his performances understudying Tommy must have been good, for he was the one chosen to replace the Tony Award-winning performer.

I would not be very effective playing Tommy as tough as I saw him today. I need to play up the small bits of intelligence Tommy shows in the beginning of the show. I need to play up the jokester, the hothead. If Dominic’s interpretation of Tommy could easily beat up the other guys, my version of Tommy just thinks he can! I am learning a lot watching these interpretations and am lucky to have all these options to draw from.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.