Backstage with Bob

An interview with ‘Jersey Boys’ star Drew Seeley

We chatted with Drew Seeley, who plays Bob Gaudio in the Broadway show “Jersey Boys,” about his travels, affinity for his character, his connection to Tulsa, and other artistic pursuits. Seeley, who’s been in television and film, also performed the role of Prince Eric in Broadway’s “The Little Mermaid” and did the North and Latin American tours of “High School Musical: The Concert.” “Jersey Boys” is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, chronicling their rise to becoming one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. The musical returns to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center May 24-29. 

The Tulsa Voice: Did you have any connection to “Jersey Boys” before you were cast?

Drew Seeley: No connection. I was just living in LA and the creative team came from New York to see if there were any actors that would fit the part. I went in and it was like a ten-hour audition day and it got whittled down from like 50 people to just me and another guy. Then I didn't hear anything for over a year so I assumed it was dead in the water. Then I got a phone call out of nowhere asking if I could come to New York for a call back. Later that day they called to offer me the role on the tour.

TTV: Did you try out for Bob originally?

DS: I wasn’t trying out for Bob, but I was trying out for the Vegas Company originally. Then they offered the tour. I'm kind of happy it happened the way it did. We get to travel around and see the whole country. We even went to Japan this past summer to perform in Tokyo for two weeks. It's a lot of fun.

TTV: What were the Tokyo fans like? Any big differences from the U.S.?

DS: The crowds are very reserved. We thought we were bombing the whole show, but at the very end we got a standing ovation and we were like, "I guess they really enjoyed it!"

Even in different parts of the country, city-to-city, certain jokes will land, but in the next city it will be totally reversed. We feed off the audience’s reaction in each city and it makes the show unique everywhere we go.

TTV: What do you think it is about the “Jersey Boys” story that resonates with audiences?

DS: Well, I think they come for the music because they know that they will love the songs already. What usually hooks people in is that the story is so good. It's so unbelievable that these guys lasted 40 years and sold as many records as they did considering all the garbage they went through. It’s cool because we've had a couple of people come back to see the show hundreds of times. 

TTV: What did you think of Clint Eastwood’s film adaptation?

DS: You can do different things with different mediums. The movie is great because you can use close-ups to get those more intimate moments, but I feel like the stage version has a live concert feel and energy that you just can't replicate when you're watching it on your TV at home. The show was originally conceived as a stage musical and I still feel like that's the best way to experience what “Jersey Boys” is about. 

TTV: Have you messed up anything in the run so far?

DS: One time I was supposed to sit on a bench after a speech and I totally missed it and sprawled out on the floor. I just popped back up to stay in the scene. It's embarrassing in one sense, but then who cares? It happened and it's kind of fun. I sort of embrace the mistakes and use them.

TTV: What do you enjoy most about playing Bob?

DS: I love the songs that he gets to sing, like “Cry for Me” and “What a Night.” I get to sing lead, which is awesome because for the most part Frankie sings all the songs anyone knows. I also relate to Bob as a person. I'm more of an introvert. Even though I'm an actor, I don't need to always be in the spotlight. Also, in real life, I'm a songwriter. I've been writing music for almost 20 years now and that's his bag.

TTV: You’ve acted in several feature films and had the lead role in a comedy on TV. What's it been like transitioning from TV/film to theater?

DS: Well, I love them both and I haven't given up on film and TV. I've never done theater for this amount of time and it's been a really amazing experience. The difference with film and TV is you get one or two takes and then it's on film forever and you think of things later that you wish you had done. The preparation is different. The difference with theater is the show must go on—if you forget your lines, oh well! You can't go back and fix it then but you can the next night. It's all the same, though. Acting is acting. My favorite actors are the ones that can transition and do both, like Hugh Jackman.

TTV: Talk about your music career. Are you still writing music?

DS: I've had a chance to try so many things and I still am writing music on the road. It's just not my focus at this moment. So yeah, I’m still writing things and pitching things for bands every now and then. I put out an album a few years ago and once I get off this tour I'll probably put together something else. I love doing all of it. I love working and creating whether it's acting or music. 

TTV: Was your dream at an early age to be a performer?

DS: Yeah! My dad plays piano by ear and sings in a Bach choir and my mom was a choreographer. They got my sister and I into dancing and acting when we were very young. They were very encouraging and not super-pushy. It was what we learned at an early age and fell in love with. Probably since age thirteen or fourteen, I couldn't see myself doing anything else. 

TTV: Have you been through Tulsa before?

DS: I've wanted to go for a while because Hanson helped me propose to my wife three years ago. A friend of mine from high school was working with their management company. It's my wife's all-time favorite band, so somehow I got to them and they made a video that I played when I proposed to her. They signed off with, "We sign off on this guy Drew, he's cool, you should say yes." I was always very grateful to Hanson. Then over the couple years after that we became friends somehow and we were both in the music video for “Get the Girl Back.” I did a commercial for their Mmmhops beer line. They're cool in my book. 

TTV: What's your dream musical to be cast in? You can say “Hamilton.”

DS: I'm not going to say “Hamilton” because everyone else is going to say that. Man, that is so, so hard. Well, one of the first musicals I saw that really made me fall in love with theater was “Crazy for You” because I used to tap dance a lot back then and I'm a huge fan of Gershwin music. If I ever get my chops up I would love to take on the Bobby Childs role at some point in my life. But I'd take “Hamilton.” They can persuade me [laughs].

For more from Landry, read his thoughts on Netlix's newest comedies, "Flaked," "The Ranch," and "Love."