BWW Interviews: Colby Foytik Talks Career and Touring in JERSEY BOYS

Me: How did you get involved in theatre?

Colby Foytik: Oh wow! I started in high school, I guess the way most people who do this do. I was always involved with music and sports in school. And I actually, my junior year of high school, had a bit of a falling out with my saxophone instructor. I quit saxophone, and I need to fill a credit. So, I took an acting class, and ended up loving it. [Laughs]

Me: When did you realize that theatre was what you wanted to do professionally?

Colby Foytik: After high school, I went to college in California, where I'm from, for one year. I started booking professional work then, like Civic Light Opera there out in Southern California. I actually stopped going to college, and I took three years off to just to do theatre and kind of build up a resume. I'd say that's probably when I realized this is what I wanted to do for a living. And so, after that, I ended up going back to school. I transferred to Ithaca College in Upstate New York, and then a natural progression was to move to New York City.

Me: How did you first get involved with JERSEY BOYS?

Colby Foytik: I was doing the pre-Broadway workshop of Frank Wildhorn's DRACULA.

Me: Oh wow! I love that piece.

Colby Foytik: And Des McAnuff was directing that. That was during the time when they were just getting JERSEY BOYS on its feet. They were casting the original company to go out to La Jolla [Playhouse in La Jolla, California] before it went to Broadway, you know. And they called me in for Tommy [DeVito] then, and the only feedback my agent had was that they liked me, but they thought I was just way too young. So, then, I never went back in for it again for like seven years. And then I was out on the road with the National Tour of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. I got back to New York after doing that, and my agent called me. He wanted to make an appointment for an immediate replacement for the [Las] Vegas company, for a character named Hank Majewski, who covers Tommy.

I got the phone call from my agent on Monday. I had the audition on Wednesday. And then the next day, on Thursday, I was in callbacks from like 10 in the morning until 5:00pm. And then I got a phone call at about 6:30 that night from my agent, with the offer. So, if you subtract the seven years that I waited to go back in, it happened pretty quickly. [Laughs]

Me: What has the transition from the Las Vegas production to the 2^nd National Tour been like?

Colby Foytik: It was great. First off, in the Vegas company, I went into an already existing show, already existing company, so my rehearsal process was obviously much different. I was basically put in by the Dance Captain and the professional Stage Manager, you know. Where as here, the tour was a brand new production, so we did a full five weeks rehearsal in New York with the creative staff. The full tech process. So, that was obviously the main difference. And then the fact that I was covering Tommy out there, and now I'm playing it full time, you know.

Me: How does touring in JERSEY BOYS compare to playing it in Las Vegas?

Colby Foytik: The first difference is we do the full show. In Vegas it's a condensed show, only by about like 12 minutes.

Obviously, touring, being in a different city every two to four weeks, has such a different aspect to it. Things are going to play a little differently in say Philadelphia than they do in Dallas, Texas. [Laughs] That's interesting-to get that read on different parts of the country and the way the things land, you know, by the way things are kind of responded to. And just due to the fact of what we do for a living, I mean, the traveling is... [Pauses] Being in a different part of the country every two to four weeks, you know... [Pauses] I take Zyrtec now. There's a lot of fun with allergies that I never dealt with before. [Laughs] Stuff like that.

Me: How different is your preparation for a role like Tommy DeVito in JERSEY BOYS, since he is a real person and not a fictional character?

Colby Foytik: Well, everyone in JERSEY BOYS is a real character. Hank Majewski was as well. But the main thing is that the extensive research that the creative team has already done. You know, they have what they call "The Bible," and it's like this dramaturgy Bible that is just like three phonebooks thick of material on all of these guys, all of the music during the time period, and everything they went through. So, that was obviously a huge help for all of us during the rehearsal process.

My process personally, I mean, I [Pauses] I got a chance to meet Tommy when I was in Las Vegas, which was incredible. You know, the man is 84 years old now and just still this little ball of fire. I think it's just really staying focused on telling his truth. You know what I mean? And like everyone says, "Oh, you play Tommy. You play the villain or the bad boy." Well, I don't go out there and purposely play villainous or bad boy. I'm playing Tommy because he did what he thought was right. I'm playing his truth basically, and it is a real person, so you want to do that person justice, obviously.

Me: What unique challenges does playing Tony DeVito present for you?

Colby Foytik: He's a very brash character, you know. I wouldn't say that's a challenge. I have a lot of fun with that. That's something that I'm not on a daily basis. The yelling can get a little demanding on the voice at times, [Pauses] but it's not much of a challenge simply because I love it so much. You know what I mean? Like, I love this role. I love this show. I love this job. And when you're doing what you love, you know, you don't really view it as a challenge.

Me: Are you and Tommy DeVito alike in any way?

Colby Foytik: Not really. I mean, [Laughs] I'm from Southern California, and there's nothing Italian about me, you know. And he's first generation Italian from New Jersey. We both play guitar! [Laughs]

Me: What are your favorite parts or elements of JERSEY BOYS?

Colby Foytik: I love the fact that the story is just so rich and compelling, you know. Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman really took a risk in a lot of ways with this show. As did Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio when they were presented with it to say, "Yes, we want to tell our story, but let's really tell our story. Let's tell it warts and all." And I think a lot people come and see the show because they know the music. What they don't know is this incredible story that they're going to get-these guys in and out of prison, dealing with the mob, and all of that. The script alone is absolutely brilliant. I think you could take the music away and still have an incredible play, you know. Which I think is a true testament to Marshall and Rick.

Also, I love in the middle of Act II, when there would usually be this big showstopping number, there's this scene we call "The Sit Down Scene." It's like an 11 or 12 minute scene, and there's no music. It's just dialogue, and it's incredible dialogue. It's the most dramatic moment of the show for all of us. I think that's a huge risk, and it obviously has paid off and works brilliantly, you know. It's incredible.

Me: JERSEY BOYS generates buzz based on its name recognition alone, but why should Houston audiences be excited to see this production of the show?

Colby Foytik: This production is fresh and young, and, I mean, it's just incredible. It's an incredible evening of entertainment. And like I said, you're going to come knowing 90% of the music already, but you're going to want to come back [Laughs] a second time even because the story is so compelling. And I think that's why people come back to this show time and time again.

Me: As an artist, what inspires you?

Colby Foytik: Music inspires me. My fiancée Megan inspires me.

Me: What advice would you offer to young performers, hoping to make a break in the business?

Colby Foytik: Love yourself. [Laughs] We spend a lot of time in this business hearing the word "no." You're going to hear the word "no" more often than "yes," and to not take that personally.

Broadway Across America - Houston presents JERSEY BOYS in the Sarofim at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts from March 19 to 31, 2013. For more information and tickets, please visit http://houston.broadway.com or call (800) 952 - 6560.

Photos by Joan Marcus. Courtesy of Broadway Accross America - Houston.

(l to r) Brandon Andrus, Brad Weinstock, Jason Kappus and Colby Foytik

(l to r) Brad Weinstock, Jason Kappus, Colby Foytik and Brandon Andrus

(l to r) Colby Foytik, Brad Weinstock, Jason Kappus, Brandon Andrus and the Company of JERSEY BOYS