LGBT Weekly talks to Barry Anderson who plays legendary record producer Bob Crewe
The San Diego born Broadway smash Jersey Boys is set to play at the Civic Theatre from May 9-14. The show, written in 2005, tells the story of four guys who make their way in the music business to become one of the most popular groups in music history.
When people think of the multiple Tony Award winning show, they most likely think of Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudino or Nick Massi, the original members of the group The Four Seasons.
The group’s success came from hits like “Sherry”, “Walk Like a Man”, “Rag Doll”, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, but what many may not know is that those songs were written by Bob Crewe. Crewe was a record producer that signed the group before they became known as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
Crewe collaborated with many other well-known groups but was best known for his work with The Four Seasons and is prominently featured in the show Jersey Boys. Playing that pivotal role is Wisconsinite Barry Anderson.
Anderson got his start with musical theater when he was just a kid and didn’t stop there. He’s also a pianist and a songwriter.
“I come from a very musical family,” Anderson shared. “Performing was always the thing that excited me most when I was young. I started taking piano lessons when I was eight and absolutely loved playing. I was one of those kids that never had to be told to practice. I loved doing the local church and school plays, and when I was 12 I did a summer stock production of Peter Pan. That was when the theater bug really bit. Growing up, I probably admired the comedic song-and-dance guys the most. Dick Van Dyke, Ray Bolger, Michael Crawford. Today, I get inspired by actors every time I watch performances that move me or by careers with longevity. Actors like Hal Holbrook, Jessica Lange and Jane Fonda have careers that span decades, and they’ve gotten to play roles that are so varied. What a thing to aspire to. Growing up as a piano player, my musical sensibilities tend to gravitate toward songwriters who play keyboard. I love Sara Bareilles’ style. Lady Gaga and Alicia Keys write great tunes. Elton John, Billy Joel, Carole King, Jimmy Webb and Laura Nyro are all favorites of mine. I’m a bit of an old soul, musically-speaking.”
Anderson has played the role now for quite some time, both on Broadway and on tour and feels very strongly about playing Crewe as more than just a flamboyant producer. In fact Crewe’s brother, Dan Crewe, said in a New York Times interview that Crewe was very discreet about his sexuality especially when he was working with The Four Seasons.
“Finding that balance and making sure the portrayal goes deeper than a simple one-note stereotype has always been important to me,” Anderson said. “Bob Crewe was a producer, writer and hit-maker who happened to be gay. What has helped me enormously has been the ability to research Crewe the person as much as I can through interviews, recordings and anecdotes. It’s so interesting. He really was a kind of Renaissance man with a hugely varied career. Very artistic, very savvy. He had a solo singing career, worked as a model for a bit, had a passion for visual arts. His influence in the entertainment industry spanned decades and it was so multi-faceted. He worked with countless artists. He was a genius producer, and his influence continues to be heard to this day. So it has been fun to layer and color Crewe the character with some of these aspects as well.”
However, Anderson does admit that while he does get to exercise his acting chops in the show, there are a few other things that make playing Crewe nightly a lot of fun.
“Well, I do love Crewe’s wardrobe. Ha ha!” Anderson admitted. “Seriously though, the most fun at this point, after five-plus years of playing the role, is getting to play opposite so many different actors. That’s probably the coolest aspect of doing such a long run. Each person brings a unique voice and essence to the stage when they play a character. And one thing that keeps this role fresh and exciting for me is the ever-changing energy that’s exchanged when somebody new steps into a role in the show. I had a complete blast joining the Broadway company for that same reason.”
Crewe sadly passed away in 2014 before Anderson had a chance to meet him but if he had met him he knows exactly what he would have done with that opportunity.
“Hmm, this is one of the reasons why I wish I would have gotten the chance to meet him in person, to get a real first-hand sense of his personality,” Anderson said. “I have been told more than once that I resemble him, so that’s kind of fun! I think in terms of the music side of things, he obviously was a collaborator and he loved creating in the recording studio. I love the fact that Crewe was the guy who saw the potential in Frankie’s falsetto voice and helped shape The Four Seasons’ sound.”
Anderson also finds that getting the chance to breathe life into someone who was there at the beginning is especially gratifying.
“I love hearing and reading interviews from pioneers of the entertainment industry,” Anderson added. “All of the actors, writers and musicians who were ‘there when it happened’… it often keeps me up far too late, in fact. (Thanks, YouTube!) Those people are the thread that connects us to our history. So I’m sure that, given the chance, I would have sat at Crewe’s feet like a kid in a candy store and just listened to stories about his days in the studio and what the industry was like in the early ‘60s. And of course I’m curious about his songwriting process as a lyricist and collaborator.”
One thing that has been carried over from the beginning days of The Four Seasons to Jersey Boys is the way the songs are arranged and sung. Crewe may have discovered Frankie Valli but it has also been said that he was responsible for the sound that ultimately became the signature for the group.
“Something really great about the music in the show is that most of the songs have been arranged to reflect the original versions that everyone knows and loves,” Anderson said. “During the first act of Jersey Boys, the audience learns that Crewe decided to double Frankie’s vocals in the recording studio. It’s a technique that really added texture to his lead vocal falsetto and was a huge factor in creating that signature sound prior to the age of digital recording. And so, keeping with the authenticity, we employ that same technique live every night. It’s like adding a secret ingredient to a recipe. It’s subtle, but there’s a definite sound-engineering science to it.”
You can catch Anderson and the cast of Jersey Boys from May 9-14 at the Civic Theatre. For tickets visit broadwaysd.com or call the Civic box office at (619) 570-1100.
