Jersey Boy's Melissa Strom On Stage
by Kala Friend Kret
Melissa talks in depth about Jersey Boys on and off the stage and being an actor and theatre artist. Ms. Friend sends special thanks to Melissa Strom for the interview and many other e-mails full of wonderful advice!
KT: Exactly how did you find out about “Jersey Boys” and how did you get involved with the audition process?
MS: The first time I became aware of “Jersey Boys” was when my manager called and said you have a big audition in two day for the national tour of “Jersey Boys.” Of course, I remember hearing about “Jersey Boys” when it was playing at LA Jolla Playhouse. A friend was a replacement in the show. I didn’t see the Tony’s 06, but I had heard “Jersey Boys” won for best musical. After I knew I was auditioning, I started researching the show and watched clips on the internet. I also listened to the CD. I loved the the writing, the music, the style, the accents, the attitudes, the jokes... EVERYTHING! I was hooked.
KT: What were the auditions like? Was there a lot of pressure? Who were you auditioning in front of?
MS: My manager called me with an audition in Los Angeles July of 06. Tara Rubin, the casting director, called me straight in to meet the director, Des McAnuff, and the musical director Ron Melrose. I sang my own song and read some scenes from the show. Two days later was a callback for choreographer Sergio Trujillo and associate Kelly Devine. I sang my same song, sang some of “Boyfriend’s Back,” did the Francine phone call scene and then danced. The next week they flew me to NYC for the final callback in front of 50 people! The Dodgers were there (they produce the show) other producers, creative staff, writers and people representing the Four Seasons like Bob Gaudio. Friday morning was the dance call. It was so fun because they had live drums and Sergio added high kicks and turns! He made me put on my high heels! Grrrrr! Singing and acting in front of fifty very serious looking people isn’t exactly fabulous, but I was the last appointment of the day and I just did my thing and said “thank you.” I flew back to LA that weekend, I got a call that Monday from my manager, “You booked it. They want you for Francine!” That was the end of July and we didn’t start rehearsals in NYC until October 23rd!
KT: Once you became a little more familiar with “Jersey Boys,” how did you go about training yourself for playing SO many roles in one act? How did you prepare yourself for the dancing and physical demands of this show?
MS: We didn’t get our scripts until the first day of rehearsals. Everyone involved with the production stood around the rehearsal room and introduced themselves and nibbled on cheese and crackers. Des made a speech and then I remember seeing all the costume sketches taped to the wall. It seemed like hundreds. And then I realized which sketch was me... I had costumes galore. Then they started assigning parts to the actors. Melissa your Waitress #1, your this Angel, your Bob’s Party Girl, your the bowler. My highlighter couldn’t even keep up. How am I supposed play all those different people, enter, perform, exit, change costumes and then do it all over again 18 times? I call it the “Jersey Boy” machine! That afternoon we had a table read of all of our assigned parts. After NYC rehearsals, tech in SF and ten preview shows by opening night playing all those characters became second nature.
KT: How have the different theaters had effect on the amount of changing or running or time you have backstage?
MS: For starters, I look forward to always getting the local hair person. We have two ladies that travel with the show and then in every city they hire a local union hair person that follows my track. So I have to get used to a new prep, a new vibe, a new energy before the show and during all my wig changes and in between scenes. The tour also hires local dressers and crew so the people helping you change, setting your props, paging the curtain, handing off the microphones changes with each new theater you travel to. Everything remains the same the actors patterns backstage, the props, the lines, the sets, but city to city the faces change so sometimes you experience deja vu and have to stop and say, “Self, you are not in the twilight zone you are performing in the First National Tour of “Jersey Boy’s” and are backstage in a different city.”
KT: Any surprises yet? Slip-ups on stage or offstage? things that just caught you off-guard, like when Erich freaked out about the earthquake?
MS: The earthquake incident! Wow! I thought the the entire set was going to fall on my head. Who knew that the sound of an audience whispering actually sounds like a roar! My goodness, everyone got so excited. I can’t believe we stopped the show, walked off stage, walked back on, got applauded, then restarted the show! It just goes to show you - the show must go on. Here is another example that happened during the Francine phone call scene. I’m on the edge of the stage talking on the phone to my dad looking out and at THIS particular show they had it set up for the hearing impaired. So there is this word caption computer at the foot of the stage and sitting further below is an interpreter signing the show’s dialogue. So I hear my cue and come out for the scene and I notice how pretty the woman signing looks perfectly lit up under the yellow pool of light. The scene starts, my spot turns on, and I can see her signing what I’m saying. But I didn’t expect her to be so in to it! She became “me” with all my Francine mannerisms through sign. So I’m thinking...this is so cool. The scene is getting intense, dad’s yelling, I’m shouting and there’s this woman that’s signing the entire scene and then I just kind of forgot where I was in the scene for a second. A slight pause if you will. I was mesmerized by this sign interpreter. So if any of you saw that show you know exactly what I’m talking about! During live theatre lots of funny little things happen all the time, like actors dropping things on stage then we devise a fun plan to see “who can get the fork,” or the phone rings and Francine hasn’t picked it up, or someone in the audience is talking back to the actors on stage (that happened to me when I was Francine).
KT: What kind of acting classes/courses did you take throughout high school and college?
MS: I started taking tap and jazz when I was two years old. I had two older sisters who were into dance class so I had great role models. When I lived in North Carolina and Texas I also competed in dance competitions. I took my first theater class in middle school. Every elective after that, I always filled with a theater class. I also did all the school plays starting my freshman year spring semester.
KT: What college did you go to?
MS: What did you major in? I attended the University of Southern California and graduated with a BFA in theater and a minor in film. In college, every semester I took acting, voice and movement accompanied with a type of theater history or text analysis class.
KT: What were other plans you had as a young person or child, any other plans for your life that never came around? Were you religious or otherwise inclined to do something in a different area than the theater-arts?
MS: My parents allowed me the freedom to explore a lot of activities when I was growing up. I was into swim team in the summers. My dance studio after school. During school I was involved in clubs and sports. I didn’t have time to be a Girl Scout, I never got to sell those cookies. Growing up I was raised in the Lutheran Church. I liked it. It gave me a good foundation and morals. I would get to light the candles in front of the congregation - my first big performance.
KT: What was your childhood like, growing up in Texas? Were you surrounded by the arts or did you find theater on your own?
MS: Well, I was born in Colorado Springs, moved to Raleigh, NC and then settled in Plano, Texas by middle school. I took dance lessons in every state. My parents took us to see the national touring shows, movies, museums and on trips. They kept me interested and busy in a variety of things. Plano is a suburb outside of Dallas, so I was thrilled to move to a big city. I got started taking professional acting classes and got an agent.
KT: How does your family support you now? Have they seen your show? Had they seen past productions of yours?
MS: In my bio I dedicate “Jersey Boys” to my family because without them I would not be the person that I am. They have seen, heard and felt it all through the highs and lows of my career. I am proud to say that every one of my family members have seen the show and that requires a lot of planning with babies, work, flying, etc! They are all very excited and proud of me. The “Jersey Boy” soundtrack is requested by my niece and nephews (5,3,2, 9mo years old) and they sing all the songs in the car. EVERY WORD! We had to start “parental control volume awareness due to Joe Pesci excitement with the “f” bomb... the volume goes down. A couple times it slipped in before my sister caught it and the three year old was telling the dog “Your a “F*ing genius,” New York accent and all. So now we skip over all the dialogue parts on the soundtrack! The dog is pretty smart, but not THAT smart! When ever a Strom member is the audience they always stand for the reprise curtain call and start dancing during the bows. I just start laughing so hard I tear up onstage. It’s very joyous. I’m waving, they’re waving and we’re all grinning it’s my favorite way to end a show knowing one of my family members is in the audience.
KT: How were the first few months of touring?
MS: I was just glad I survived NYC rehearsal and tech. Even compared to learning A CHORUS LINE in a week and learning MUSIC MAN in a week, ‘Jersey Boys” was like an animal. So much new information that had to be executed precisely. Props, scene changes, costume changes, backstage singing, changing characters, chorography: all in three and half inch heels. But by opening night I had it down cold and was like so NOW what do I do?
KT: And now?
MS: Living and working as an actor in NYC for a month during rehearsals for “Jersey Boys” was great. That city has rhythm, on the street, the subway...plus it was fun to be able to go to all of the “Jersey Boys” functions. I had never been to Sardi’s before. SF was great because of the theater patrons/fans. I love them. The most genuine, smart, giving people. I still get e-mails and how-dee-do’s from them. The Curran Theater was in walking distance to my housing so that was great! In Los Angeles, The Ahmanson Theater was the theater that I grew up watching during college. So to perform on the same stage was a dream come true.
KT: What do you think of your cast members? Have you grown particularly close to any of them? Are there people who just bug you?
MS: Rehearsing, traveling, taking breaks, living next to your cast mates, eating together, working together, and performing together: you see everyone at there most beautiful moments and at their worst moments. You take it, you laugh, you let it roll off and when you climb into bed at the end of the day you forget the bad and you cherish the good.
KT: Who, of your cast members, would you want to see someday doing something bigger and better, more success?
MS: The Sherry Company is talented. I wish every one of my cast mates the success that they dream of.
KT: Has being in this show helped your creativity with characters?
MS: The way a character talks helps me get into my acting. I love accents. In Jersey Boys the writing and acting tempo is fast paced so the characters follow suite. I play my characters bold, feisty and a whole lot of Jersey. Have you used a lot of method acting or just straight playing to the audience? I don’t believe in one style of acting like “method” or “playing to the audience.” I just read the play, say the lines, figure out what my character wants and pray what I’m doing is worth the price of a ticket.
KT: Would you consider yourself more a dancer, singer, or actress?
MS: Actress, Dancer, Singer
KT: Which areas of the "triple threat" would you like to improve on?
MS: Singing: Once I practice with my voice teacher or a music conductor I’m good to go. I usually tape the sessions and go over and over it.
KT: Do you plan on doing another tour after “Jersey Boys” ends, or shoot for a Broadway cast in NY?
MS: My goal is to always be creatively challenged while bringing in the funds. “Jersey Boys” is a hit show and I’ll go where ever it takes me as long as I’m happy, healthy and productive as a person and an artist.
KT: What is some advice that you can give to young girls looking to pursue musical theater as a career?
MS: Go for it! Go see every musical theater show in your community! Rent movies too! Take classes at your school, community center, and studios in dance, singing and acting. Look for classes that are fun, inspiring, and challenging. If you get cut at an audition go to the next one...If you get discouraged with one style, try something else...If I had just tried ballet I never would have auditioned for ‘Jersey Boys’ all these years later and we wouldn’t be having this interview!
KT: Anything else you wish to say, in regards to “Jersey Boys” or your acting career, to our readers out there?
MS: When we were rehearsing in NYC, I never imagined that the audience would respond night after night with such genuine appeal. The music, the talent, the writing, the direction, the choreography, the audience - work together creating a perfect flow, and if your lucky enough to experience it whether your backstage, onstage, in the light both, in the audience, taking tickets...it’s simply magical.
