The Stars of JERSEY BOYS Discuss Their Journeys With the Show and More on Backstage LIVE with Richard Ridge

By: May. 10, 2020
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The Stars of JERSEY BOYS Discuss Their Journeys With the Show and More on Backstage LIVE with Richard Ridge

Nothing can stop BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge from bringing you interviews with your favorite Broadway stars! On May 8, he chatted with the four stars of Jersey Boys: Jonathan Cable, Aaron De Jesus, CJ Pawlikowski, and John Rochette.

De Jesus talked about how he, his wife, and his daughter all tested positive for COVID-19.

"My wife, her case was much more severe," he said. "She went in, got tested, even spent a day in the hospital being treated for some of the symptoms. It was really really rough on her."

He said the family spent 5-6 weeks powering through it and working to get the virus out of their systems, while staying at their home in New Jersey.

The guys all talked about their journeys with Jersey Boys, including Rochette's climb from understudy to Tommy DeVito.

"I've been doing it since around Christmas of 2011," he said. "I've done probably around 3,200 performances and it was always my dream show." He said that he loved the show ever since he saw it in previews on Broadway, with a free ticket.

"I eventually ended up getting it and I was on the first national tour as Norm Waxman and as the drummer," Rochette said. He did that tour for a couple of years before jumping on to the second national tour. He then performed in the show on Broadway until it closed, so he moved to the New World Stages production.

"Through the years I've understudied Bob and Nick and Tommy," he said. "On Broadway I did all three...I think I just have stayed in the show long enough that I just whiddled all of the producers down and they were like 'Fine, fine, fine, just delete my email and you can be Tommy and we can move on. And then I got it, and the world ended."

Watch the full interview here!



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