Will Stephan Connell became a Jersey boy at the age of six, when his family moved from Brooklyn to Plainfield. That training prepared the out actor for his largest role in Philadelphia to date: starring as Frankie Valli in the beloved “Jersey Boys,” which begins performances Oct. 1 at the Walnut Street Theatre.
As a child, Connell’s parents exposed him to a wide variety of music, including Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. He spent hours each week commuting back to New York with his mother, a public school teacher, to a soundtrack of “Sherry” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry.”
“I knew pretty much every word to this music since before I could really remember,” Connell told PGN on a recent break from rehearsals. “It’s truly a dream come true.”
The dream was a long time coming. Connell has circled “Jersey Boys” since he began his professional career, having auditions for several prior productions, including a national tour and an off-Broadway revival. The Walnut Street staging is not just his first stab at the leading role — it’s his first time in the show, period.
“I have auditioned for it many times in many different places, without much success,” Connell said. “When I heard that the Walnut was doing the show this season, I emailed Brian Kurtas, who’s the associate artistic director, and just expressed interest in being considered for the production. I auditioned on April Fools Day, which felt particularly cruel in my mind, and I believe I found out on April 3.”
Although Connell is a veteran of the Philly theater scene, having performed with multiple local companies, the role of Frankie Valli presents a unique set of challenges. The actor portraying him must be able to approximate the singer’s distinctive vocal style, without seeming like he’s doing an imitation.
“I had the great fortune a couple years ago, in 2018, of doing a concert of his music,” Connell said. “That was the first time that I got to do the full body of work. It was really daunting, but it was also so ingrained in my ear from childhood, that learning his stylistic things was not particularly a challenge. It is different having to do it eight times a week; it definitely requires marrying a personal style with his, and I never want it to feel like you’re seeing an impersonator.”
“Jersey Boys” has been unflaggingly popular since its Broadway debut in 2005. The original production ran for 10 years, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2006. Clint Eastwood directed a film adaptation that was released in 2011. Connell sees the enduring appeal of the show not just in its music, but in its storytelling.
“To me, it’s the gold standard of jukebox musicals,” Connell said, referring to the genre of shows that use an existing catalog of music rather than an original score. “There is none better, in my opinion. The writing is so brilliant, and the characters are so clear. It’s one of those shows where you can pull the music out and it would still be a compelling story. If you’re a person who loves the music, you’re also going to have a great time experiencing the story.
“The writers were really smart about the way they use the music,” Connell continued. “You get your concert trio with the big three songs: ‘Sherry,’ ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ and ‘Walk Like a Man.’ There are scenes where the music weaves in and out. Act Two has this whole stretch that’s a medley of a recording session that’s meant to be two or three minutes long, but in the show is a 25-minute sequence that includes ‘Stay,’ ‘Let’s Hang On,’ ‘Don’t Worry About Me’ and ‘Bye Bye Baby,’ all as Frankie is losing people in his life.”
Connell’s life in Philadelphia began as a college student at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in Theatre Arts. He now lives in South Philly with his husband Sam Nagel, a fellow musical theater performer. When he’s not on stage, he indulges his passion in the kitchen, cooking elaborate meals for friends and family.
“The house I moved into right after college had this huge kitchen, and I was just like, ‘Oh great! Let’s just lay out ingredients and go to town on lasagnas and stews and pizzas,’” Connell remembered. “I lived in this house with five friends, and I would just make vats of pasta. And I’d just be like, ‘Hey everyone, there’s dinner!’”
Dinner parties are currently on hold until the run of “Jersey Boys” concludes in November, but Connell is already planning celebratory meals for later in the fall. In the meantime, he’ll be busy becoming Frankie Valli — and entertaining his excited family, who plan to become regulars at the show.
“My parents said they’re going to come every weekend,” Connell laughed. “At first I thought they were joking, but now I’m not so sure!”
“Jersey Boys” runs Oct. 1-Nov. 3 at the Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut St. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit walnutstreettheatre.org.