John Lloyd Young’s Unexpected Career

When certain Broadway stars get mentioned, they are undoubtedly and immediately associated with one signature role – particularly if they played it over and over again. Carol Channing –Hello, Dolly! Rex Harrison – My Fair Lady. Yul Brynner – The King and I. For John Lloyd Young, who won every possible award for his performance as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys, the one thing he wanted to avoid was becoming one of those actors. This helps to explain why the show he will be performing on Saturday night at Catalina Bar & Grill is called Introducing John Lloyd Young.

I recently spoke with Young who was refreshingly candid and not afraid of talking about the pros and cons of a career that, so far, has been primarily defined by that one role. But if it comes with some baggage, it also appears to come with plenty of rewards.

In Stephen Holden’s New York Times review of your show at Café Carlyle in 2016 he said, “For all the security that Jersey Boys gave Mr. Young – he could presumably have a career singing Four Seasons hits ad infinitum – that musical style loomed as a musical straitjacket. He has successfully freed himself.” Did you feel straitjacketed by your success with the show?

I wouldn’t say straitjacketed. My eyes were wide open. I definitely understood that there was the risk of being associated with something so huge. There was the risk of running into Yul Brynner territory with that character. But, everyone knows Yul Brynner. I consider myself fortunate to be so closely attached to something forever. In the musical world you could be associated to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” or “Itsby Bitsy Teenie Weenie Polka Dot Bikini.” It could be a lot worse. This was a feather in my quiver, but where do you go from here?

Let me ask you your own question then. Where do you go from there?

Everyone who has some passing association with Jersey Boys is doing a Jersey Boys tribute show. I’m the only one now going in a different direction and I made it difficult for myself in some regard. I’ve been able to do my own songs and covers of other work. I’m always going to cover some Jersey Boys songs. Just like when you see Patti LuPone, you’ll be disappointed if she doesn’t sing from Evita.  I have songs that are Jersey Boys-adjacent: The Platters, Roy Orbison, so if they come with Jersey Boys on the brain, they will certainly get that flavor, but I can also spin off into other directions.

What expectations did you have for you career after winning the Tony Award and did what followed meet your expectations?

What else can you feel but unbridled joy when everything is going the way you wanted? But even in the midst of it, I’m a very different person than the impression that people got from my playing a character who had an 8th grade education. I’m saying this with humility, as an introduction to an anecdote. I was so convincing that I was this kid from Jersey that once I was in a restaurant and people were in the booth next to me and they were talking about Christian Hoff. [He played Tommy DeVito in Jersey Boys.] “That guy earned his Tony, he was acting. That other kid is just a kid from Jersey.” Someone is insulting me and complimenting me and not realizing it. [Young was born in Sacramento.] I came up in off-Broadway with avant garde stuff. Spring Awakening was the kind of aesthetic that got me excited. I was doing do-wop. It was confusing for me.

How long did it take for you to get out from under Jersey Boys?

Years later a lot of interesting things happened. I developed a vital and successful art career. I made my own album [My Turn] and have gone into clubs with a successful club career. I was a member of The President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities during the Obama administration. These are things that were unexpected. I went into another direction. Sometimes it was lonely, but it was definitely rewarding.

The show you are doing on Saturday is called Introducing John Lloyd Young. What does that ultimately mean in the context of this performance?

I’ve evolved this set over time where I touch on Jersey Boys, but also give the audience a sense of who I am – which is a singer who can do a lot of different styles and is very steeped in the interpretation of lyrics. My main influence was Sinatra growing up and he was a real interpreter. I really get under the lyrics. I feel this is the perfect stage to call it an introduction to me.

Your first appearance in Los Angeles was back in 2008 when Lea Michele had her show at Upright Cabaret. She brought you on stage to do a little battle of Sondheim songs. I can’t remember for the life of me what she did, but I know you sang “Multitudes of Amys,” a song written for Company. What are your memories of that night?

It was rapturous getting to sing with Lea at that point and also just playing an LA club for the first time. I was new then. It was exciting to me. I’m a Sondheim fan – always have been.

In April this year you did a press event at 54 Below where you talking about Broadway singers being asked to do a 2-1/2 hour take straight through. What motivated that comment and do you feel like there isn’t enough respect for Broadway performers today?

We know discipline. We show up on time and we do our job. We don’t peter out on the 20th take. I did 1300-1400 performances of Jersey Boys. If you can sustain a performance for 2.5 hours and then you show up on set and you are only doing 2 pages per day – it’s a walk in the park for someone with theatre training. We have chops and discipline. You are showing up live every day and you have to give the 1000th performance the same energy you gave on the first performance. [Director] Des McAnuff taught me a really great lesson – and I’m probably most grateful to him for this lesson. It’s obvious. He said, “Every time you get up on stage, it’s their anniversary, their birthday, their first time at a show. It’s a big experience for them. You can’t walk through a show when you are a special occasion for somebody.” And I’ve never forgotten that.