A Conversation With Stefanie Jones

Interview with an actor, and Australia's Monica in Friends! The Musical Parody

After being postponed from its originally planned Australian premiere last year, Friends! The Musical Parody finally opened at the Gold Coast’s Star Casino last week. This kicks off a number of seasons across the country in the coming months, with additional legs scheduled for Melbourne, Brisbane, Parramatta, Adelaide and Perth between June 2021 and October 2021. With the cast of the 90s TV sitcom being so iconic in pop culture even today, the producers would not be able to get away with half-assing the cast, getting a group of talented actors to portray the roles of Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, Ross and Gunther.

Following performances in a range of musicals beforehand including the Australian National Tour of Muriel’s Wedding the Musical along with several television appearances – Stefanie Jones takes on the role of the kind and caring but somewhat bossy Monica in Friends! The Musical Parody! Ahead of the Australian premiere, I had the opportunity to pose a few questions to Jones, responses to which you can read in full, below:

A Conversation With Stefanie Jones 1

You are now a few days out from your Australian Premiere on the Gold Coast. How have rehearsals been going, and are you excited to be bringing these iconic characters to the stage so soon?

It’s a very exciting, fun show. Something I think we’re all very in need of right now! Of course the musical differs in many ways from the TV sitcom, but still we find countless ways to re-create the best moments from the show in a fast paced, uncensored, music theatre kind of way. 

COVID-19 had a tremendous impact on the performing arts industry during 2020. How did you keep yourself busy during the months the shows could not go on, especially with this show being postponed by almost a year?

My wonderful partner and I tried to keep as much of a schedule as possible during Covid with exercise, writing and also just singing for fun and to keep the skills up. However, both of us had just come off long contracts, so in many ways it was nice to be forced to chill! 

What was the first time you remember watching  Friends, and do you have a particular favourite episode, scene and/or meme from them?

I think I must have been in high school, and was immediately drawn to those wonderfully funny characters and that SENSATIONAL purple apartment. I still think my favourite episode of all is The One Where Monica and Rachel Lose Their Apartment!

Do you have a favourite song in the show?

I always love listening to our talented boys sing ‘How You Doin’ – Joey’s iconic line! 

Hypothetically, with no limitations, let’s say you were given the opportunity to fill another character’s shoes for one night… who would it be any why?  

Definitely Phoebe! How fun to be given free reign to be as weird and wonderful as you like in front of 2000 people! 

You have been involved in large-scale musicals which have toured the country for months and years non-stop, with eight shows weekly. How has your time with  Friends! The Musical Parody been different so far?

The whole process in general has been much more condensed – shorter rehearsal process and shorter run. But sometimes this can be to the actor’s benefit. There’s no time to overthink! You just get out there and enjoy the ride with a group of equally terrified / excited people! 


Thank you very much to both Stefanie Jones for spending some of their time answering my questions, in addition to the show’s publicity team for helping arrange this Q&A.

Friends! The Musical Parody had its Australian premiere at Gold Coast’s Star Casino last weekend. It will next be performed at the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne from 16-19 June, followed by short seasons at Brisbane’s The Tivoli (19-21 August), Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres (2-4 September), Adelaide’s Her Majesty’s Theatre (24 September) and Perth’s Regal Theatre (16 October 2021). There is no word on whether any additional seasons will be offered following this. For all ticketing information, please visit the show’s official website, as each venue may have a different purchasing process..

Expect to read more in the ‘A Conversation With…’ series over the coming weeks and months, with this joining Take That (In-Game) Snap as one of our feature series going forward. For a historical archive of The Otaku’s Study’s previous interviews, click HERE.

Sam
Sam
Founder of The Otaku's Study. I have been exploring this labyrinth of fandom these last fifteen years, and still nowhere close to the exit yet. Probably searching for a long time to come.

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