With Grease the Musical having only a few months more remaining in its Australian tour, audiences in Queensland are fortunate enough to host its final leg as their School Holidays musical – commencing in Early January 2025 at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s (QPAC) Lyric Theatre.
For the remaining Adelaide and Brisbane legs of the musical, the roles of Teen Angel and Vince Fontaine will be portrayed by different sets of actors. For Teen Angel, Paulini will be performing the role in Adelaide while Marcia Hines will perform in Brisbane. For the role of Vince Fontaine on the other hand, Adelaide audiences will enjoy the talents of Jay Laga’aia, while stage of stage and screen Bobby Fox will portray the character in Brisbane. Following the announcement of his inclusion a couple of weeks ago, we had a chance to pitch a few questions to Fox, talking about his excitement and preparation plans for the role, his thoughts on the multimedia phenomenon which is Grease and his insight for those looking to make their start in the performing arts industry.
Bobby Fox, is an Irish-born Australian actor known for originating the role of Frankie Valli in the Australian production of Jersey Boys. Fox’s extensive stage career includes leading roles in productions such as Blood Brothers, Mamma Mia!, We Will Rock You, and Hairspray, where he recently played Corny Collins in the Adelaide and Sydney seasons. He is also a four-time World Irish Dance Champion and has performed in several dance productions, including Riverdance.Â
Keep scrolling down below for our full interview with Bobby Fox.
First of all, congratulations on being cast in the upcoming Brisbane leg of Grease the Musical’s Australian tour.
While you have an expansive repertoire of past roles to your name, how do you feel about getting to get involved in this production?
Grease, The Musical is completely etched into my childhood memories. I have 4 sisters and certainly my 2 older sisters and I had Grease (and Grease 2 I might add) on the highest rotation. We recorded it one year when it played over Christmas time, ads and all, and we completely memorised it word for word. Getting to be part of this electric new presentation of such an all time classic is such a nostalgic joy. I cant wait.
Grease is an iconic musical, whether the stage production or the film. What are your earliest memories of encountering the work (in any format), and why do you think audiences are still drawn to it today?
Grease is one of a few defining memories of my childhood. All of the movies we watched growing up came from my oldest sister recording them when they played on TV. I actually knew Grease 2 well before I knew the original Grease because it simply hadn’t aired for us to record it! By the time we got to record the original I knew both movies inside out. We would watch it every single day during our summer holidays.
The songs in Grease are without a doubt some of the best written songs for a musical ever. They are time proof. They dont age. They just mature and get richer and richer. Every generation needs this music in their lives forever. Period.
Vince Fontaine is quite a distinct character in Grease, known for his charm and radio personality. How do you plan to approach this role, and what aspects of Vince’s character are you most excited to explore?
Vince Fontaine is like the original influencer of the 50’s to the cool kids at Rydel High. He knows what’s hot on radio before anyone else and he’s the one who hits play before anyone else. I’m excited to explore the contrast between the ON AIR/OFF AIR Vince and what drives him to be at the head of his game.
There are still a few months remaining until you take to the Lyric Theatre stage to perform in the musical. How are you preparing for the role during this time?
For me its just about preparing my fitness for 8 shows a week in Brisbane. And also diving into the music and the movie and script. This show is a blast and I wanna have as much fun as possible with it.
Looking ahead, what are you most looking forward to about being part of Grease the Musical in Brisbane, and having performed in the city many times now, how do you think Queensland audiences will respond to the show?
When I first came to Australia from Ireland I lived in Brisbane for 2 months. Queenslanders and I get on like a house on fire. We have the same sense of humour and way about us. I have many friends in Brisbane and look forward to catching up with them and getting them along to see the show. I love performing at QPAC. Its an amazing theatre hub. I love the greenroom. Running into everyone who is performing at the same time.
What advice do you have for those looking to follow in your footsteps and venture into the performing arts industry for themselves?
Dream big. Work hard. Don’t define yourself by your work. Live. Love. Lose. Learn. Have as much fun as you can. Its worth it!
To end on a light note, what is your favourite song in the Grease the Musical soundtrack?
Born to Hand Jive Baby!!!! Obviously because ill be singing that one 😉
I would like to pass on my sincerest thanks and gratitude to Bobby Fox for taking some time out of their schedule to provide their thoughts, insights and more on their upcoming role as Vince Fontaine in Grease the Musical’s upcoming Brisbane Season. I would also like to thank the show’s Brisbane publicist, Cinnamon Watson, for facilitating this interview opportunity.
Keen on seeing Grease the Musical while it is still performing in Australia? Ticketing information for the show’s Adelaide and Brisbane seasons can be found on the official Grease the Musical Australian website.
