Real-Life Granddaughter Of Frankie Valli Thrilled To Play Her Grandmother In 'Jersey Boys'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - An actress in the off-Broadway musical Jersey Boys has a personal connection to the story about Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
Olivia Valli plays her own grandmother on stage, reports CBS2's Dave Carlin.
Today the 26-year-old walks through Times Square to a job she's wanted since she was a kid in her native Caldwell, New Jersey, as part of the cast.
Jersey Boys celebrates not just the place she's from, but also her own family history.
She is the granddaughter of Frankie Valli, and in her New York City theater debut, she is helping bring his story to life.
In eight shows a week, she performs very familiar songs which she sometimes also puts in her cabaret act.
Onstage, this Jersey girl puts on the wig and costume, with a cigarette and blue language coming out of her mouth, transforming into her own strong-willed grandmother Mary.
She knew her as nana and now plays her part with gusto and brashness.
"It makes me so proud because my grandmother was little but mighty and strong," said Valli. "She is the smartest person in the room and debatably in the show."
As for what her family thinks, her grandfather was overwhelmed.
"He was crying and so proud, and he said you nailed it, you nailed it," she said.
He recognized her talent when she was little and told her with hard work she could make it.
She wanted to be in Jersey Boys, and she tried, but it was an uphill climb.
The first time she auditioned it was a different part in the show and she didn't get it. Then she got her first big break that took her to Los Angeles.
After playing Elphaba in Wicked on the West Coast, she returned to the city and got the call to try out for the part of her grandmother.
With every show, she re-lives their break-up and the loss of their two daughters which left Olivia's mom as their only surviving child.
Telling the story, the highs and lows, is an honor, she says.
Although her career is starting to soar, she knows few, if any, other roles will bring her this close to home, or so close to her heart.