(upbeat music) ♪ ♪ Yeah, the simple things in life ♪ - My guest is performer Russell Fischer, who is currently touring with the Doo Wop Project and can be seen on PBS stations throughout the nation, including KVCR.

Welcome, and thanks for joining us.

- Good to be with you.

- So, we'll talk about the Doo Wop Project, but first I'd like to get to know you and your journey to this point.

You fell in love with the theater and performing at a very early age, with The Sound of Music.

Tell me about it.

- Well, I loved The Sound of Music growing up and I would watch the movie ad nauseam.

My mother has a very early memory of me with a receiving blanket over my head, standing next to a side table lamp, singing "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" as though I was the Mother Superior.

(laughter) So, she took me to see a touring production of The Sound of Music when I was six, and I said, I wanna be one of those kids.

And sure enough, two years later, three years later, I played Kurt in The Sound of Music!

- Wow.

So, you must have had the gift of singing or performing, but definitely had to have a voice from an early age.

Was that something in your family background?

- My mom sang.

Yeah.

My mom is a singer.

So, she sang in choir.

And...so, yeah.

I guess I've sort of had the musical gifts built in my DNA, as it were.

But, yeah, I've been singing since I was three years old.

- So, did you perform in high school plays?

- Absolutely.

Yep.

Performed in four choirs, the concert choir, the show choir, chamber choir.

I can't remember the other one.

I think madrigal.

And then, I did the senior class musical every year that I was in high school.

So, it was a lot of fun!

(chuckles) - Okay.

Let me just say, you did the senior class musical every year, but you weren't a senior every year!

- No.

Well, usually the leads were reserved for seniors, but they made some exceptions!

(laughs) - Ah!

And, what shows were those that you did in high school?

- Oh, what did I do in high school?

I think freshman year it was Fiddler on the Roof.

Sophomore year, it was The Pajama Game.

- Oh, yeah.

- Junior year, it was Hello, Dolly!

And then, my senior year, it was Pippin.

- Oh, very good.

Well, years as a Jersey boy in the very popular musical Jersey Boys, share your story of getting the role when you were 22.

And, who were you cast as?

- My journey to Jersey Boys was really interesting.

I had heard that Jersey Boys was happening.

A few of my close friends and relatives and mentors and teachers told me it's something that I should audition for.

Something that I'd be right for.

When the opportunity presented itself, I was on contract with the Spoleto Festival in South Carolina, and I couldn't make the open call.

So, I sent in a taped submission of myself singing in a showcase that I did my junior year of college, singing Four Seasons music.

And, the casting director happened to have an affinity for fresh faces, especially concerning the roles of Frankie Valli and Joe Pesci.

So, I went in and I auditioned.

We did a week of auditions called Frankie Camp, where Monday you learned the vocals, and Tuesday you learned scene work, and Wednesday you learned choreography.

And then, there was a callback that determined whether or not you made it to the final callback.

The final callback was in front of all of the creative team.

And, it took maybe a few weeks to maybe a month before I heard from them, and I got the call to join the Broadway company of Jersey Boys on my 22nd birthday!

So, I really can't top that birthday, 'cause I've tried, but I haven't been able to do that yet!

(laughs) - That is pretty special.

And, the fact that it was the Broadway company, meaning you were performing on Broadway.

Touring is great, but Broadway company really says something.

So, that's very cool!

- It was very, very special to be part of it.

I was with the Broadway company of Jersey Boys for six years and made a lot of really great friends along the way, many of whom I am now touring with in the Doo Wop Project.

- Let me ask you about that audition thing.

Since auditions are a part of your world, have you ever had a bad audition?

- Oh!

Countless bad auditions.

And, you learn from every single one that you do and you continue to grow and you sort of, you know, leave it by the wayside.

You learn from it.

It gave you the lesson it needed to give, and you move on from there.

So, yeah.

You're constantly throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks!

- But, are they really bad auditions, or they just didn't... something else was better?

Or, have there been some bad auditions?

- Some of them are.

Some of them, you know, you're not right for it.

You don't really feel it.

You don't feel right for it.

You can go in-- there are so many unknown variables in auditioning that can really throw you off your game.

So, it really is an art form, in itself.

In and of itself.

The art of auditioning.

- Now, let me ask a little bit about stage fright.

That's also a part of every entertainer's world.

Has there been a time or an issue with you, in your career, with stage fright?

- Very early on, (laughs) in community theater when I was five years old.

I had my big solo.

I was gonna sing "Bigger Isn't Better" from Barnum, and I completely went up on the lyrics, and I think it was in that moment I vowed to really never have that level of stage fright ever again!

(chuckles) There are moments that come close.

Like, whenever I would go on as Frankie, because he spends 90% of his time on stage, it really does feel like a runaway train.

You're like, 'okay, here we go.

Buckle up!'

(laughs) We're in for quite a ride!

So, yeah.

You definitely feel, like, the flutters.

But it really does all fall away, and you're able to really live in the moment and that's something that's really special.

- So, going back to that five year old boy, when you lost it, how did you recover?

Or, what happened to get you through it?

The audience is gonna be friendlier, obviously, with you, you're a five year old child.

But, everybody just kept going and did you get synced with it?

- The show must go on.

Yep!

I found my footing again, and we continued on with the number.

(chuckles) It was a good thing I only had that one little verse.

- Now, you said you vowed then not to either let that happen to you again, but how do you prepare that you don't let that happen?

I mean, stage fright is stage fright.

I don't know if it's somebody in the audience that you don't expect or, you know, some big person.

You know, I'm not always sure what causes stage fright.

- I think there's a flow chart that happens, right?

There's like a flow chart of relaxation to readiness.

And so, whatever you have to do to center yourself.

And there are so many things that you can do, you know, whether it be meditation, whether it be measured breathing, whether it be, you know, stretching before a show.

There's so many different ways that people can flow from that sort of state, into a state of readiness.

- Well, let's talk about the Doo Wop Project and its inception.

Tell me about how it came about.

You did mention earlier that you met some of the guys in Jersey Boys along the way, but who brought it together?

How did it come about?

- The two of our founding members met at Jersey Boys, and then they met up with a few members from Motown: The Musical.

And what they discovered was, the common thread of these shows was that the music was influenced by the music of the doo wop groups that these groups listened to.

So, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons were influenced by doo wop music, The Miracles, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles were a doo wop group when they signed with Motown.

So, we knew that we wanted to get together and sing, outside of the respective shows that we were in.

And so, we decided to dial it back a decade, from the '60s to the '50s, and sing the music that these groups that we were emulating or embodying listened to.

And, that's how The Doo Wop Project came about.

- And then, you already knew the five guys that were going to be a part of this?

Because, so many people, guys, have been in Jersey Boys.

And, whether it's a touring company or the Broadway company, there's a lot of you.

There's couple of Frankies out there.

I saw the Vegas version.

So, how did the five of you come together?

- It really is an extended family.

And, it's a cross-pollination of all of these shows.

Because Dominic Nolfi, I know for example, did Motown with Charl Brown and with Dwayne Cooper, and so, they all met doing that show.

So, we all sort of met in this sort of cross section, a Venn diagram (laughter) of Broadway shows, whose common thread was its origins in doo wop music.

- So, the PBS special that is playing on PBS stations throughout the nation, including our station here in our region, all five of you are on stage for the full show, the whole time.

What songs do you get the chance to lead?

- John Dias and I share some of the Four Seasons music, which is really fun.

♪ Sherry.

♪ ♪ Sherry, baby.

♪ ♪ Sherry, baby.

♪ ♪ Sherry, baby.

♪ ♪ Sherry, ♪ ♪ can you come out tonight?

♪ ♪ Come, come, come out tonight.

♪ ♪ Sherry, baby.

♪ - And then, I also get to really showcase my, I would call it descant soprano.

It's more like the, I would say, countertenor line in this song called "That's My Desire", which I love, and it's one of the songs that we do right in the beginning.

(doo wop music begins) - It was famously covered by The Belmonts.

♪ That's my... ♪ ♪ desire.

♪ (audience cheers) ♪ Sherry.

Sherry.

Oh-oh-oh-oh!

♪ - It's always a joy, first of all, to lock in with the other guys, and to sing harmony that way.

And then, to just have that line just soar over the rest of it is really exciting for me.

It's really fun.

- So, you also have a part in the show on the PBS special that the Jersey Boys songs are performed in that one section where you have the two Frankies.

- Yes!

- And, that part- - We do the Four Seasons music.

- Yeah.

That's really a fun part of the show.

Tell me about that and singing with the other Frankie.

- Well?

What's so interesting about that is that Frankie, when he recorded the music, they would double his vocal, so he would sing his vocal line twice.

And so, what we're doing on stage, what we did on stage every night in Jersey Boys is recreating that sound live on stage.

- So, but in the PBS special it's you and, tell me who the other... - Yes.

John Michael Dias.

- Right.

So, you're both singing... - Yes!

- Your part.

So, for those that have never seen the show, whether on PBS or in person, tell me about that part of it.

- It's great.

We get to sort of share our own experiences in the show and sing with each other.

And so, I think it's very gracious of both of us that we each give each other a moment to really shine.

- Yeah.

- Especially in a show that's given us so much.

Part of the beauty of The Doo Wop Project too, is that, you know, we each switch off singing a lead part, and we each get to share our journey, how we came about learning about this music.

We say we keep it, like, very diplomatic and democratic (laughs) in The Doo Wop Project.

We all have a moment to be showcased.

And, that's so cool because then the audience really gets to know us and know our story and they get to see how much we love each other and how much we love this music.

- And, have you had, either in the Doo Wop audience or maybe in the Jersey Boys audience, obviously Frankie Valli or Smokey Robinson or other celebrities where their music is featured?

And, can you share that?

- Oh, I don't think we've ever had anyone see our show, not of that, like, caliber or that echelon.

But, we definitely have had doo wop aficionados come, and we'll usually sign CDs afterwards and they'll tell us how much they love it, and about the brand of authenticity that we bring to it.

And, they can tell that we really love it.

- So, based on that, let me just ask, do you have a fond memory, either touring with The Doo Wop Project, a particular city where you had the opportunity to either hear from an audience member.

Or, a special story that they might have said, 'you know, 'coming to hear you guys sing is like having my dad back again', or I don't know.

Have you had any stories?

- Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head right there.

It's a really special gift that we get to give to the audience.

It's symbiotic, in that we are bringing up old memories, especially for people who grew up listening to this music the first time around.

It makes them feel like a teenager again.

It makes them feel like how they felt when they first heard this music.

And so, to be able to see them smile or see a tear roll down their face is really something pretty magical.

And, it's one of those moments where you have to take a step back and realize the project itself is bigger than all of us.

And, we're actively trying to draw that line between the past and the present, while also expanding our audiences and introducing this music to a new generation.

- So, definitely a generation thing.

And, when you look at the PBS special, you can clearly see that it's an older audience, but are they taking their kids or their grandkids with them?

And, are you starting to see a younger audience that are getting to know what doo wop is all about?

- They do.

They do.

They bring their kids.

They bring their grandkids.

We're on all the major music streaming platforms, and we're also on all the social media platforms.

So, through social media, we're able to reach that audience and show them, hey, this is a foundation.

It's a pillar of American music and American music culture that they didn't even maybe realize was still prevalent in the music that they listen to today.

- What do you think when you're performing The Doo Wop Project that the audience gets most excited about?

Is it specific songs?

Is it the stories you're telling?

What do you think that really gets them?

'Cause it must happen every time in every show.

There's a certain area in the show where people get, you know, excited or thrilled, or what is it?

- Well, I will tell you, most of the time we come bounding out on stage, and so I think they really do read the energy.

For them, it is a lot about the nostalgia of it.

But, I will say we visited Beijing back in, I wanna say 2018, 2019, where, you know, the audience, English is not their first language.

- Right.

- So, they really fed off of our energy and our vibe and the rhythm of the music and the feel of the music.

So, now that's something that audiences outside of the United States can really grab on to.

But, yeah.

No, for the most part, when we meet audiences, they love hearing us share our stories and share how we learned about this music that they love, and we love!

(chuckles) We connect that way.

- Do you have a favorite song to sing, outside of Jersey Boys or The Doo Wop Projects?

- I do love singing, and I've sung it a few places, Jackie Wilson's "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher."

That is one of my favorite songs to sing!

But, yeah.

No, it's hard to really pinpoint a favorite song.

I always love, and this is a highlight of, speaking of when audiences go crazy, I do love singing backup for our bass singer, Dwayne Cooper, when he does "Speedoo."

(fast-paced music) ♪ Well now they often call me Speedoo ♪ ♪ 'Cause I don't believe in wastin' time ♪ ♪ Umm-hmm-hmm ♪ ♪ Well now they often call me Speedoo ♪ ♪ 'Cause I don't believe in wastin' time ♪ ♪ Umm-hmm-hmm ♪ - It's a lot of fun.

And, Dwayne also came up with a really cool arrangement of a Doo Wop-ified country tune.

We Doo Wop-ified "Friends In Low Places" by Garth Brooks.

- Oh!

- And, that is always a lot of fun to Doo Wop-ify.

And, especially for audiences, when we play down south, they eat it up!

(laughs) - Okay.

So, "Doo Wop-ified?"

Is that a new-coined word you guys-?

- Yeah!

(laughs) That is the term that our bass singer coined.

Yes!

Doo Wop-ify!

And, that's sort of our MO.

That's where the Project part of our name comes in, is that we're Doo Wop-ifying what we call contemporary classics, like today's hits.

We're presenting it in the framework of doo wop.

All the arrangements of these new songs are doo wop arrangements.

And so, it's really fun.

♪ Look into your heart and you'll find ♪ ♪ love, love, love, love ♪ ♪ Listen to the music of the moment, people dance and sing ♪ ♪ We're just one big family ♪ ♪ And, it's our God-forsaken right ♪ ♪ to be loved, loved, loved... ♪ - Does that just mean you're doing enormous amount of harmony and in different places?

Is that what the doo wop-ified "category" is?

- Yes.

So, it's the rhythmic element, the rhythm and blues element of it.

It's the close-harmony singing, jazz element of it.

But, it's also like the swung rhythm, you know?

Country music is usually straight, you know, four-four, and we swing it.

(snaps fingers) You know, we doo wop-ify it!

(chuckles) - Doo wop-ify it.

Alright.

Real good.

Alright.

So now, I'm gonna put you on a spot in our last few minutes.

I'm gonna hope you got your thinking cap on, or your memory cap on!

But, I'd like to ask you, as a person that loves either Broadway or musicals and music in general, could you rank maybe your top five music favorites?

- They're not in any particular order.

- Nope!

- But Pippin, Cabaret, the Who's "Tommy"-- - Oh!

Next to Normal, The Light in the Piazza.

- Okay!

- Pretty eclectic!

(chuckles) - Are there other projects that you are hoping to do, or roles that you would like to play, 'cause it's still so young in your career?

What are other things on your plate that you would like to take a stab at, moving forward?

- Well?

Thank you, first of all!

(laughs) I like to think I'm still young!

(laughs) - From this side of the camera, you're still young.

Trust me!

(laughter) - Thank you!

Yeah!

No, there's a lot that I would like to do.

And, I've sort of written out a five year plan for myself of what I want to do and what I want to be recording.

I think once I sort of left musical theater, not completely 'cause I was doing the high school musicals.

But, I really revisited musical theater and fell in love with it again in college.

But, before then, I really did wanna become a recording artist.

And so, this has been really a veh-- The Doo Wop Project has been a vehicle for me to do that, and to tour as a recording artist.

And, I really love that and I'm super happy about that.

I'm super inspired by the guys because they have made their own work.

They made their own opportunities, and so I'm super inspired by that.

And, we're enjoying the ride!

(chuckles) We are.

But, yeah.

No, I'd love to like record some EPs or release some singles, so we'll see.

You know, it's a process, and I've learned a lot about recording and putting yourself out there, along the way, through The Doo Wop Project.

- So, getting back on a stage in a Broadway show or theater or anything else?

Television, movies?

Is there anything else that you would like to, you know, either give a shot, try out, or is there someone you would like to perform with?

- I will say, I'm not ruling out a return to Broadway.

That would be pretty cool.

I think the last thing that I auditioned for was The Wanderer, which just premiered at Paper Mill Playhouse, which was really cool.

So, yeah!

I audition every now and then, but I'm really enjoying my time with The Doo Wop Project!

- Alright!

So, last thing.

What do you like to do when you are not touring and when you're not performing?

What's something that, you know, an audience watching wouldn't know about you?

- Ooh.

That's good!

I like to take-- I do like to take long walks!

(laughs) I like to go on hikes.

So, I'll walk up and down the length of Manhattan, or as far as I can go.

I was just on Fire Island recently, and I walked through, which I didn't know this was a national park.

I walked through the Sunken Forest, which was actually breathtaking.

And, when we were in San Francisco, I finally had the opportunity to walk over the Golden Gate Bridge.

- Oh!

- Which was absolutely spectacular.

- When you go to parties, are you one that will break out in song at parties?

- You know, if I'm coerced to, I'll do it.

Usually when I'm in a karaoke setting, if I'm at a karaoke, which is very seldom, I'll usually join in on the chorus!

(laughs) So, we usually join in with the rest of everyone else.

So, as not to sort of threaten anyone!

(laughs) I want everyone to have their opportunity to shine!

(laughs) - But, taking someone like you to karaoke, and the person that gets to take you is like so proud and we know we're gonna kill it because we got Russell on our team!

That's the kind of team you want!

- I am a good team member.

I will say that.

And, you know, part of being-- part of The Doo Wop Project is we're a team, we're a family.

We're brothers.

We fight like brothers, but we love each other.

And, even though, you know, we love spending time with each other, too.

After a show, you know, if we're in the middle of nowhere, we'll find the nearest fast food restaurant, pile in the car and, you know, place an order in the drive-through!

You know, we have a lot of fun together.

You know, we like being around each other, and I hope that's something that never fades away.

It hasn't.

I mean, the group has been together for almost a decade, and I've been with the group for almost eight years, and we still love it, especially when that was, you know, threatened in the wake of the lockdown.

You know, we spent 18 months away from each other.

And, I remember the first time that we rehearsed was at Dominic Nolfi's backyard in Brooklyn, (laughs) of all things!

Very fitting, considering we're a Doo Wop Project.

We're singing in Brooklyn.

We filled the streets with our sounds of doo wop.

And, we were socially distant in his backyard, and as soon as we locked into each other, it was as though we never left each other, and it's so beautiful.

This kind of music requires listening, listening to each other, which is such a metaphor for where we are right now.

Not everything needs attention, but it's good to listen to each other, and to lock in with each other.

- Real good.

Well, you guys sound like you're a good family.

Russell, thank you so much for your time.

It's been great meeting with you.

I hope that your tour makes it to California.

- Thank you.

We love California, speaking of places that eat it up!

'Cause I think one of the only cities that had doo wop, thanks to the radio, was Los Angeles.

Two of our bandmates are from California.

We have Dominic Nolfi is from San Francisco and we have Charl Brown who's from San Diego.

So, every time we're out there, they bring their family and it's just a great time.

And, the weather's amazing!

(laughter) - Well, it's a little different than New York for sure.

Thank you so much!

- Thank you.

Pleasure.

- This program was originally produced for 91.9 KVCR-Radio.

(upbeat music) ♪ Yeah, the simple things in life.

♪