Olivia Valli, granddaughter of Frankie Valli, blazes her own trail in 'Pretty Woman'
There's a lot of love in the air at "Pretty Woman."
Based on the classic Julia Roberts rom-com, it may not seem surprising.
But for national tour star Olivia Valli, the musical offers an opportunity to appreciate the characters, the score, the story and the return to live performance after the theater world shut down due to COVID-19.
"I love it, I find a new way to fall in love with the show every single day, whether it be a new way to tell the story or sing the songs or just to watch the audience fall in love with these characters," she said.
The tour plays The Academy of Music at the Kimmel Cultural Campus in Philadelphia through Jan. 16.
"Pretty Woman" stars Adam Pascal ("Rent," "Aida") as Edward Lewis opposite Valli's Vivian Ward. It features an original score by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance and a book by the movie’s director Garry Marshall and screenwriter J.F. Lawton.
Valli's previous credits include understudying Elphaba in the "Wicked" second National Tour and playing Mary Delgado in "Jersey Boys" off-Broadway (more on that in a bit).
Striking moments
She says the "Pretty Woman" moments that strike her change from day to day, but she especially connects with two of Vivian's big songs, "I Can't Go Back" and "Anywhere But Here."
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The former is "a song about Vivian recognizing her worth and her value in this world. I kind of correlate with Vivian in terms of the Cinderella story and finding her voice and finding herself," she said.
And "Anywhere But Here" is "the perfect introduction song for her and I just get to wail, which I'm always thrilled about," Valli said.
Addressing women's choices
The core issue propelling the show is Vivian's work as a prostitute, which also allows Valli the opportunity to wrestle with the issue with supportive messaging of compassion for women's choices.
"The show really emphasizes Vivian's ability to choose, and that there is more value to her than her profession, which is an unfortunate circumstance for her. And she's a survivor, but she knows that she wants to get out and she wants to do better. I think that this is a show that reminds people that sometimes Vivian's line of work is not a choice, for sure. It's important to remember that, and so Vivian chooses to see the good because what else is she going to do?"
North Jersey native
Valli, the granddaughter of Four Seasons frontman Frankie Valli, grew up in Caldwell and graduated from James Caldwell High School. It was her high school experience of playing Mama Rose in "Gypsy" that cemented her love of theater. A standing ovation during "Rose's Turn" sealed the deal.
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"Even though I come from a performing family, I didn't really understand the importance of that. I think for me, as much as it's nice to have, that it was more, I got to connect with an audience. I said, 'This is a really beautiful medium of work, and of entertainment, and I want to do this for the rest of my life.'"
Working with Adam Pascal
Valli stars alongside Adam Pascal ("Rent," "Aida") as Edward, and says despite his Broadway history, he had to make a good impression all on his own.
"I found out he was cast after I signed my contract, and coming from the family I come from, I'm not really impressed by names," she said. "I'm impressed by character. When I met him, I was more intrigued to see how he would be as person and how he navigates himself being somebody who is a blueprint for male rock tenors in theater, people try to emulate him, he set a precedent, he set a standard."
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Luckily, he passed the test with flying colors "just by being him," Valli said.
"Being able to not only play alongside him, but to be friends with him, is the greatest gift I could ask for," she said. "We play, we have new ideas and we just have the most fun, and it's so apparent on stage. And it really lends to the chemistry of this show."
Finding Vivian
Valli originally was called to audition for Vivian's friend Kit De Luca, but was asked to try for Vivian and "it fit like a glove," she said.
Finding Vivian's full arc and spectrum of emotion made Valli appreciate the character greatly.
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"I love that she is this strong woman with a heart of gold. Her change in the show is not as obvious to everybody. But hers is about the internal growth and how her view on herself changes in a week. But also, Vivian changes the world around her not by forcing it, but just by being her. She teaches Kit how to want better for herself. She shows Edward the true values in life. She's a natural leader, and she doesn't realize it, which is what makes her so charming, because she's also a real everyday person as well. She's so relatable."
A new 'Pretty Woman'
Valli was on the road with "Wicked" when "Pretty Woman" hit Broadway, and was not intimately familiar with the Julia Roberts movie it was based on. She said that allows her to tackle the role in an authentic way. And coupled with some changes to the stage version, she says the experience is wholly its own.
"If you wanted to see something that's exactly like Julia Roberts, go watch the movie," she said. "You're going to set yourself up for failure if you're going to go see the musical and expect everything as is. How boring would that be?"
That's not to say movie fans won't find their special moments in the show — but they'll be offered alongside an experience of its own.
"Julia Roberts is her own unique person. And I get to bring my own uniqueness into the role, which is what this role asks for. For me, it was important to remember that I can't cater to the expectation that I'm going to act exactly like Julia Roberts, because I'm not. And that's okay. Because what I have to offer is just as special and just as important. And you're going to get your iconic moments, you're going to get the costumes and the jewelry box, and you're going to get the lines and everything, but I'm going to serve them in a way that is authentic, and a proper representation of the show, but also me as well," she said.
'Jersey Boys'
Speaking of authentic, Valli has the unique honor of being one of, if not the only, person to play a relative on-stage in New York theater, stepping into the role of her grandmother Mary Delgado in "Jersey Boys" off-Broadway in 2019.
"I'm lucky to be one of very few people that knows 'Jersey Boys' from the familial side and now through the show side. I worked with a team of people that encouraged me to tell the story of my Nana, the way I knew it and the way I grew up with her. If anything, it lent to the fact that I'm an authentic actor, and I'm going to play characters as grounded as possible. No matter how big, no matter how funny, no matter how dramatic, or how evil, realistically, we're impersonating real people. So it's important that I, every single night, translated that to the audience. So I think now I just have a very cool on-stage off-stage perspective for 'Jersey Boys.'"
Valli feels it's important to separate the success she has found from her family's story.
"I auditioned for 'Jersey Boys' for six years. So if anybody thinks anything has been handed to me, they're absolutely wrong. My success is completely separate from my grandpa's. I've worked for everything."
Pretty Woman tour tickets
For tickets and more information, visit tour.prettywomanthemusical.com.
Keep up with Valli on Instagram: @Oliviafvalli and Twitter: @Olivia_Valli.
Ilana Keller is an award-winning journalist and lifelong New Jersey resident who loves Broadway and really bad puns. She highlights arts advocacy and education, theater fundraisers and more through her column, "Sightlines." Reach out on Twitter: @ilanakeller; [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Olivia Valli, granddaughter of Frankie Valli, stars in 'Pretty Woman'
