Ryan Molloy

Ryan Molloy (born 21 November 1972) is a British actor, singer and songwriter. He has been successful in stage and musical theatre at Broadway and West End, appearing in a number of hit musicals, like Taboo, Tonight's the Night, and six years in Jersey Boys playing as Frankie Valli made him the longest-running star in a West End musical.[1][2] In 2004 he replaced Holly Johnson as the lead singer in Frankie Goes to Hollywood for a charity concert at Wembley Arena, and since 2012 is often active with The Trevor Horn Band. He is known for his countertenor voice and falsetto.[3][4]

Ryan Molloy
Ryan Molloy, following his performance as Frankie Valli from the musical Jersey Boys, at West End Live 2010.
Ryan Molloy, following his performance as Frankie Valli from the musical Jersey Boys, at West End Live 2010.
Background information
Birth nameRyan Molloy
Born (1972-11-21) 21 November 1972
North Shields, Newcastle, England, United Kingdom
GenresMusical theatre, rock and roll
Websiteryanmolloy.com

Early life and education

Originally from North Shields in Tyneside, son of Winnie and Bob Molloy,[5] he attended Monkseaton High School. He left high school at the age of 16 in 1989. Molloy later moved to London to train as an actor. He attended The Poor School;[5] and later also trained at the University of California, Los Angeles and New York City.[5]

Career

He began his musical career in the late 1990s, singing with a number of bands, including Ultra, supporting Jamiroquai and The Lighthouse Family. In 1994 he was signed by RCA Records.[6] In 1997 was planned for release a five track self-titled debut album by RCA Records, but the release was cancelled.[7] In 1998, Molloy sang the song "Black and White Army (Bringing The Pride Back Home)" written by Sting for the Newcastle's 1998 FA Cup final.[5]

He began his theatre career appearing in a number of dramatic roles, including London productions of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth.[8] In 2004, he gained a chorus role in the controversial production of Jerry Springer – The Opera, where Molloy was a member of the original cast at the National Theatre, and went on to play the parts of the transvestite Tremont and the Angel Gabriel.[5] He also starred in the West End hit Taboo, playing Steve Strange alongside Boy George and Lyn Paul.[8][9]

In October 2004, Molloy was chosen from 200 candidates as the new lead singer of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, appearing on 11 November in a special charity show for The Prince’s Trust at Wembley Arena celebrating Trevor Horn's 25 years as a record producer,[5][10] performing live "Welcome to the Pleasuredome", "Two Tribes", and "Relax".[11] He performed with them also in subsequent 2005 tour but under name "Forbidden Hollywood" (due to trademark dispute with Holly Johnson), and wrote some new songs for the band, but they are unreleased as they disbanded in 2007.[5]

He spent some time in 2005 also working with Dave Stewart of Eurythmics on the spoof documentary Platinum Weird, which involved Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani and Carmen Electra. They would collaborate again in 2019, when Molloy performed live "Thorn in My Side" and "Love is a Stranger" at Eurythmics Songbook concert at Royal Festival Hall.[12]

In early 2006 had to do appendix operation,[5] but managed get the role of Stuart in the touring production of Ben Elton's Rod Stewart musical, Tonight's The Night.[5] He also appeared at Jools Hollands' Jam House Club for the Edinburgh Festival in August 2006, together with his band Suntan.[5] In September 2007 he played Judas in Godspell.[13]

In October 2007, Molloy was cast as Frankie Valli in the West End premiere of Jersey Boys at the Prince Edward Theatre, and played his first performance on 28 February 2008.[14] Theatre critic Lyn Gardner wrote in her critical review that "if it works at all, it is because Ryan Molloy carries all before him as the pint-sized Italian-American with the extraordinary falsetto".[4] For his performance he received a Olivier Award nomination at 2009 Laurence Olivier Awards.[8] He remained with Jersey Boys for six years, leaving in March 2014, making him the longest-running star in a West End musical.[15] Molloy also provided vocals in the 2014 soundtrack of the film version of the musical directed by Clint Eastwood. He reprised the role in the Broadway production for a limited engagement lasting from July to October 2014.[8]

In 2009 released musical album Sing's Frankie,[16] and in 2016 pop rock album Turn On the Night "mainly made up of old songs I wrote".[17][9]

Molloy stayed in touch with Trevor Horn and on several occassions was part of his live The Trevor Horn Band and contributing lead vocals on studio album Made in Basing Street (2012),[9] including lately in 2019 at Cornbury Music Festival,[18] and 2022 at Cropredy Music Festival performing live FGTH's "Two Tribes", "Relax", "Power of Love" and Yes's "Owner of a Lonely Heart" among others.[19][20]

In 2014, he played in musical Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be at Theatre Royal Stratford East.[8] In 2016, played Hades/Devil in a hard rock/rock musical 27 choreographed and co-directed by Arlene Phillips,[21] partly based on Greek mythology, telling "the story of a musician following a path of self-destruction at the age of 27".[9]

In April 2017, held a concert "Big in Japan" in Japan, collaborating with producer Andy Wright and guitarist Kenji Suzuki from Simply Red.[9] In September 2017, Molloy took part in the Great North Run.[22]

Most recently, Molloy founded Frankie and the Dreamers, a Frankie Valli-The Four Seasons tribute band, being a headliner for Royal Caribbean International and elsewhere.[23]

References
  1. Lewis, Carol (26 July 2013). "West End star Ryan Molloy finds a second career on the home stage". The Times. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  2. Mikhailova, Anna (26 February 2017). "I tried Hollywood but made it big as a Jersey Boy". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  3. McCorkell, Andrew; Lovell, Caroline (17 April 2011). "Anything you can sing, they can sing higher". The Independent. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  4. Gardner, Lyn (20 March 2008). "Jersey Boys (review)". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  5. "Ryan the hot Rod". The Northern Echo. 27 May 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  6. Levin, Mike (19 November 1994). "BMG Looks For New Marketing Ideas In Asia". Billboard. p. 42.
  7. "Ryan Molloy – Ryan Molloy". Discogs. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  8. O'Hanlon, Dom. "Ryan Molloy makes Broadway debut in Jersey Boys". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  9. "Ryan Molloy interview—the first Japanese Big In Japan live concert". Ring of Colour. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  10. "Frankie's new vocalist unveiled". BBC. 31 October 2004.
  11. Orbell, Jeremy (26 April 2006). "Frankie say it again". The Pleasureboard. zttaat.com. Retrieved 24 October 2023. We needn't have worried because Ryan gave a terrific performance and looked ever inch the rock star in his black eye make-up and spangly top that bared his chest. It wasn't Holly but I could live with it because this was a moment I thought I'd never see again.
  12. Sullivan, Caroline (14 August 2019). "Eurythmics Songbook review – sweet dreams of synthpop heaven". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  13. Hickling, Alfred (20 September 2007). "Godspell (review)". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  14. "Jersey Boys: Oh, what a night". The Guardian. 20 March 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  15. Bosanquet, Theo (11 February 2014). "Ryan Molloy announces Jersey Boys departure after six years in role". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  16. "Ryan Molloy – Ryan Molloy Sings Frankie". Discogs. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  17. "Ryan Molloy – Turn On The Night". Discogs. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  18. Kattack, Dale (August 2019). "Cornbury Festival: Great Tew Country Park" (PDF). Nightshift. No. 289. Oxford. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  19. Jackson, David (12 August 2019). "Photos: World-famous folk rock festival, Fairport's Cropredy Convention, is Back!". Northampton Chronicle & Echo. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  20. The Trevor Horn Band - Singleton Park - Swansea - 29/07/2022. YouTube. Mr. Shows UK. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  21. O'Hanlon, Dom (2016). "In Conversation with Ryan Molloy about new musical 27 at the Cockpit Theatre". LondonTheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  22. Hodgson, Barbara (24 August 2017). "Great North Run - which celebrities will be taking part in the 2017 event?". Metro. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  23. Wooten, Arthur (24 August 2017). "A royal passage across the Atlantic: The Anthem of the Seas". Passport Magazine. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
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