In addition to touring, the group has had a PBS special and released four albums, “The Doo Wop Project” (2015), “Merry Christmas! From the Doo Wop Project” (2018), “Old School New Generation” (2022) and “A Live Concert Event” (2022).
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Flexibility and freedom
Nolfi, now based in New York City, was an original cast member of “Jersey Boys,” “Motown” and “A Bronx Tale: The Musical.” He is a California native who studied voice at the San Francisco Conservatory. He attended the Boston Conservatory on scholarship and earned a BFA in theater. Even with these credentials, Nolfi and his fellow singers would have stretches without work. The Doo Wop Project has helped fill those gaps with travel and performances.
“When you’re a Broadway performer, you can be in a show, but you’re usually in between shows and looking for the next gigs,” he said. “We wanted to create a company that gave us some freedom creatively. When you don’t have your own business to fall back on, you have to take anything that comes your way. There are very few of us that are ‘stars’ per se so you take the work as it comes.”
Deep well of reserves
The Doo Wop Project also includes singers Charl Brown, Jon Michael Dias, Russell Fischer and Dwayne Cooper with music director Santino Paladino. For this tour there are two reserve singers. Nicholas Ward is filling in for Cooper, who is currently in the hit Broadway production of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” Jesse Nager has stepped in for Brown, who is appearing in the world premiere of his play “Billy Strayhorn: Something to Live For” at Pittsburgh Public Theater.
“We can pull from all these really great professional Broadway actors, so we just reload,” Nolfi continued. “Dwayne is in ‘Sweeney Todd’ now on Broadway. We can get top notch people so Nicholas Ward will be out with us this time. He did ‘The Music Man’ with Hugh Jackman last year. We pop in other talented guys and that’s how we keep the machine running.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Broadway-style concert
The Doo Wop Project presents a repertoire of classic material by acts like the Flamingos and the Temptations and reworkings of newer cuts by Maroon 5, Jason Mraz and others. The vocals certainly take center stage, but this is not an a cappella show. On the contrary, it is a high octane show with five powerhouse vocalists backed by a quartet of seasoned musicians.
“We really found something that works,” Nolfi said. “With five guys up there backed by a four-piece band of Broadway pit players, there’s a lot of energy coming at you. We keep the show moving so it flows really well. It’s a lot of oldies, a lot of great music that everyone grew up listening to (which offers) a nostalgic connection. The energy, professionalism and caliber of singers is pretty special. If people like Broadway, they’ll get a kick out of this show. You’re getting that kind of performance in a concert setting.”
Contact this contributing writer at 937-287-6139 or donthrasher100@gmail.com.
HOW TO GO
Who: The Doo Wop Project
Where: Arbogast Performing Arts Center, 500 S. Dorset Road, Troy
When: Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.
Cost: $25-$65
More info: 937-418-8392 or www.arbogastpac.com
Artist info: www.thedoowopproject.com
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