Bobby Fox's Australian Dream: From Irish Dance Champion to Pretty Woman Star
Bobby Fox might welcome audiences to Hollywood as Happy Man in Pretty Woman The Musical, but his own dream was realized far from the glitz of Tinseltown. The Irish performer discovered his true calling in Australia, transforming from a world champion dancer into a celebrated music theatre star.
A Serendipitous Journey Down Under
Fox, a four-time World Irish Dance Champion who had graced stages in Riverdance, first visited Australia in 2000 while touring with the Irish dance show To Dance On The Moon. He immediately fell in love with the country, vowing to return. True to his word, he moved to Sydney the following year to study dance at ED5International performing arts academy.
It was here that his career took an unexpected turn. The academy's singing and acting classes sparked a natural progression into music theatre. "About six months in I went, 'Oh, I reckon I could actually be in a musical' and then I ran out of money, as 19-year-olds do," Fox recounts. "I didn't know if I could even finish the course and thought I might have to go home."
From Residency to Rave Reviews
With the support of academy directors Elena and Mario De Cinque, Fox not only completed his studies but also secured Australian residency and landed an ensemble role in Mamma Mia! within the same week. "It was like 'Yep, he's in, get him working, get him paying tax immediately,'" the 43-year-old jokes.
After five years in ensemble roles, including Dusty — The Original Pop Diva, Fox broke through as the original Franki Valli in the Australian production of Jersey Boys, which premiered in 2009. He performed the role over 850 times, a career-defining experience that remains close to his heart. Recently, he directed, choreographed, produced, and promoted Jersey Forever, reuniting with original co-stars Stephen Mahy, Scott Johnson, and Glaston Toft.
Embracing Dual Roles in Pretty Woman
Before reuniting with "the boys" at Melbourne's Palais Theatre in August, Fox has headed west for Pretty Woman The Musical's Perth season. He is covering the dual roles of Happy Man and Mr Thompson while Tim Omaji is on paternity leave.
Fox found his footing during the final weeks of the Sydney season, playfully calling them "his previews," before taking the Crown Theatre Perth stage alongside Samantha Jade as Vivian, Ben Hall as Edward, and Michelle Brasier as Kit De Luca.
The musical, based on the beloved 1990 film starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, features a rock score by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance. It first opened on Broadway in 2018 under the direction of Jerry Mitchell, a drawcard for Fox. "Jerry Mitchell is such a Broadway legend and an amazing entertainment director," says Fox. "He really knows how to command pace and attention, which is what you want when it comes to something that's so precious as the universally loved story of Pretty Woman."
The Magic of Character Acting
As part narrator, Fox describes Happy Man as the fairy godfather in this stage fairy tale, delivering the iconic line: "Welcome to Hollywood. What's your dream?" "He becomes such a positive figure for everyone who he collides with and very much spreads happiness," he explains.
In contrast, Mr Thompson is the hotel manager who sees the magic in Vivian. "He just gives her a nudge in the right direction, knowing her potential," Fox adds. "There's nothing better as an actor, and certainly a character actor, than to be able to play multiple characters, and use different voices and different mannerisms and different physical vocabulary to portray these characters."
Fox cherishes the opportunity to deliver positivity through this classic tale. "It's the story that people love, with music by one of the greatest songwriters of all time. It's just one of those incredible classic music theatre party experiences."
Pretty Woman The Musical runs at Crown Theatre Perth from April 18 to May 24.
