Exclusive: Joel Harper-Jackson on being cast in ‘Sinatra The Musical’

The West End’s leading man speaks exclusively to LondonTheatre.co.uk about landing the role of a lifetime playing world-famous singer Frank Sinatra.

Joel Harper-Jackson has been announced as the lead in Sinatra The Musical, which begins performances at the Aldwych Theatre in the West End this June.

Harper-Jackson made a name for himself in 2022, when he leapfrogged from understudy to a lead role after replacing Taron Egerton as M in Cock opposite Jonathan Bailey. His other stage credits include the UK tours of Kinky Boots and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, as well as his professional debut as a swing in Beautiful - The Carole King Musical.

Speaking exclusively to LondonTheatre.co.uk, Harper-Jackson says it will be a full-circle moment returning to the theatre where he made his debut. “I was a swing back in Beautiful 11 years ago. It’s going to be so nice to go back playing the leading man.”

Sinatra The Musical will chart the life and career of the world-famous singer, from stepping onto the stage of New York’s Paramount Theatre, through his torrid affair with movie goddess Ava Gardner (who will be played by Ana Villafañe), to one of the greatest comebacks in show business. Phoebe Panaretos will star as Frank’s first wife, Nancy Sinatra.

Harper-Jackson believes Sinatra's life is the perfect subject for a musical because “everyone knows him — there’s only one Frank Sinatra”.

He continues, “Sinatra moved among all disciplines. He was a musical artist, he did musical films, and he’s got a story. I didn’t quite comprehend how much he had done, even down to his influence on politics. He’s lived a life, and no other artist has stayed at the top for as long as he did. The difficult part is choosing what to put in the show!”

The research has already begun, says Harper-Jackson, as he makes his way through documentaries, films, and 1,100-plus songs recorded by Sinatra.

“There are a plethora of things I can call upon. I’ve watched all of his documentaries, I’m making my way through every single one of his films — and boy there are a lot. That’s my process — I research, and research, and research, as much as I can. By the time we’re in rehearsals, I can let all that go because I have a good strong foundation of who he is,” he says.

Harper-Jackson reveals that he was joined in the audition room by Tina Sinatra (daughter of Frank), which was “daunting”. But as he started singing “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”, he began to walk towards the audition panel. “I don’t know why,” he says, “walk towards your fear, I guess?”

It was Harper-Jackson’s grandfather who first introduced him to Sinatra, and he recognises he has “big shoes to fill”.

“It’s a demanding part, he’s never off stage, he goes through all manner of things in the show — highs and extreme lows,” Harper-Jackson explains. “It’s a showcase, and as big of a challenge as it is, I don’t feel daunted, I feel so ready and right where I need to be.”

Of Sinatra’s huge catalogue of songs, Harper-Jackson says that “I’m Gonna Live Till I Die” is his favourite: “For me, listening to it, it’s as though someone has been so low for so long, and then something happens which makes them realise we’re only here once, and there’s this sense of urgency in truly living.”

There’s no doubt that Harper-Jackson is truly living as he takes on his next big stage role in the West End this June.

Book Sinatra The Musical tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: the leads in Sinatra The Musical. (Photo by Alexis Chabala, Seamus Ryan)