Jeff Andrews grew up Owego, N.Y., a small town in the state’s “southern tier” of rural counties. He went upstate after high school to the State University of New York at Geneseo where he earned a Master of Science degree in education.
While he was still in Owego, Andrews discovered he had a passion for the performing arts. He continued to perform in New York after moving to Geneseo, and in Buffalo and Rochester, which were only a short drive away.
After college, Andrews worked as a high school teacher and established a parallel career as a stand-up comic and actor; he also had his own sketch comedy group in Rochester.
In 2018, Andrews and his husband, Alexander Pena, were recruited by ‘Iolani School and made the big move from upstate New York to Honolulu. Andrews teaches English, is a test prep coordinator and the speech coach for the ‘Iolani Speech and Debate Team; Pena is the school’s orchestra director and also works with several community groups, including the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra.
Andrews made his official Hawaii stage debut Oct. 22 in Diamond Head Theatre’s long-anticipated production of “Oliver!” He was cast in the role of Fagin, the wily criminal who lures homeless children into lives of street crime. With seating limited by COVID-19 regulations, the show sold out almost as soon as it opened. With DHT’s next show, “Elf, the Musical,” opening Dec. 3, additional performances of “Oliver!” could not be added.
Andrews, 36, takes the stage for the final performance of the sold-out run today at 4 p.m.
What attracted you to the character of Fagin?
It starts with the show. I’ve always adored the show. I don’t do musicals often, but I have done this musical before in upstate New York where I am originally from, and I was Fagin in that one as well. He’s a villain, but he is honest about only being out for himself. And he’s a villain that we are allowed to see some vulnerability in.
Do you see different things in Fagin when you’re several years older and playing him a second time?
In New York I played him as a lot more Jewish. Here I’ve changed that — even changed the accent. Partly for the audience, and partly for the changing of the times being a little more worried about casting a negative stereotype. That does sort of change your feelings about how you want to play the character. Beyond that, this is a smaller cast so my acting techniques are a little more intimate, and the stage is smaller so the audience is closer and can see some of those intimate moments when I’m interacting with some of the children.
What’s next?
Back to my teaching life for a while, but I hope to do some more shows in town. I’ve always done theater as an extracurricular in my life starting in school when I was young. Now I use it as a means of being silly and goofy and getting out of my work life. I do love some of the other shows on the Diamond Head Theatre list, and I’m also well-aware of Manoa Valley and their season, but this show went a little longer than some people expected it to so I’m ready for a little break.
Is there a character that you would like to play?
I’ve always adored Igor in “Young Frankenstein.” I’ve played him before and I’m a big fan of Mel Brook’s “Young Frankenstein,” so I definitely would like to do that in Hawaii.
Is there something that you would like to be doing — or something that you’d like to start here — by 2031?
To know much more about the local theater community by then. I’ve seen a little of the improv world and the sketch comedy worlds here, but now I’m ready to dive into more the musical theater and play world. I would also like to start a sketch group here beyond what I’ve seen here.
