Eric is directing and Gina DeLuca is performing in "My Way", a tribute to Frank Sinatra at The GraceArts Live Theatre in Lake Havasu. This show featuring over 40 songs to celebrate the music and mystique that was Frank Sinatra. Cast features professional artists Gina DeLuca, Scott Drier and local performers Jason Fallis and Lauren Blain.
Where: GraceArts Live Theatre, 2146 McCulloch Blvd, Lake Havasu
When: Fri-Sat, Dec 31-Jan 1 (7:30 p.m. AZ); Sun, Jan 2 (2 p.m. AZ)
Cost: $35 plus tax. Seats are reserved. Advanced tickets at box office at the theatre, M-F (3-6 p.m. AZ) and one hour before show time
I went straight to my apartment to pick up my Eric Kunze CD before I went to work and I LOVE IT! I've been listening to the album since this morning as I'm working. It still gives me the same goosebumps as when I first heard his voice in Houston playing Chris in Miss Saigon. I'm so thrilled that "Why God, Why" is in his album because it's one of my favorite songs he performed. And I love all of his songs in this album especially the ones I've never heard him perform before like "Fathers and Sons" and "Finishing the Hat". I can't stop smiling whenever he hits those high notes in the songs. It's so clear and crisp and beautifully that it melts my heart. Thank you Maggi and especially ERIC KUNZE! I'm going to listen to the album every day until he makes another album **wink wink**
From Donna:
I've been waiting for years for this moment. To actually hold a Eric Kunze CD in my hands. To stroke it, and lovingly and carefully open the case. I got chills when the music started. And to hear Eric start singing the first bars of "Any Dream will Do". It was wonderful. It made me happy. The song selections are great. He chose, my favorite songs from his stage shows. They 're all on this CD. And he sang them perfectly. I'm High Fying. And I adore this mix of songs. And, I love the new song. "Fathers and Sons". That's such a beautiful song. And Gethsemane was again so wonderfully sung. I especially enjoyed "Love Changes Everything" I've heard Michael Ball sing this song many times. Eric sings it beautifully. He touched my heart and soul. I've listened to this CD at least 4 times through now. And will cherish it. I do hope it's just the first one. And more CD's to come. Thank you Eric and Maggie for making this wonderful moment happen. Christmas 2010 belongs to Eric Kunze. Thank you Maggie Yours truly DonnaFournier
From Jeannine:
Ok, I tore open my CD and threw it into the CD player and JUST finished listening to it 3x through, and all I can say ---WOW!!! Beautiful, and awesome are also 2 adjectives I would use, but actually, I think, there are no words that will describe the music on this CD.. Thanks, Eric for listening to the chorus of people who jumped up and down, requesting this CD..I'm in awe about how one beautiful person, inside and out, can have such a beautiful voice and do such wonderful things with the arrangements! To all ... who love Broadway, Andrew Lloyd Webber, or just enjoy music, RUN to www.erickunze.com and get your own copy of his debut CD... it won't disappoint!
From Theresa:
Maggi....I got the CD today, and please tell Eric I LOVE IT!!!! Love Changes Everything is sooo beautiful. I saw Aspects of Love years ago, and have Michael Ball's recording. I love the CD sooo much. I am ordering a 2nd. I want to send a copy to my dear friend Vera Goulet, wife of the late, wonderful, Robert Goulet. Thanks so much for doing this, and please send holiday blessings to Eric.
Finally, you can order your Eric Kunze Cds! They are$17.99 each, which includes shipping in the continental U.S. (Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and international slightly higher.) We have included a Paypal button in the right hand column. Upon receiving your order, the Cds will be sent out via first class mail. According to the post office, it should take 4-5 days to get to you.
You do not need a Paypal account to use Paypal. You can use your credit card without signing up. If that is a problem, you can pay by check. Email Maggi for the address maggiwun@yahoo.com However, we won't be able to ship until the check is received by us.
The CD is a retrospective of Eric's musical career to date. A sneak peek at some of the songs included are: Gethsemane, from Jesus Christ Superstar (Andrew Lloyd Webber) Maria, from West Side Story (Leonard Bernstein) High Flying Adored, from Evita (Andrew Lloyd Webber) Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, from Les Miserables (Claude-Michel Schonberg) Close Every Door, from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Andrew Lloyd Webber) Finishing the Hat, from Sunday in the Park with George, (Stephen Sondheim) Why, God, Why, from Miss Saigon (Claude-Michel Schonberg)
.......and a few surprises you may not have yet heard Eric sing before!
All of your questions and Eric's answers have been moved to a special page, where they were included in our previous Q & A session. See the right hand column, "Questions and Answers from Eric".
I am trying to streamline the site. As you can see, there are also now separate pages for reviews and for fan comments. Clicking on the link will take you to that page and there is a link on those pages to return you to the fansite as well. Have suggestions? Let me know. I'd be more than happy to hear them.
Maggi
Eric has had the pleasure of starring on Broadway in leading roles for the better part of his professional career. Mr. Kunze recently starred as "The Man" in the national touring company of Whistle Down the Wind for which he won an IRNE award for best actor in a musical and starred as the title character in the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar (with Carl Anderson).
Recent orchestral appearances include national and international performances with "Let the People Sing- the Dream Concert", "Music of the Night" at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. , as well as appearing as a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Hartford Symphony and the Cincinnati Pops.
Eric made his Broadway debut as Marius in Les Miserables (opposite Lea Salonga) and went on to star as Chris in Miss Saigon and then as Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees (with Jerry Lewis).
Off-Broadway: Leopard's Leap, directed by Michael Rupert. He received rave reviews for the title role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Muny, Reagle, KC Starlight, Sacramento Music Circus and San Diego CLO earning a San Diego Critics Circle Nomination and IRNE Award). Other Regional (selected): Che in Evita (LA Ovation Nomination), West Side Story (Tony), Into the Woods (the Prince), the title role in Pippin (LA Robbie Award), South Pacific (Lt. Cable) and the title role in the Who's Tommy in Los Angeles.
Eric's Resume
BROADWAY DAMN YANKEES Joe Hardy Marquis Theatre MISS SAIGON Chris Broadway Theatre LES MISERABLES Marius Imperial Theatre
NATIONAL TOURS
DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID Prince Eric
WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND The Man
First National Tour (IRNE Award Best Actor Musical) JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Jesus ’03 & ‘04 National Tour PIPPIN Pippin 1998 National Tour MISS SAIGON Chris First National Tour THE FANTASTICKS Matt International Company THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Frederic International Company
INTERNATIONAL
FUN HOME Bruce Bechdel, Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, Manila, Philippines 2016-17
REGIONAL
NEXT TO NORMAL (Dan) Riverside Theatre, Vero Beach, FL 2019
MAMMA MIA (Sam) Riverside Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Sacramento Music Circus, 2018
THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME Captain Phoebus
Sacramento Music Circus, La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts 2016
THE LITTLE MERMAID Prince Eric
Sacramento, Houston, Fort Worth, Dallas, La Mirada, Austin, New Orleans, San Antonio, Minneapolis 2014-16
SOUTH PACIFIC, Lt. Joe Cable, Sacramento Musical Theater 2014
GREASE, Vince Fontaine, Teen Angel, Walnut Street Theatre, 2013, Riverside Theater (Vero Beach) DAMN YANKEES, Joe Hardy, MUNY 2010 GODSPELL, Jesus, MUNY 2009 EVITA Che Sacramento Music Circus EVITA Che Civic Light Opera/Redondo Beach MISS SAIGON Chris MUNY WEST SIDE STORY Tony Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera/ Sacramento Music Circus DAMN YANKEES Joe Hardy Sacramento Music Circus JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Jesus MUNY / Sacramento Music Circus / CHESS Freddy Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera JOSEPH...DREAMCOAT Joseph MUNY/K.C. INTO THE WOODS Wolf/Prince Sacramento Music Circus A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S... Demetrius Bravo Stage Co. A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS Master Richard Moonlight
CONCERT APPEARANCES
SONG AND DANCE OF BROADWAY, Tokyo, Japan 2017
33rd ANNIVERSARY GALA, BOSTON POPS, Carnegie Hall 2016
Soloist: "DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING - THE DREAM CONCERT" 2014-16, Washington DC, Baltimore, Ottawa, Mazatlan, Salt Lake City, Hartford, Denver, Pittsburg, Oklahoma City, Plano, Milwaukee, Utah Symphonies Soloist: MUSIC OF THE NIGHT, Detroit Symphony, 2010, Cincinnati Pops, 2009, Vancouver Symphony 2009
Soloist: THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER 2008/2009 Kennedy Center, Washington DC Winter Playhouse
TELEVISION TOWNIES Guest Star
TRAINING New York: ACTING Uta Hagen, Alan Savage Voice Tony McDowell, Harry Garland, Bruce Kolb
DANCE American Ballet Theater: Buzz Miller, Thommie Walsh, Mary Rotella, Susan Stroman
Los Angeles: ACTING U.S.I.U.: Drew Tombrello Andrew Barnicle U.C. Irvine: Robert Cohen
DANCE Ballet, Jazz, Tap - U.S.I.U.: Javier Velasco, Jack Tygett U.C. Irvine: Donale McKayle, El Gabriel, Bernard Johnson
"Sam is the most seriously drawn of the trio of possible fathers. He is played by Eric Kunze, who has that experienced, stage ease and meticulous perfection which comes from a lot of professional experience. Indeed, he has performed major roles on Broadway including Marius in Les Miserables and Chris in Miss Saigon. He and Brummel deliver a sensational “S.O.S.” when it’s clear they still love each other."
Eric Kunze, a veteran Broadway actor like Salonga, is, easily, the real star of the musical. He plays the role by the book--one that any cult follower of the graphic novel would readily and happily approve. Kunze switches gears without any hitch: one time caring, controlling and temperamental the next, pathetic and piteous in the end.
Broadway veteran Eric Kunze nails the difficult role of Bruce with charm, ambiguity and just the right amount of menace and pomposity as he grapples with his obsession with outward order and his own secret longings.
Eric Kunze possesses a ringing tenor that was ideal for the powerful and stirring “I'm Martin Guerre,” and together with Paz, conveyed a passionate rendering of “Last Night of the World” from “Miss Saigon.”
Kunze has a resplendent tenor voice that would have schools of mermaids swimming toward him! The belt is full and rich, while the vibrato is smooth as silk...Kunze wraps his golden voice around both songs like sparkling gift-wrapped presents to give to the audience. He delivers a magical, fascinating performance.
Eric Kunze, known to Music Circus audiences for his roles as Che, Jesus and Joseph (and a good-looking hunk who probably will play 30-somethings for three decades) is perfectly cast as the GI Chris. His impressive vocal chops never cease to amaze. The combination of dead-on pitch, powerfully resonant yet sweet tone, and surprisingly nuanced and natural acting confirm why he made it to Broadway so early in his career, and why the Music Circus should hire him every chance they get.
