THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER Breaks Kennedy Center House Record

Congratulations to Eric and the cast!!

The special return holiday engagement of THE MUSIC OF Andrew Lloyd Webber has broken the house record for the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater. Grossing $650,997 for the week ending January 4, 2009, it was the second and final week of the two-week engagement.

The Washington Post raved, "Very impressive. The hits come crashing at you in an evening dedicated to crescendo and climax."

This special edition of the concert was devised by Andrew Lloyd Webber for this engagement. The Kennedy Center cast featured performers Shoshana Bean, Ron Bohmer, Tony Award nominee Liz Callaway, David Josefsberg, Eric Kunze, and Laurie Gayle Stephenson.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/THE_MUSIC_OF_ANDREW_LLOYD_WEBBER_Breaks_Kennedy_Center_House_Record_20090105

Eric Kunze is a Man for All Musicals (article)

He's played Jesus, Joseph, Che and The Man. That's Jesus as in "… Christ Superstar"; Joseph as in "… and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"; Che in "Evita" and the mysterious stranger The Man in "Whistle Down the Wind" – all Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals.

"He's given me a lot of work," said Eric Kunze, who, beginning Tuesday, will once again portray the revolutionary Che Guevara, narrator of the story of Eva Perón that is told in "Evita."

Read more at:
http://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/story/1141187.html

Review by Jim Carnes:
Kunze, with his expressive tenor voice and authoritative prowling around the stage, propels the piece.
http://www.sacbee.com/572/story/1157206.html

Evita in Sacramento!

Eric singing "High Flying Adored":



(Photos from California Music Theater's Facebook page)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1165303&id=17187136203

"Evita"
August 12 - August 17, 2008
Music Circus at the Wells Fargo Pavilion

From Playbill, 6-10-08
As previously announced, Saved's Julia Murney, whose Broadway credits include Wicked and Lennon, will play the title role in the Music Circus production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita. Eric Kunze, seen in the national tour of Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind, will play Che with Scott Blanks as Peron. Glenn Casale will direct the Tony-winning musical with choreography by John MacInnis and musical direction by Dennis Castellano. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/118510.html

From California Musical Theater:
Julia Murney, who starred on Broadway as Elphaba in "Wicked," will make her Music Circus debut as Eva Peron in "EVITA" August 12-17, 2008. She will be joined by Eric Kunze as Ché. Kunze, reprising his role at Music Circus from eight years ago, recently starred as The Man in the national tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Whistle Down the Wind." A favorite with Music Circus audiences, his other credits include Joe Hardy in "Damn Yankees," Jesus in "Jesus Christ Superstar," Joseph in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and Joe Cable in "South Pacific." Juan Peron will be played by Scott Blanks, who performed the role in two different national tours. "Evita" will be directed by Glenn Casale with choreography by John MacInnis.

(Ed.note)
Here is a review from 2000 when Eric played the role of Che:
by Joe Blenkle/Sacramento Stage & Theatre
If you want a real treat, catch the Music Circus' production of EVITA, playing July 10-16 at the "new" Wells Fargo Pavilion. EVITA is the opening show of the 2000 season - the Circus' 50th under the tent downtown.
While Eva Peron (Natalie Toro) - Evita - is the object of this Tim Rice/Andrew lloyd Webber musical, it's Che (Eric Kunze) that stands out in this production. He just gets better and better every time we see him.
As the program says, "Che is at times a narrator, at times an observer, at times simply a device that enables the authors to place Eva in a situation where she is confronted with direct personal criticism." As such, Kunze gets a lot of stage time and has a lot of dialogue and singing - a real treat for the audience. His character is always in the middle of things, as Che does not look upon Eva the way the rest of Argentina does - trusting neither "Evita" or her supposedly kind and caring motives.
Kunze was fabulous in this role and returns to Sacramento after performing in several other notable roles the past few years, including Joseph in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (1998), Joe Hardy in DAMN YANKEES (1997), The Prince/Wolf in INTO THE WOODS (1997) and Jesus in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1996). Kunze has had some meaty Broadway roles, as well, performing as Marius in LES MISERABLES, Chris in MISS SAIGON and as Joe Hardy in DAMN YANKEES. Kunze has a fabulous speaking and singing voice - not to mention good looks - a fact not overlooked by the female audience members in Sacramento each time Kunze sets foot on the stage.


"Miss Saigon"
May 3 - May 18 (Preview April 29th) 2008
Redondo Beach Civic Light Opera
Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center
1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd. Redondo Beach, CA 90278
(310)372-4477

















From The Beach Reporter 4/23/08:
http://www.tbrnews.com/articles/2008/04/25/stepping_out/step1.txt

Check out these photos:
http://www.civiclightopera.com/DOWNLOADS/photos/SAIGON.html

Review by Kent Stoddart:
Coltrin’s actors balance the high emotional peaks of the show with a coolness that tempers; passionate moments do not overstep the modesty of nature. The casting of the show incorporates veterans of Broadway and national touring companies. Jennifer Paz, Eric Kunze, Misty Cotton, Harrison White, Bonifacio Deoso Jr. and Kevin Bailey understand how to marry the emotional and intellectual demands of the book and score. From the principals to the ensemble, this is a top-notch company of players. http://www.tbrnews.com/articles/2008/05/08/stepping_out/step6.txt

Review by Tom Fitt:
Eric Kunze is a believable Chris with a great voice.
http://www.easyreadernews.com/story.php?StoryID=20033471

Review by Steven Stanley:
Eric Kunze played Chris during the Broadway run, and one cannot imagine a more handsome and charismatic lead. Not only does Kunze have the voice and the looks and the acting chops, his boy next door quality immediately convinces the audience of his sincerity. His emotional “Why, God Why?” is heartbreaking.
http://stagescenela.com/html/miss_saigon.html


"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"
June 12 - June 22, 2008
Reagle Players (Robinson Theater)
617 Lexington Street Waltham, MA 02452







A blogger's take on the show and Eric:
http://starshine-3.livejournal.com/15529.html

Taunton Gazette, June 13:
The one exception is Eric Kunze, who brings a raft of Broadway and touring experience to the role of Joseph. Not only can you hear every single one of his words, but he sings with real feeling and passion, particularly when he's thrown in Potiphar's jail, and he helps to center the show as the comic wildness spins around him.
http://www.tauntongazette.com/arts/x1816434254/Reagles-has-a-very-Technicolor-Dreamcoat

From Boston.com:

In this production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic, 19-year-old Brown will not have to stand alone before an audience of 30 million, as she did on "Idol." She plays opposite Eric Kunze (Joseph), who has starred on Broadway in "Les Miserables," "Miss Saigon," and "Damn Yankees." Eagle sums up his vocal ability in just two words: "It's exceptional."

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/06/12/something_new_to_sing_about/

See the April 7, 2008 Playbill:
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/
116552.html


"Miss Saigon"
July 21 - July 27
St. Louis Muny Opera (The Muny) Forest Park, St. Louis, MO 63112
(314) 361-1900 x550
Tickets on sale now:
http://www.muny.org/
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/118424.html

Miss Saigon at the Muny Opera in St. Louis

Review 7/22/08
From St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Dionisio and Kunze are terrific as the touching young lovers. His voice is powerful and hers is lyrical. When they first embrace, it’s so tender that it makes you blush to watch. Their duet, "The Last Night of the World," may not make much sense lyrically, but its aching melodic arc speaks for itself.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/reviews.nsf/stage/story/347C19AA0F917A0D8625748E005A4759?OpenDocument

Eric's Reviews from "Whistle"

From Broad Street Review - Philadelphia
"Eric Kunze is a marvelous Broadway leading man with thrilling big notes and, even more impressively, beautiful soft notes that float effortlessly and sometimes swell excitingly from piano to full volume while maintaining the original pitch and timbre–what opera singers call messa di voce."

(ed. note)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messa_di_voce

From Maggie Flecknoe – KTRH NewsRadio 740 – Houston
Eric Kunze (The Man/Convict) is probably the most talented actor I have seen take to the stage. He has such a strong presence. And his vocal range is amazing. Andrew Lloyd Weber could not have found a more fitting actor to give his musical the justice it deserves.

From the Detroit News:
As the mysterious Man, Eric Kunze is a studly Christ figure with a strong presence and terrific voice.

From Theatermania (Sandy McDonald):
As the convict-escapee, all Kunze needs in the way of costuming is a ripped tee baring burnished biceps. And when he nails his anguished high notes, you get some sense of what all the fuss about Enrico Caruso was about. Yes, he's that good.

(ed. note)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_Caruso

From Variety:
Kunze is rightly charismatic, and God knows he has a Bible Belt of a voice well suited to the character's big ballads.

From Seattlest:
The two leads, Eric Kunze and Andrea Ross, are spectacular singers.

From the Patriot Ledger (Boston):
It’s blessed by one world-class performance, that of Eric Kunze, identified in the program as The Man. Kunze is a matinee idol in the old-fashioned mold: tall, dark and handsome with a voice that is breathtaking in its lovely high tenor range, enhanced by a go-for-broke emotive style.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:
The real redemption comes from the show's star, Eric Kunze, whose beautiful tenor, shifting effortlessly into that signature Webber falsetto, is consistently fine.

Reviews from "Jesus Christ Superstar"

From Variety, 2003:
"When the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice rock opera made its groundbreaking transition from monster album to Broadway musical in 1971, Ben Vereen stole the show as Judas. In the majority of subsequent productions, Jesus has been routinely overshadowed by his betrayer. So the big news at the Wilshire is Christ's restoration from second banana to superstar, thanks to the outstanding voice and imposing presence of Eric Kunze in the title role."

From Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group, 2004:

The principals for this tour are outstanding: Lawrence Clayton as an R&B hot-throb Judas singing a mocking version of "Superstar"; Eric Kunze as pure rocker Jesus; and Natalie Toro, who was in the earlier production, as the beautiful and touching Mary Magdalene, who confesses "I Don't Know How to Love Him." With their gorgeous performances, these players drew us deeply into the show instead of causing us to wince.

"The goal of actor Eric Kunze, in the title role, is to humanize Jesus. Kunze succeeds by offering us a Christ who begins with dignity and calmness but loses more and more control of his life as the musical progresses.

Kunze's singing is wonderfully magnetic. He makes going from a rock scream to a whisper sound easy. His physical acting also amply portrays his character's suffering."

"Kunze has a gorgeously effective range, one that easily moves from a tender tenor to booming baritone. His solo on Gethsemane is heart-breakingly beautiful, and his strength and subtlety as a singing actor (vs. a thundering rocker) make the crucifixion scene discomfitingly vivid."

From Classical Voice of North Carolina:
"Rising Broadway star Eric Kunze gives a passionate performance as Jesus, capturing Christ’s charisma and hitting all the high notes—some of which seem impossibly high."