No holding back       Play Samples
       on Broadway tunes      

Veteran of opera, 'Phantom' and 'Les Miz,' Craig Schulman joins the
Symphony Pops for a medley of songs from his favorite musicals

By Tim Ryan Star-Bulletin

When singer hopeful Craig Schulman was a senior in college he found himself alone one afternoon in a practice room. He decided to test his range. "I was doing a (college) production of 'HMS Pinafore' and really had no idea if I had any real vocal power," said Schulman, 45. So the Long Island native "reared back" and sang like an opera singer. There was this huge voice booming out," Schulman said during a telephone interview from his New York home. "I was very embarrassed by it. So embarrassed that Schulman didn't tell anybody about his self-discovery for some time because "I didn't know how to relate to the sound and the power. None of my friends were into that kind of music," he said. "And I had no idea what vocal technique was or how I was supposed to go about developing one." But Schulman, who returned to Hawaii for two performances with the Honolulu Symphony Pops to sing Broadway favorites, understood "I had something" and has gone on to succeed in opera and Broadway productions. He's the only American artist to perform the leading roles in both "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Les Miserables." He's portrayed Jean Val jean in four different companies in three countries in more than 1,900 performances. Schulman also is widely recognized from the PBS broadcast of "The 10th Anniversary: Les Miserables in Concert." He's also played Che in "Evita," Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof," and Archibald in "The Secret Garden." He most recently appeared in the Broadway cast of "Jekyll & Hyde." Schulman slides easily between the worlds of Broadway, opera and symphonic pops programs appearing with opera companies around the United States, singing leading tenor roles in "The Tales of Hoffman," "Tosca," "Madame Butterfly," "Carmen," "Die Fledermaus," "La Boheme," "La Traviata," "The Crucible" and "Manon." "Switching between Pops and Broadway stuff isn't tough, but going from Broadway and Pop to the opera world is hard" because of the distinctly different techniques involved, he said. Interestingly, solo concerts used to be Schulman's least favorite, dreading "all the focus on me." "In a Broadway show you're in costume and there are other singers, and a framework that you become part of," he said. "Solo, you have to be in better voice and realize there's nothing to distract the audience's attention; no one to help you when things go wrong." Schulman began singing professionally in 1979; his first "public" singing was as a senior in high school in "a terrible musical" called "Forever Saturday." "We all thought we were going to Broadway," said Schulman, who had begun taking voice lessons.

"When you sing you can touch people in a more visceral way than in other artistic venues I think," Schulman said. "I know that I sing well and people enjoy it and feel it. Getting paid for this is great." "The hallmark in my singing is taking each song and creating a character, making each piece my own and a little bit different," he said.

Of all the roles Schulman's played his favorite is "Phantom" because of the "great acting challenge." "Les Miz's" "Valjean is a straight ahead guy and a lot like my own personality," Schulman said. "I understand right off what Valjean is about. "But Phantom is not a real person, he's a figment. It's up to the actor to create this caricature and appeal as a real person. I want the audience to feel sorry for the Phantom."

MAY 16-31, 2001 by Nancy Bernal Opening night, May 8, attracted a long list of VIP's and media as attendees. Among the well-wishers were Craig Schulman (who played Jean Valjean in "Les Miscrables" and the Phantom in "Phantom of the Opera"), Wayne Harada, John Berger, Eddie Sherman, Al Waterson, Michele Nigalan (who played Kim in "Miss Saigon"), radio and television personalities, and the Society of Seven members with their families. At the end of the performance, the opinion of the sold-out audience was unanimous - standing ovation from every person in the room. Rave reviews! All of the rehearsals into the wee hours of the morning paid off and the show is a success!

Photos from Open Source: Click on for Large Photos

Craig Schulman: Tenor "Mr. Broadway"
Craig Schulman is the only performer in the world to have played three of the most extraordinary musical theatre roles. He has appeared in the title role of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom Of The Opera; he is widely acclaimed for his performance as Jean Valjean Les Misérables, both on Broadway and on tour around the world; and he has appeared in the title role as Jekyll & Hyde. He was chosen to represent the U.S. at the Les Misérables Tenth Anniversary Concert at Royal Albert Hall in October, 1995, which can often be seen on the PBS broadcast of the event. The Dream Cast of "The Musical The Swept The World" staring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. 250 performers features many of the most celebrated stars to have appeared in the show worldwide. (The clip below is from that performance)

     He has played Che in Evita; Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof and Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden at N.C.T. He has sung on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, NBC

Mr. Schulman recognized as one of just 17

of the world re-known Jean Valjeans, at the Tenth Anniversary Concert at Royal Albert Hall

    Weekend Today and Guiding Light. He was heard as the voices of "Placido Domingo" and "Luciano Pavarotti" on MTV's Claymation Celebrity Death Match, which aired in June, 1999.
    Craig Schulman, is the only actor in the world to have portrayed three of the greatest musical theatre roles: The Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, Jean Valjean in Les Miserables and the title role in Frank Wildhorn’s Jekyll & Hyde. Mr. Schulman holds the world record for his role of Valjean; nearly 2,000 performances. Regional roles include Che in Evita, Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, Archibald in The Secret Garden and Father in Children of Eden.
Mr. Schulman has sung Don Jose in Carmen at Opera Carolina, Opera Memphis, and in Colorado; Judge Danforth in The Crucible at Tulsa Opera; and Eisenstein in Strauss' Die Fledermaus with Opera Memphis. He also sang with Sherrill Milnes and Mignon Dunn at Opera Memphis's 40th Anniversary Gala Concert. This versatile tenor has also sung the title role in Honneggar's King David in New York; was the lead soloist in Beethoven's Christ In The Mount Of Olives at Lincoln Center; and appeared with the Cape Cod Symphony in a Night of Italian Opera. He is the creator and producer of the Broadway Nights Concert Series, and two solo programs: Heroes, Monsters & Madmen and Craig Schulman on Broadway.
                                                                                                   *******

Da Kine
 

'Phantom' or 'Forum,'
Groenendaal speaks

Cris Groenendaal, who appeared in the title role of "The Phantom of the Opera" when the musical twice played at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, performed in "The Music of the Night"

Asked whether he preferred the "Phantom" or his current role in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" on Broadway, Groenendaal said, " 'Phantom' is so dark and neurotic and obsessive and possessive it can be difficult and emotional doing that night after night calling up that mood ... But "Forum" celebrates everything that man holds least dear ... lust, greed, vanity, ambition; in short, all of those little failings that make man human.

SHOW BIZ By Wayne Harada 
Who was hot — and who was not — in Hawai'i

    A New York Moment in the Islands: When Craig Schulman ("Les Miserables") and Cris Groenendaal ("The Phantom of the Opera") joined forces for a Manoa Valley Theatre benefit. They could be returning in "The Three Phantoms" (with Kevin Gray) next year.
*****
Cris Groenendaal, tenor/baritone whose Broadway credits include Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd, the role of George the Soldier and Louis the Baker, in Sunday in the Park with George, Rizzolli in Passion and Miles Gloriosus in the 1996 revival of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. He recently performed the role of 'Father' in the National Tour of Ragtime. Mr. Groenendaal originated the role of Andre in the Broadway Production of Phantom and went on to play the role of the Phantom for 860 performances with the New York, Toronto and Canadian National companies. Mr. Groenendaal,  Kevin Gray, and Craig Schulman have collectively worn the mask a few thousand times over a 10-year period. Each tenor brings an average of 20 years of Broadway experience to the stage as well as numerous regional roles, TV roles and opera.

    Each performer treated the audience to an evening of solo, duet and trio selections. The performance highlights were Fugue For the Tinhorns, (Guys and Dolls) Standing on the Corner (Most Happy Fella) Heart (Damn Yankees) as trio selections. A duet of “In Lilly’s Eyes” (Secret Garden) was offered by Cris & Craig. Kevin Gray’s solos included Guido’s Song (Nine), American Dream (Miss Saigon) and Impossible Dream (Man of La Mancha). Cris Groenendaal shared his tenor talent with Begin The Beguine (Jubilee), Ya Got Trouble (Music Man) and a medley of Joanna and Pretty Woman (Sweeney Todd). Craig Schulman shared his signature song Bring Him Home (Les Miserable), Soliloquy (Carousel) and This Is The Moment (Jekyll & Hyde).

    As their finale, all three Phantoms came together to share “Music of The Night”, each taking a verse and blending their powerful tenor voices in harmony throughout this hauntingly beautiful song.
Michael Crawford originated the role for the Broadway production and has been succeeded, in order, by Timothy Nolen, Cris Groenendaal, Steve Barton, Kevin Gray, Mark Jacoby, Marcus Lovett, Davis Gaines, Thomas James O'Leary, Hugh Panaro and Howard McGillin. Panaro, who has also played the other male lead Raoul, becomes the first actor in the New York run to return.

Play this Performance Mr. Groenendall from the Kennedy Center

Danny states He loved doing these songs! Now available on his Then and Now CD

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With Aloha. Special mahalo to the talent of  Mr. Groenendall and Mr. Schulman, as well as our own Phantom Danny Couch

for your contribution and support
The Star Bulletin  and  The Honolulu Advertiser Entertainment Writer Wayne Harada's Review on "Then and Now"
 

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