CRIS GROENENDAAL

After originating the role of André in the Broadway production of The Phantom Of The Opera, Cris went on to play the role of the Phantom for a total of 860 performances with the New York, Toronto and Canadian National companies. Other Broadway credits include Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd, the roles of George, the Soldier and Louis the Baker in Sunday In The Park With George (both shows were recreated for PBS), Major Rizzolli in Passion and Miles Gloriosus in the 1996 revival of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. He originated the role of 'Father' in the National Tour of Ragtime and most recently portrayed Jules in the Kennedy Center revival of Sunday In The Park With George. With the New York City, Cleveland, Portland, Tulsa and Syracuse Opera Companies he has
played such roles as Count Danilo in The Merry Widow, the title role in Candide, Captain Corcoran in HMS Pinafore, the Caliph in Kismet, and Ravenal in Show Boat.

Mr. Groenendaal's solo Broadway/cabaret show has been featured with the symphony orchestras of Phoenix, AZ; Erie, PA; Wheeling, WV; Southwest Florida and Rochester, MN, and has been performed in recital for voice and piano at the Performing Arts Center in Anchorage, for Fairbanks Light Opera, Alaska and at the Hawaii Theater Center. Other concert performances include a Carnegie Hall debut (1994); a televised Boston Pops, the Montreal
Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic; the Moscow Radio and TV Orchestra and the Russian Philharmonic.

Mr. Groenendaal and his wife, Sue Anderson, have produced two solo albums: Always and A Christmas Wish. Other recordings include the role of Billy Crocker on EMI's Anything Goes, RCA's A Stephen Sondheim Evening and Book-of-the-Month Records' Songs of New York and Sondheim albums.
In 1984 Mr. Groenendaal won a National Institute for Music Theatre Career grant.