Cris Groenendaal

Cris Groenendaal is a retired American musical theatre actor and trained operatic tenor originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, whose Broadway career spanned from 1979 to 1998. His vocal training was provided by fellow tenor Frederick Jagel.

Groenendaal made his Broadway debut in the original cast of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, joining the production as an ensemble member and understudy for the role of Anthony before eventually replacing Victor Garber in that part. He also joined the original cast of the first national tour of the production, again performing as Anthony, and appeared in the 1982 televised recording of that touring production.

His next major Broadway credit came with the original cast of Sunday in the Park with George, where he originated the roles of Billy Webster and Louis while understudying several other parts, including the titular role of Georges Seurat. He replaced Robert Westenberg in the roles of a Soldier and Alex, and subsequently performed the titular dual roles of Georges Seurat and George for five days.

Groenendaal originated the role of Monsieur Gilles André in the original Broadway cast of The Phantom of the Opera, simultaneously understudying the role of Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny. In March 1989, he took over the title role from Timothy Nolen, becoming the third principal actor to play the Phantom on Broadway. He held the role until March 1990, when he was replaced by Steve Barton, who had originated the role on both the West End and Broadway. Groenendaal subsequently reprised the Phantom in the Canadian production, replacing Colm Wilkinson, and performed the role during two separate stints in the Canadian tour.

His association with the work of Stephen Sondheim continued with two productions in the mid-1990s. He played Miles Gloriosus in the 1996 Broadway revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Major Rizzolli in the original Broadway production of Passion. In 1998, he joined the first U.S. tour of Ragtime as the Father, a credit that marked the end of his performing career. He came out of retirement once in 2002 to participate in the Sondheim celebration at the Kennedy Center, appearing in a production of Sunday in the Park with George in the roles of Jules and Bob Greenberg.

Groenendaal met his wife, Broadway music director Sue Anderson, while she was performing with the improvisation group Broadway Local. The two relocated to Croton-on-Hudson, New York, in 1987, married in 1989, and had two children. Together they recorded three albums.