Eric Kunze

Eric Kunze (pronounced "Koon-zee"), born May 22, 1971, in San Diego, California, is an American stage actor and singer whose Broadway career spanned from 1987 to 2002. He developed an early interest in performance through choir and theater at Rancho Buena Vista High School and later pursued theater studies at the University of California, Irvine. During a junior-year trip to New York organized for student workshops, Kunze auditioned for and won the role of Marius in the Broadway production of Les Misérables at age 20, performing opposite Lea Salonga at the Imperial Theatre. He studied acting with Uta Hagen and Robert Cohen, among others, and received dance training from Susan Stroman, among others.

Following his Broadway debut, Kunze went on to play Chris in Miss Saigon at the Broadway Theatre and Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees at the Marquis Theatre, the latter production featuring Jerry Lewis. He later reprised the role of Chris in the first national tour of Miss Saigon. His national touring work also includes the title role in Jesus Christ Superstar from 2003 to 2005, in which he replaced Sebastian Bach, and the role of The Man in the national touring company of Whistle Down the Wind from 2007 to 2008. Additional touring credits include the title role in Pippin, Matt in The Fantasticks, and Frederick in The Pirates of Penzance.

Off-Broadway, Kunze appeared in Leopard's Leap, directed by Michael Rupert. His international touring credits include The Fantasticks, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado. In regional theater, he has taken on a wide range of roles, including Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The Muny, KC Starlight, Sacramento Music Circus, and San Diego CLO, earning a San Diego Critics Circle nomination for the role. He received a Los Angeles Ovation nomination for Evita and a LA Robbie Award for Lead Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of the title character in Pippin. Other regional credits include West Side Story, Into the Woods, South Pacific, the title role in The Who's Tommy in Los Angeles, and Jesus in Godspell at The Muny.

In 2016, Kunze played Bruce Bechdel in the first international production of Fun Home, which premiered at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in Manila, Philippines, and was directed by Bobby Garcia. The production reunited him with his Les Misérables co-star Lea Salonga, who played Helen, alongside Cris Villonco as Alison. That same year, he portrayed Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid on a national tour and played Captain Phoebus de Martin in The Hunchback of Notre Dame at both La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and Broadway at Music Circus Sacramento.

Kunze has also maintained an active concert career. He appeared as a soloist in The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Kennedy Center in December 2008 and January 2009, and performed Do You Hear the People Sing as a soloist at Carnegie Hall during the 33rd Birthday Gala for the New York Pops in 2016. Additional concert appearances include performances with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Pops, the Cincinnati Pops, and the Oklahoma City Pops.

Among his awards and nominations, Kunze received the 2008 IRNE Award for Best Actor in a Musical Large Theater for his portrayals of Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Man in the national tour of Whistle Down the Wind. He also received a 2016 Broadway in Austin Award for Best Leading Actor in a Touring Production for his portrayal of Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid, as well as Los Angeles Ovation nominations in 2002, 2008, and 2009. When not performing, Kunze and his longtime friend Gina Feliccia operate a production company called Big City Broadway.