Tony Vincent in Rocktopia on Broadway. (Matthew Murphy)
Tony Vincent is a performer who has been known to break boundaries in all aspects. He was most recently seen on Broadway in the rock concert Rocktopia which ran a limited engagement at The Broadway Theater (now home to KING KONG).
He has since hit the road with his fellow Rocktopia cast and is touring across the country. He is no stranger to the stage as he has been seen on Broadway in RENT, American Idiot (Original Broadway Cast), and now Rocktopia. He also made an appearance in the remake of the 2000 movie-musical version of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Jesus Christ Superstar as Simon Zealotes.
Before Rocktopia he was seen across the nation as a finalist on NBC'S The Voice after joining '"Team Cee-Lo" with his powerful voice and commanding stage presence. He chats with RyeTheNewsGuy.com about taking Rocktopia on the road, being back on Broadway, and what is next for him.
What was it like starring in Rocktopia on Broadway? I feel blessed that this wasn’t my first time on Broadway! That being said, any time I perform on a Broadway stage I feel incredibly blessed— this was no different. I feel fortunate to have been part of Rocktopia’s time at The Broadway Theatre. To get the opportunity to sings some of the most iconic rock/pop songs ever written— and have them come across larger than life (due to a stellar choir and orchestra)— is an absolute gift. What was it like performing a show that was solidly a concert format-instead of the typical musical format? I come from a singer/songwriter/recording artist background (EMI Records/Sony Music), so this is actually a welcomed moment for me. It allows the songs to speak for itself— without the (sometimes) trappings of being married to a storyline. To simply focus on the lyric, the performance, the song… it’s very freeing.
Is there a specific tour stop you are most looking forward to? Prague. I’m really excited about Prague— adore that city.
From Left: Tony Vincent and Tony Bruno (Matthew Murphy)
I understand there have been some things added to the tour, can you give us a little taste of it? Well, I don’t know what I’m contractually able to say and not… but I’ll go out on a limb. For the past 2 years I’ve been performing with symphonies around the world doing The Music Of Daivd Bowie… 17-Bowie tunes with a 5-piece rock band and some of the best symphonies… — that’s all I’ll say.
What is your favorite song to perform from Rocktopia? This may sound like a knee-jerk mention, but due to my relationship with Queen (We Will Rock You, London’s West End), singing Bohemian Rhapsody brings back a lot of great memories— one being The Party At The Palace performance for Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Anniversary. That was definitely a “don’t pinch me if this isn’t really happening” moment.
Switching gears a bit. What was your favorite memory while on The Voice? How did that change your career?
I actually think my fondest memory was becoming fast friends with Tony Lucca and having the opportunity to perform with that killer band. Paul Mirkovich, Sasha Krivtsov, Nate Morton— absolutely brilliant musicians.
Also, just a side note: Your performance as Simon in the 2000 movie-musical version of Jesus Christ Superstar was beyond thrilling, and is what got me interested in theater when I was a kid, so thank you. Your voice has always given me the chills (in a good way!) Thank you. Hearing your generous words means a lot to me! I take what I do very seriously and when I hear that what I have done on stage (or on film) impacts someone’s life for the good— that means a great deal to me. Thank you.
What is next for you? Will you be doing Broadway again, or releasing new music? I mentioned that I’ve been doing a symphonic tour of David Bowie material, and I’ve actually recently started doing a similar show but with the music of Tom Petty. I’m also starting to write again, so, there could indeed be some new material being released in the future. That being said, if the right project comes along, I’d welcome a return to The Great White Way!
For tickets and tour information visit Rocktopia.com, to learn more about Tony Vincent, visit TonyVincent.com