Tony Vincent
Encyclopedia
Tony Vincent, born Anthony Peter Strascina, is an American actor, singer and songwriter born in Albuquerque, New Mexico
(July 25, 1973) and based out of New York City
, New York
. He took the stage name
Tony Vincent when he was preparing to release his first EP in 1993 .
in Nashville, TN. Using the school's recording studio, he recorded what became his first single, Love Falling Down. It was originally released only to his hometown radio station, KLYT
in Albuquerque. The song proved popular. When it hit #1 on that station's charts, he and a college friend hastily organized a campaign to release the single nationally. The single was released nationwide in May 1993 and appeared for one week on the national CCM
radio charts in July 1993, becoming the first independently released single ever to do so. After signing a recording contract with Star Song Records / EMI, Vincent spent six more years recording in Nashville. During that time, Vincent had six #1 songs on Billboard's radio charts and his song One Deed, from the album of the same name, was featured in a United Way of America campaign.
. In January 1999, Vincent returned to New York and made his Broadway
debut in the cast of Rent, appearing in the roles of Roger and Mark, at the Nederlander Theatre
.
in London
; he was the only American to be cast in the film. This new production brought about a revival of the show on Broadway. Vincent was again cast as Simon, understudy
ing the lead roles of Jesus and Judas
, but in a change just three and a half weeks before opening night, Jason Pebworth - who was originally cast as Judas - left the show, and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber
moved Vincent into the leading role. Vincent's performance as Judas won him a nomination for an Outer Critics award for "Best Featured Actor". Impressed with his Broadway performances, Webber selected Vincent to travel through China in 2001, introducing the composer's music in a cultural exchange production later released on DVD as Andrew Lloyd Webber-Masterpiece (Live in Beijing).
musical, We Will Rock You
on London's West End
. He performed the role from May 2002 through November 2003. Vincent also performed Bohemian Rhapsody
with Queen for the band's June 2002 appearance at Party at the Palace
, a celebration of Queen Elizabeth's
50th anniversary as monarch.
The North American premiere of We Will Rock You
opened in Las Vegas in 2004. Vincent again starred in the production, where he met his future wife, Aspen Miller
(now Aspen Vincent), who played his love interest Scaramouche. Vincent remained with the show until July 2005, when he returned to New York City to resume work on his solo music career.
, the Tony award-winning stage musical based on Green Day's
award-winning album of the same name
. The production premiered at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre
in September 2009 and, after being extended twice, became Berkeley Rep's most popular and highest grossing production.
When American Idiot
opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre
(opening April 20, 2010) Tony Vincent received considerable praise for his portrayal of St. Jimmy. Charles Isherwood of the New York Times praised the show as "performed with galvanizing intensity by a terrific cast, ... a pulsating portrait of wasted youth that invokes all the standard genre conventions ... only to transcend them through the power of its music and the artistry of its execution," and describing performance as having "mesmerizing vitality and piercing vocalism." Peter Travers from Rolling Stone
, in his review of American Idiot, wrote "the standout is vocal powerhouse Tony Vincent as St. Jimmy, Johnny’s dealer and toxic id.... American Idiot...cuts its own path to the heart. You won’t know what hit you. American Idiot knows no limits — it's a global knockout."
In April 2010, Vincent, along with co-star John Gallagher, Jr.
, received a 2010 Drama League Award
nomination for the Distinguished Performance Award.
Tony Vincent played his final performance as "St. Jimmy" on December 30, 2010, and was succeeded by Green Day
frontman Billie Joe Armstrong
. The show closed on Broadway on April 24, 2011.
and songwriter Nate Campany. Vincent has had six #1 songs on Billboard's CHR/CRR radio charts: Simple Things, Whole New Spin, Out of My Hands, High, Do You Really and One Deed. He is currently working on a new project with his band, Mercer.
included the song, Hoy Que Ya No Estas Aqui (As Far As Any Man Can See), co-written by Vincent and Jorgen Elofsson (translation by Rudy Perez), on their self-titled debut album. Also a voice-over actor, Vincent provided the voice for the Fisher-Price
interactive game, I Can Play Guitar. Vincent has been featured as a guest artist with The SAS Band for several live concert events in England, and performed at the Matthew Shepard Foundation's
Embrace! benefit at the Westside Theatre
in February 2006. Vincent is also a recurring guest artist at the Vanemuine Theater
in Tartu
, Estonia, most recently starring in their original production, Queen-The Doors Of Time.
In February 2011 Vincent formed a group called "Bad Omens" with Kevin Max
(formerly of DC Talk
) and David Larring and proceeded to write tunes for an upcoming recording. However, Vincent left the fledgling, yet promising endeavor in April 2011, apparently to focus on his theatre pursuits.
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
(July 25, 1973) and based out of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He took the stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Tony Vincent when he was preparing to release his first EP in 1993 .
Early career
Vincent's professional career began while attending Belmont UniversityBelmont University
Belmont University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is the largest Christian university in Tennessee and the second largest private university in the state, behind nearby Vanderbilt University.-Belmont Mansion:Belmont Mansion...
in Nashville, TN. Using the school's recording studio, he recorded what became his first single, Love Falling Down. It was originally released only to his hometown radio station, KLYT
KLYT
KLYT is a radio station broadcasting a Christian rock format. Licensed to Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, the station serves the New Mexico area. The station is currently owned by Calvary Chapel of Albuquerque, Inc. Marketed as "Static Radio," the station's format targets listeners ranging from...
in Albuquerque. The song proved popular. When it hit #1 on that station's charts, he and a college friend hastily organized a campaign to release the single nationally. The single was released nationwide in May 1993 and appeared for one week on the national CCM
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
radio charts in July 1993, becoming the first independently released single ever to do so. After signing a recording contract with Star Song Records / EMI, Vincent spent six more years recording in Nashville. During that time, Vincent had six #1 songs on Billboard's radio charts and his song One Deed, from the album of the same name, was featured in a United Way of America campaign.
Rent
In 1998, Vincent moved to New York, and by March 1998 had landed a role in the American touring production of RentRent (musical)
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
. In January 1999, Vincent returned to New York and made his Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in the cast of Rent, appearing in the roles of Roger and Mark, at the Nederlander Theatre
Nederlander Theatre
David T. Nederlander Theatre is a 1,232-seat Broadway theatre located at 208 West 41st Street, in New York City . One of the Nederlander Organization's nine Broadway theatres, the legacy of the theatre began with David Tobias Nederlander, for whom the theatre is named.Built by Walter C...
.
Jesus Christ Superstar
In 2000, Vincent was cast in the role of Simon Zealotes in the film remake of Jesus Christ SuperstarJesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
; he was the only American to be cast in the film. This new production brought about a revival of the show on Broadway. Vincent was again cast as Simon, understudy
Understudy
In theater, an understudy is a performer who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a regular actor or actress in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or emergencies, the understudy takes over the part...
ing the lead roles of Jesus and Judas
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
, but in a change just three and a half weeks before opening night, Jason Pebworth - who was originally cast as Judas - left the show, and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
moved Vincent into the leading role. Vincent's performance as Judas won him a nomination for an Outer Critics award for "Best Featured Actor". Impressed with his Broadway performances, Webber selected Vincent to travel through China in 2001, introducing the composer's music in a cultural exchange production later released on DVD as Andrew Lloyd Webber-Masterpiece (Live in Beijing).
We Will Rock You
In 2001, Vincent landed the lead role of Galileo Figaro in Queen'sQueen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
musical, We Will Rock You
We Will Rock You (musical)
We Will Rock You is a jukebox musical, based on the songs of Queen and named after their hit single of the same name. The musical was written by British comedian and author Ben Elton in collaboration with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor...
on London's West End
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
. He performed the role from May 2002 through November 2003. Vincent also performed Bohemian Rhapsody
Bohemian Rhapsody
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera...
with Queen for the band's June 2002 appearance at Party at the Palace
Party at the Palace
The Party at the Palace was a pop concert held in London in 2002. The event was in commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II held over the Golden Jubilee Weekend 1 -4 June 2002. The concert itself was held at Buckingham Palace Garden on 3 June 2002...
, a celebration of Queen Elizabeth's
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
50th anniversary as monarch.
The North American premiere of We Will Rock You
We Will Rock You (musical)
We Will Rock You is a jukebox musical, based on the songs of Queen and named after their hit single of the same name. The musical was written by British comedian and author Ben Elton in collaboration with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor...
opened in Las Vegas in 2004. Vincent again starred in the production, where he met his future wife, Aspen Miller
Aspen Miller
Aspen Vincent is an American voice actor and pop singer.Possibly best-known for the role of Dodie Bishop in Nickelodeon's Emmy-nominated As Told by Ginger, she also performed the role of Baby Alice in the Rugrats episode 'Hurricane Alice', and has done voice-over work for several CD-ROM games...
(now Aspen Vincent), who played his love interest Scaramouche. Vincent remained with the show until July 2005, when he returned to New York City to resume work on his solo music career.
American Idiot
Vincent originated the role of St. Jimmy in American IdiotAmerican Idiot (musical)
American Idiot is a one-act, through-sung stage musical. The show is an adaptation of punk rock band Green Day's concept album of the same name. Additional Green Day songs were interpolated from other sources, including 21st Century Breakdown, American Idiot b-sides, and an unreleased song called...
, the Tony award-winning stage musical based on Green Day's
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
award-winning album of the same name
American Idiot
American Idiot is the seventh studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on September 21, 2004 through Reprise Records and was produced by longtime collaborator Rob Cavallo. In mid-2003, the band began recording songs for an album entitled Cigarettes and Valentines...
. The production premiered at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Berkeley Repertory Theatre is a regional theater company located in Berkeley, California. It was founded in 1968, as the East Bay’s first resident professional theatre. Michael Leibert was the founding artistic director, who was then succeeded by Sharon Ott in 1984. The company runs seven...
in September 2009 and, after being extended twice, became Berkeley Rep's most popular and highest grossing production.
When American Idiot
American Idiot (musical)
American Idiot is a one-act, through-sung stage musical. The show is an adaptation of punk rock band Green Day's concept album of the same name. Additional Green Day songs were interpolated from other sources, including 21st Century Breakdown, American Idiot b-sides, and an unreleased song called...
opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre
St. James Theatre
The St. James Theatre is located at 246 W. 44th St. Broadway, New York City, New York. It was built by Abraham L. Erlanger, theatrical producer and a founding member of the Theatrical Syndicate, on the site of the original Sardi's restaurant. It opened in 1927 as The Erlanger...
(opening April 20, 2010) Tony Vincent received considerable praise for his portrayal of St. Jimmy. Charles Isherwood of the New York Times praised the show as "performed with galvanizing intensity by a terrific cast, ... a pulsating portrait of wasted youth that invokes all the standard genre conventions ... only to transcend them through the power of its music and the artistry of its execution," and describing performance as having "mesmerizing vitality and piercing vocalism." Peter Travers from Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, in his review of American Idiot, wrote "the standout is vocal powerhouse Tony Vincent as St. Jimmy, Johnny’s dealer and toxic id.... American Idiot...cuts its own path to the heart. You won’t know what hit you. American Idiot knows no limits — it's a global knockout."
In April 2010, Vincent, along with co-star John Gallagher, Jr.
John Gallagher, Jr.
John Howard Gallagher, Jr. is an American actor and musician perhaps best known for originating the role of Moritz Stiefel in Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater's rock musical Spring Awakening...
, received a 2010 Drama League Award
Drama League Award
The Drama League Awards, created in 1935, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing...
nomination for the Distinguished Performance Award.
Tony Vincent played his final performance as "St. Jimmy" on December 30, 2010, and was succeeded by Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
frontman Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
. The show closed on Broadway on April 24, 2011.
Music career
Vincent has released four solo albums: Love Falling Down (1993), Tony Vincent (1995), One Deed (1997), and a five-song EP entitled A Better Way (2007), a collaboration with platinum-selling producer Adam AndersAdam Anders
Adam Anders is a music producer who has sold more than 60 million albums and developed songs for motion pictures and television programs.Anders’ work has earned him Grammy Award nominations, a People’s Choice Award and two Golden Globe Awards...
and songwriter Nate Campany. Vincent has had six #1 songs on Billboard's CHR/CRR radio charts: Simple Things, Whole New Spin, Out of My Hands, High, Do You Really and One Deed. He is currently working on a new project with his band, Mercer.
Side Projects
In 2005, the multi-platinum vocal group Il DivoIl Divo
Il Divo is a multinational operatic pop vocal group created by music manager, executive, and reality TV star Simon Cowell. Formed in the United Kingdom, they are also signed to Cowell's record label, Syco Music...
included the song, Hoy Que Ya No Estas Aqui (As Far As Any Man Can See), co-written by Vincent and Jorgen Elofsson (translation by Rudy Perez), on their self-titled debut album. Also a voice-over actor, Vincent provided the voice for the Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price is a company that produces toys for infants and children, headquartered in East Aurora, New York. Fisher-Price has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel since 1993.-History:...
interactive game, I Can Play Guitar. Vincent has been featured as a guest artist with The SAS Band for several live concert events in England, and performed at the Matthew Shepard Foundation's
Matthew Shepard Foundation
The Matthew Shepard Foundation is an LGBT rights group founded in December 1998 by Dennis and Judy Shepard in memory of their 21-year-old son, Matthew, who was murdered in Wyoming in October 1998.-The Matthew Shepard Point Scholarship:...
Embrace! benefit at the Westside Theatre
Westside Theatre
__notoc__The Westside Theatre is an off-Broadway venue located at 407 West 43rd Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The building houses two auditoriums: the Upstairs theater, which seats 299, and the Downstairs theater, which...
in February 2006. Vincent is also a recurring guest artist at the Vanemuine Theater
Vanemuine
Vanemuine, a literal translation from is a theatre in Tartu, Estonia. It is the first Estonian language theatre, founded as the Vanemuine Society on June 24, 1865 following the idea of Johann Voldemar Jannsen. In 1869 Vanemuine Society organised the first song festival in Estonia...
in Tartu
Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
, Estonia, most recently starring in their original production, Queen-The Doors Of Time.
In February 2011 Vincent formed a group called "Bad Omens" with Kevin Max
Kevin Max
Kevin Max Smith is an American singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known for being a member of the Christian pop group dc Talk...
(formerly of DC Talk
DC Talk
DC Talk is the first studio album released from vocal trio DC Talk. It is the most hip hop-oriented of all of their albums as each later album gradually progressed into a more rock-centered sound. Michael Tait stated that their original goal for the album was to sell 10,000 units. It sold 7,142...
) and David Larring and proceeded to write tunes for an upcoming recording. However, Vincent left the fledgling, yet promising endeavor in April 2011, apparently to focus on his theatre pursuits.
Discography
| Year | Title | Label | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | American Idiot: The Original Broadway Cast Recording | Warner Bros. | Billie Joe Armstrong Billie Joe Armstrong Billie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day... |
| 2010 | 21 Guns, featuring American Idiot cast | Warner Bros. | Billie Joe Armstrong Billie Joe Armstrong Billie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day... |
| 2007 | A Better Way | Adobe Music | Adam Anders |
| 2005 | Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen Killer Queen is a tribute album of Queen songs. The album is named for the 1974 Queen song of the same name that first appeared on the Sheer Heart Attack album.The album peaked at #104 on the Billboard 200 on August 27, 2005... |
Hollywood | Oliver Leiber |
| 2004 | We Will Rock You (The Original London Cast Recording) We Will Rock You (The Original London Cast Recording) This recording was made over two nights to become the first audio release of the musical. A couple of tracks are actual Queen sound recordings, notably One Vision and Ogre Battle. This recording does not however include all songs performed in the musical... |
EMI UK EMI The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major... |
Brian May |
| 2001 | Jesus Christ Superstar | Sony Music | Simon Lee Simon Lee Simon Lee, is a conductor and musical supervisor and is a longtime associate of Andrew Lloyd Webber.Lee served in June and July, 2008, as the How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? judge on the Canadian version of the television reality show, and was responsible for the musical aspects of the... |
| 1997 | One Deed | EMI/CMG EMI The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major... |
Dennis Matkosky |
| 1995 | Tony Vincent | EMI/CMG EMI The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major... |
Charlie Peacock Charlie Peacock Charlie Peacock is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, record producer, session musician and author. While growing up in California Peacock was inspired by John Coltrane and began playing the piano. After completing his education, Peacock formed a band and began a career as a professional... and Brent Bourgeois Brent Bourgeois Brent Thomas Bourgeois is an American rock musician, songwriter, and producer. He was co-leader of the band Bourgeois Tagg with Larry Tagg, and has released several solo albums. His later work has been classified in the genres Pop and Contemporary Christian Music.- Early career :Born in New... |
| 1993 | Love Falling Down | Lampeetone | Tony Vincent |
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Freud's Magic Powder | El Conquistador |
| 2007 | Fable | Michael |
| 2001 | The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber: Masterpiece Live in Beijing | Himself (concert film) |
| 2000 | Jesus Christ Superstar | Simon Zealotes |
Stage Work
| Year | Title | Role | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | American Idiot | St. Jimmy | Broadway |
| 2009 | American Idiot | St. Jimmy | Berkeley Repertory Theatre |
| 2004-05 | We Will Rock You | Galileo Figaro | Las Vegas |
| 2002-03 | We Will Rock You | Galileo Figaro | London |
| 2000 | Jesus Christ Superstar | Judas Iscariot | Broadway |
| 1999 | Rent | Mark / Roger | Broadway |
| 1998 | Rent | Swing | First National Tour |