Anthony Crivello won a 1993 Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, as the original Valentine in Hal Prince's Kiss of the Spiderwoman at the Broadhurst Theatre. During the show's pre-Broadway run, Crivello also received the Canadian Stage honor of a Dora Mavor Moore Nomination. In 1997, he received a second Dora Nomination for the pre-Broadway production of Jane Eyre at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. In 1996, Mr. Crivello won the Jefferson Joseph Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for the pre-Broadway production of The House of Martin Guerre. In 1985 he won the Carbonelle Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Broadway Musical The News. He also starred in Broadway in Evita, for Hal Prince, Les Misérables and in Measure for Measure at Lincoln Center.

On film, Mr. Crivello recently co-starred in Gil Wadsworth's The Glass Jar, Texas Rangers (scheduled to be released in March, 2000), Blue Light Special, Jim Abraham's Jane Austen's MAFIA, Starportal, in Roland Emmerich's Independence Day, Running Woman, Dillinger & Capone, with Martin Sheen and F. Murray Abraham in the title roles, and the Dickens-Inspired Twisted with the late William Hickey. His other feature credits include Crocodile Dundee II, Slaves of New York, Shakedown, Lock-Up, and Spellbinder.

On television, Anthony has starred in the telefilms, Geppetto, Alien Avengers, The Glass Cage, Frankenstein Sings, 919 Fifth Ave., The Lost Capone, and Murder in Black and White. He recently guest- starred on the acclaimed Seinfeld as well as guest-starring on the series Babylon 5, Team Knight Rider, Star Trek: Voyageur, Miami Vice, Law and Order, and Dark Justice. Mr. Crivello began his television career on the daytime series One Life to Live. He also performed the role of "Grantaire" in Les Misérables in Concert: Live from London's Royal Albert Hall.

My random thoughts:
I have yet to see Anthony on stage, but I have heard him in various recordings and seen the Les Miserables in Concert video (numerous times! :-). So here are my random thoughts on those recordings, in the order I first heard them.

Kiss of the Spider Woman: It was for good reason that Anthony won the Tony for this performance, if the recording is any indication. Of course, his incredibly talented co-stars, Chita Rivera and my darling Brent Carver (who both also won Tonys for this show) would make it hard for anyone to look bad, but Anthony gives a very powerful performance. He honestly broke my heart with his Marta and Dear One, and Anything for Him, the duet between Brent and Anthony remains one of my all-time favourite numbers from *any* show. Valentin is not really the most sympathetic of characters, but Anthony brings across, even in a recording, both his committment to his cause and his confusion at what his encounter with Molina really means. A very powerful recording, and, I think, highly superior to the second cast recording with Vanessa Williams.

Les Miserables: Now, anyone who knows me knows that I have what I like to refer to as a “Javert fetish,” so it should come as no surprise to anyone that Anthony has played Javert, and very well. I’ve only heard a (gasp) bootleg of his performance, but his Stars is one of my favourite renditions. He does something that I’ve never heard any Javert do before or since with the line “And those who falter and those who fall must pay the price” and it just gives me chills. However, it is not for the role of Javert that Anthony is most closely associated with Les Mis. He originated the role of Grantaire on Broadway, and reprised it in the London 10th Anniversary Concert, and remains for many people the definitive Grantaire. Although neither the OBC or the TAC of Les Mis allowed Anthony to express the humour in the role that many Grantaires show, I’m sure he did. But where he really shines is the heartbreaking number Drink With Me. The agony in his voice as he sings his lines in the TAC and the way he acts using only his face (as he was confined to standing behind a microphone for the concert) are marks of his true talent.

Jane Eyre: Jane Eyre has always been one of my favourite books, and I consider the character of Mr. Rochester to be one of the most romantic and thrilling in literary history. And Anthony played Mr. Rochester *exactly* as I had always imagined him. There’s not much more I can say than that, except that I am *still* kicking myself for missing this production while it was in Toronto. Jane Eyre has now opened on Broadway with the lovely James Barbour as Rochester, and while I can only judge based on the recording of the OBC, I really prefer Anthony's take on the character and interpretation of the score.

Marie Christine: I confess to not being a big fan of the "new" brand of composers on Broadway these days, so Marie Christine hasn't been getting a lot of play in my CD player, even though I adore Anthony and his leading lady Audra McDonald (just not in this piece :-). However, he is in fine voice and got fairly good reviews, and he looks so handsome in the production photos (yes, I can be shallow. :-).

Gepetto: I did *not* know Anthony was featured in this when I bought the video - I just bought it because I want to encourage Disney to make more live action musicals, since they usually employ theatre people and, hey, more musicals is never a BAD thing. :-) So I was only half watching the video when this familiar voice made my head pop up. He only has one scene, but it's adorable, and he makes me laugh every time I watch it. Very cute, and now I'm so glad I bought the video. :-)

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