Drew Sarich: Where Is He Now?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 7:19pm

I think I just has a religious experience listening to Drew Sarich sing "Gethsemane" from Jesus Christ Superstar. I mean, he nailed it. And the orchestrations were on key and everything, it was great. It was how it should sound instead of the watered down version that was on Broadway a few years back. Anyways, where is he now? I know he does a lot of stuff over seas, and I wish they had an English language version of "Rudolph" because it sounds good. But is he planning on doing anything in NYC anytime soon?

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 7:52pm

I heard him say in an interview that he and his wife always planned to take their kids back to Europe to go to school so I imagine he'll be staying in Europe for quite a while. But at this moment in time, he is still playing Rudolf in Vienna. The DVD of the show (and this is a professionally filmed DVD) will be released in Europe tomorrow.

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 8:17pm

There is an English demo of Rudolf with Rob Evan doing a poor job in comparison to Drew Sarich's work on the cast recording, if you want to get the gist of what is going on in the show.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 8:27pm

Oy that demo!

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 9:32pm

^ Agreed. Even if you don't understand German, do yourself and pick up the cast recording. Mut Zur Tat is fantastic.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 9:43pm

I don't know if this is a weird opinion, but I think Drew Sarich's voice is PERFECTLY suited to the German language. When he sings "Draussen" or any of the other songs from the German production of Hunchback, it's just glorious. But when he sings in English, his voice sometimes falls flat-- too much emphasis on hard 'r's and nasal pronunciations. I think he's really in his element in Europe, much as I would LOOOOVE to see him reprising his role as Quasimodo in English.

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 9:47pm

Schmerg, have you heard his "Out There" in English? It is all kinds of amazing.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 9:49pm

Ooh, I have, actually, and it's fantastic... it's one of the times I DID enjoy him in English. Quasimodo's a young and enthusiastic character, and that suits his voice so perfectly (though I still like it a lot more in Gemran). It's roles like Jean Valjean that I feel sound less natural in his voice, although he can certainly hit the notes.

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 9:56pm

Oh for sure, I completely agree. I just wish I understood what he was saying! And if the synopsis for Rudolf didn't sound painfully boring I would attempt to make it through the entire DVD, but I will just skip to the 4 Drew songs I like from the show

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:00pm

Piggy-backing on what Schmerg said, I do enjoy Sarich's voice, but feel that the fact that he ended up playing just about every character in the Les Miz "revival" was absolutely nuts. His Javert (based on his version of "Stars" anyway) was especially ludicrious. He just couldn't sing the role, period. His "Bring Him Home" was nice though.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:05pm

Does the "Rudolph" DVD play on American DVD players? It shouldn't, right? And thanks for all the info! I'm pissed I just discovered him. I would have loved to seen him in Lestat or Frakenstein or something. His voice is just so raw. Is there a recording of his Hunchback?

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:34pm

He is on the Der Glöckner von Notre Dame cast recording, which I would recommend in a heartbeat to anyone. Not only does it have Drew, but the score is fantastic and the other performers are terrific.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:47pm

I think I'll try that one out. Even though I don't know the language, a good melody is a good melody. I didn't see it on Itunes, but I'll check it out on Amazon.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:56pm

I saw him as Grantaire and Valjean (and Laurent and Armand...), and saw the latter while on vacation with my parents.

My dad's take on Drew: "That Valjean, he's a really good actor! His voice, though, I don't know."

LOL.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 9/11/09 at 2:15pm

CyCoSpazz, I actually do have the Vienna cast recording of Rudolf and I LOVE it!

I wish Drew HAD done Frankenstein. Hunter's good but I know that Victor's songs would have sounded awesome if it was Drew singing them.

And yes, the cast recording of Glockner is amazing!

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 9/11/09 at 3:00pm

Love the man, what can I say. Saw his first ever performance on as Armand (it was Will Swenson's first day ever in the show too as he picked up Drew's ensemble track beautifully as swing.)

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 9:08pm

I had to bump this thread. No doubt he's strutting about on some stage in Europe, but I miss him here! Dear Drew, come back to Broadway, bitte.

[rougeduck]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 9:48pm

Why, he's getting ready to recreate his role of Quasimodo on Broadway of course!

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 10:14pm

^ I thought he was busy playing Krolock in Vienna?

[mee.who]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 10:18pm

I saw an article the other day that said he'd been cast as Curtis in Vienna's production of Sister Act. Seems kinda random.

Link to photos from the Sister Act press conference - http://isabellschatz.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/sister-act-in-vienna-press-conference/
Updated On: 8/3/11 at 10:18 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 10:49pm

Wow, that is some WTF casting.

[Rabekriegerin]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 10:54pm

After Rudolf closed, Drew played Che in Evita at Magdeburg, and then was cast as Krolock back in Vienna. He's been doing that up till its (planned) close just last month. Tanz der Vampire is getting replaced with Sister Act in the same theater (Ronacher), and yep, he's been cast as Curtis. The Krolock role turned him into something of a darling with the public, if he wasn't already...

As for new recordings: he played Jesus in Vienna's usual Easter JCS half-staged concert this year, and the full live recording comes out at the end of August. If I remember right, JCS was re-orchestrated for this production, so that's probably a good bit of the reason why it's being released again (last time was... 04? 05?) I don't know if they plan a Vienna cast album of Sister Act or not yet.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/4/11 at 12:25am

I have a recording of him singing Jesus already. Was that the old one? He's wonderful on it. I listen to it at least once a week. His voice is AMAZING to me. And this is some WTF casting, but he would be LEAGUES better than the lame guy on Broadway.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/4/11 at 12:29am

I can't wait for the new Jesus Christ Superstar recording! I hope they release it on itunes like the other concert recording with Drew.

[Rabekriegerin]

Posted: 8/4/11 at 8:32am

If you have a recording of Drew as Jesus, it is very likely from the previous Vienna cast (opposite Serkan Kaya as Judas).

I've listened to a lot of his material, and this is entirely personal opinion, but his voice has gone through some great changes after his Valjean days. Maybe because he is singing extensively in German again and, as a previous poster said, it seems so much more "suited" to his voice. [The language "sits lower" for lack of a better way to describe it.] Even comparing JCS 2008 to 2005, though, there is a significant auditory difference.

I'm very curious to hear the latest recording. I have friends in Austria and Germany who were lucky enough to attend JCS 2011, and from everything that I've heard, it was mindblowing. Gethsemene earned a standing ovation.

(Now, how the heck his Curtis will sound... I have nooo idea.)

That being said, it is highly likely that VBW will eventually release the CD on iTunes; they are usually very good about that. And it will save me some insane shipping prices, the downside of being a fan of the German musical theater world.