James Anest: Reviews
James Anest as El Gallo, in
"The Fantasticks"
A Timeless Story about "coming of age" The Fantasticks is the longest-running musical in History.
James Anest has that pure, rich baritone that defines El Gallo. This tall, lithe young actor, who looks great in Ms. Lee’s Spanish-inspired costumes, is a handsome, peerless combination of Inigo Montoya and Zorro...and displays perfect diction and vocal clarity. The gentleness behind El Gallo’s narratives is a good choice, particularly his “There is a curious paradox” speech, and his musicality is exceptional. Mr. Anest’s gorgeously sung “Try to Remember,” his rousing “It Depends on What You Pay,” as well as his duets with Matt, “I Can See It,” and Louisa, “Round and Round,” are superior and would make Schmidt and Jones proud.
Colin Douglas - CHICAGO THEATER REVIEW
There's wisdom as much as warmth in James Anest's sagacious baritone: As stage-managing El Gallo, he's a deft tour guide for the story's every twist and turn.
Lawerence Bommer - STAGE AND CINEMA (CHICAGO)
As the story’s narrator to the story, Anest shines with his strong voice and Johnny Depp persona. He keeps the audience informed, “It is now intermission,” while singing many of the songs, including the quintessential, “Try to Remember".
Jordi Waldron - CHICAGOLAND MUSICAL THEATER
James Anest has the big baritone voice, the stage presence and the charm to be a proficient El Gallo.
Tom Williams - CHICAGO CRITIC
...El Gallo, who is also the story Narrator (played to perfection by James Anest).
Alan Bresloff - AROUND THE TOWN CHICAGO
Anest...is a very fine singer...[with] charm.
Chris Jones - CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Heading the cast is James Anest in the dual roles of El Gallo and the narrator. The Los Angeles baritone, who stole the show in the Moonlight's South Pacific last summer and Lend Me a Tenor in November, provides the show's best musical moments - particularly his moving rendition of "Try to Remember." He's a confident and eloquent narrator, a goofy ham in the abduction scenes, and gentle and persuasive in his romantic scene...
NORTH COUNTY TIMES - SAN DIEGO
A perfectly cast El Gallo, James Anest possesses qualities requisite to the seductive,dangerous magical charmer. Employing his rich baritone beautifully, he is the show's ace.
BACKSTAGE
...dashing and handome [with] a deep, rich voice....in the ballad "I Can See It", Anest and McEwen showed why male duets can deliver some of the most beautiful harmonies in music.
THE UNION TRIBUNE - SAN DIEGO
JAMES ANEST AS EMILE DE BECQUE IN
"SOUTH PACIFIC"
A Role originated by (and written for) Metropolitan Opera Star, Enzio Pinza, Emile de Becque is a French Plantation Owner with a dark past during WWII.
Luckily, James had the perfect Nellie to sing to in his first production of this show, opposite Tony Nominee, Stephanie J. Block.
Yet the castmate who steals the show is Moonlight newcomer James Anest, a talented Opera Singer from Los Angeles...From the second Anest opens his mouth and his full-bodied baritone melts over you like a sip of fine Chardonnay, you can see why Nellie falls hook line and sinker for the mysterious Frenchman. The problem is with opera singers performing show tunes is that they can come off bombastic but Anest's voice slides smoothly into the role. He plays the role with a sophisticated tenderness that's very French and very endearing.
NORTH COUNTY TIMES - SAN DIEGO
James Anest makes a stunning Moonlight Ampitheatre debut as Emile De Becque in the Vista Theatre's production of South Pacific. Anest, who comes to Moonlight from the operatic stage wowed last night Friday night's audience from the first notes of "Twin Soliloquies" through "Some Enchanted Evening", and "This Nearly Was Mine"...excelled in acting and singing.
NEWS-JOURNAL (SAN DIEGO)
If you go for no other reason than to hear the classic baritone voice of James Anest in the role of Emile De Becque, you time will be well-spent. Emile has one of those voices that bring tears to your eyes. Ezio Pinza would be proud.
NORTH COUNTY TIMES - SAN DIEGO
James Anest is quite a bit younger than the role he's playing, Emile de Becque, but that's totally forgotten when he embraces the show's superb ballads with his classically flavored baritone.
THE STAR - LOS ANGELES
...beautiful operatic voice...
SAN DIEGO JEWISH TIMES
JAMES ANEST as GASTON in DISNEY'S
"BEAUTY AND THE BEAST"
Gaston is one of James' most performed roles. Fun, yet a touch of darkness to this character.
The villain Gaston (James Anest) is big, crude, arrogant and totally charming. He has a fine, virile voice with biceps to match -- and displays them at the slightest provocation.
ODESSA AMERICAN - TEXAS
The real bad guy, Gaston, is played to perfection by James Anest...the tall, handsome Mr. Anest really gets into character as he struts, swaggers and flexes his biceps. But he also has a powerful operatic voice to add some depth to the caricature.
SANTA BARBARA NEWS PRESS - CALIFORNIA
A welcome new face (and body) to the PCPA Stage is equity artist James Anest as Gaston, who truly embodies the boisterous, vain buffoon...and is absolutely made for this role.
THE LOMPOC RECORD - CALIFORNIA
Muscle-clad...Gaston (Anest) is unabashedly chauvinist...rich baritone singing voice.
SANTA MARIA SUN - CALIFORNIA
A shining star of this production (Anest)...outrageous, over-the-top, egotistical, and hilariously played..."ME" is one of the outstanding musical numbers...
CASA SANTA BARBARA - CALIFORNIA
James Anest brought the audience to laughter multiple times wth his performance as the arrogant, cardboard villain, Gaston...over-the top machismo [and] handsome face.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY NEWS - CALIFORNIA
James Anest's Gaston is full of witty touches: you feel like he's a friend up there, even though he's the bad guy.
SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT - CALIFORNIA
JAMES ANEST AS THE PIRATE KING IN
"THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE"
Having performed both Doly Opera Carte and the later Joseph Papp "updated" version that originally starred Kevin Kline and Linda Rhonstadt, James has unique perspective on this particular show.
As the Pirate King, James Anest both looks and sounds like Kevin Kline, who played it in the Papp revival (and the subsequent film version), displaying a fine flair for pratfalls as the bungling leader of the soft-hearted pirates.
BACK STAGE "CRITIC'S PICK"
First among many good points is the singing. Audiences could probably be enthralled at hearing James Anest sing anything; even the alphabet. Anest puts his strong, vibrant voice to supple use as the Pirate King. He is vigorous, funny, and remarkably agile, leaping, somersaulting and tumbling his way around - and off - the stage with aplomb.
THE STAR - LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
JAMES ANEST AS FRANZ LIEBKIND IN MEL BROOK'S
"THE PRODUCERS"
"I love comedy...I just love being out of the "leading man" expectation of me and morphing into something other than that..." - James
James Anest plays a wannabe Nazi playwright whose jaw-dropping "Springtime for Hitler" is chosen by Max and Leo to be their moneymaking flop. He looks and sounds more like a romantic leading man with a powerful, beautiful baritone. But he throws himself into this ridiculous comic role with complete, self-effacing abandon and pulls it off.
WICHITA EAGLE - KANSAS
JAMES ANEST AS PETRUCIO IN SHAKESPEARE'S
"TAMING OF THE SHREW"
"I much enjoyed portraying Petruchio in Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew". It is a fabulous role that in many ways is similar to "El Gallo" in the Musical, The Fantasticks."
Tall and handsome, he strides across the stage in his oversized boots, angrily slapping his servants around and depriving his wife of food and sleep to get her to comply and conform.
THE DAILY BREEZE - LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
JAMES ANEST AS MAX IN THE PLAY
"LEND ME A TENOR"
"I find farce some of the most difficult theater to do. To make this show successful (in terms of comedy execution) every actor in the show must do his or her part at the highest level..."
Anest fits the role of Max like a glove, both as the nerdy, nervous apprentice and finally as the confident conqueror...pulls off an exhausting tour de force performance, ably meeting the verbal and physical demands of the role.
NORTH COUNTY TIMES - SAN DIEGO
Max, played by James Anest, is convinced to take the famous tenor's place both on and off the stage, with some hilarious results.
NEWS JOURNAL - SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
JAMES ANEST AS MASETTO IN THE MOZART OPERA, "DON GIOVANNI"
"Opera is the "Olyimpics of Singing"
...dashing and full-voiced.
GOLETA VALLEY VOICE - SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA
JAMES ANEST AS SCHAUNARD IN THE PUCCINI OPERA, "LA BOHEME"
...delightful camaraderie and solid singing.
SANTA BARBARA NEWS PRESS - SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA
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Production Photos
To See more Production Photos, please visit the gallery page.
as Max in "Lend Me A Tenor"Production photo from the Moonlight At The Avo - CA
With the Los Angeles OperaNot bad as a Baldy!
The "Gaston" ChairBeauty and the Beast - PCPA
ABOUT JAMES ANEST
"UNDER NO DEFINING TERMS"
James Anest is a pretty complicated guy. He is equally comfortable in a wide range of musical styles, including Opera, Musical Theatre, Jazz, Liturgical Music and even Modern Standards. He fits in just as easily at a concert hall in Europe as a Rock concert on the Sunset Strip. He is proficient in French, German and Italian, as one would expect from an Operatically-trained singer, but he is also fluent in Modern Greek, the native language of his Mother. He works hard to "blur the Genere line" even though his career began in the somewhat persnickety world of Classical Music, yet you would be hard pressed to find somebody more friendly and down to earth. To understand where James is coming from, you have to go way back. And in this case, "way back" starts in Nebraska.
moreJames as a Producer
"As Artists, we are always creating...therefore, this was a natural evolution."
Working in the Entertainment Industry for over 2 decades, James has worked along side amazing talent. Also, during that time, he worked as contracted labor on numerous Industrials, Corporate Events, Concerts, etc. He participated, learned and then decided to take the plunge into production. "After so many productions and shows, I began to get a feel for what I thought was working and what was not...then my little voice said, "If you think you can do it better, then do..."....so I did. I've never looked back...". James began what now is Entree Entertainment, Inc. A full-service Entertainment Agency that specializes in Vocal Entertainment for Corporate Events, Concerts, and Private Parties across the United States and even Europe. "It has been an amazing ride. I've learned and continue to learn...". Under the "Entree" moniker, James has produced and created numerous
entertainment acts, including, The Amazing Waiters, An Original Singing Waiter Act that is designed to surprise unsuspecting guests at parties, weddings and business gatherings with fabulous singing and witty dialogue. "All of these shows are customized...special and one-off for each Client. We take pride in knowing that no attendee in the room will have seen this particular show. It's what makes The Amazing Waiters the best and most Original Singing Waiter Act in the World. And, it's why Clients come to us when they want something unique, fun and memorable".
James Anest as a Recording Artist
"My first recording "Calvary Street" was an experiment. I didn't even think anyone would notice it."
""Calvary Street" ended up being a culmination to my Catholic Cantoring "Career" that, let's just say, lasted a very long time. It started when I first got to Los Angeles to go to College at Mount Saint Mary's Univeristy in the posh Bel Air Neighborhood and got aquainted with one of my early Mentors, Frank Brownstead. Frank was already heavily involved in the Catholic Liturgical Circuit in LA and he quickly introduced me to that genere of music. I have and still have great admiration for him. He's a fabulous Musician."