Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Naked Barihunk Singing: Seph Stanek

Seph Stenak (seated front) in Naked Boys Singing
(Photograph: David Rosenzweig)
When we recently featured Seph Stanek on the site it created a mini-sensation. It turns out that the TV performer, off-Broadway star and opera singer has quite a posse of fans. One of them informed us that Stanek has joined the cast of the popular show Naked Boys Singing. The show is currently at the Kirk Theater on 42nd Street in New York City.

Seph Stanek in Naked Boys Singing promo photo
The 70-minute show originally opened at the Celebration Theater in Hollywood in 1998. The New York production opened a year later at the Actors Playhouse in the West Village. It closed after a 13-year run, but recently reopened at the current location. As the title states, the show features naked men who sing mostly gay-themed numbers about the male body and the love of the male form. We're not sure if Stanek is the first opera singer to appear in the cast, but we can tell you that the show has featured 71 performers, including two porn stars (Spencer Quest and Dean Markham). It's probably safe to say that's he's the first member of the Metropolitan Opera roster to appear in the show. Stanek made his Met debut in Aida last month.

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15 comments:

  1. I don't know Seph's singing from Adam, but I looked him up after this post, and I think you're doing a disservice to him and all other young singers by saying he was "on the Metropolitan Roster". That phrase refers to solo singers. He was in Aida as a soldier boy, a silent supernumerary.

    He looks like he's doing good things in his (crossover) career, but I'm not so sure the Met would be happy that Seph or anyone else is saying he made a Met debut ...

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  2. I know for a fact that Stanek was singing in this past production of Aida. If the word "roster" refers to solo singers, then no, he's not on the "roster," just a brief member of the chorus. I performed with him in Europe and was honored to do so in this production as well. All that aside, he's a great guy and Off-Broadway is sure lucky to have him! Toi toi!

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    1. Confirmed and agreed: he was only on contract for this one production, thus he's not on "the roster" that we all know and keep tabs on so well. He certainly seems to generate conversation pretty quickly... Glad to know he's on the Barihunks radar.

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    2. He's also been invited back for next year's production of Aida...lots of great things in the works for this young man!

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    3. I don't understand. Is he singing in Aida? It seems odd that a singer at the Met would be doing a show like this...

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    4. No, he is not singing. He's one of the dozens of extras the Met hires for "Aida" to fill out the crowd scenes, walking around silently in a costume and carrying a spear.

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  3. love his concerts!! might be making a trip to ny sometime soon... does anyone know how long it's running?

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    1. The show will be running until at least November.

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  4. He was NOT in the Met chorus in Aida. He was a lowly spear-carrying super and that's a fact.

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  5. Wow - Just did some research. He might have decided to sing while he was up there, but he was not in the chorus. If he was, he'd be listed here:

    http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/about/whoweare/detail.aspx?id=4#extra_choristers.

    But yes, I agree with one of the anonymous above - he certainly seems to be good a publicity. In a Snooki, say-whatever-you-want-regardless-of-veracity kind of way.

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  6. Has he made a single, verifiable solo appearance in a professional production of an opera? If carrying a spear in silence makes one a member of the Met roster and bona fide "barihunk," then there are quite a few hunky guys in the Met chorus who should get featured on here. "Naked Boys Singing" is not the same thing.

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    1. I agree! This isn't "Hot guys who have been in close proximity to opera recently", it's BARIHUNKS.

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  7. Does anyone know if he has a website and/or facebook page?

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  8. I just saw him in NYG&S production of "Princess Ida." He played Guron, one of King Hidebrande's dumb sons. His facial expressions and stage business stood out. I wish him the best & hope to see him in more Gilbert & Sullivan productions.

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