“John Battagliese. Remember that name.”
Brian Sands, Ambush Magazine
“You have Mr. Battagliese, with a gutsy quality that burrows into your skin by virtue of his very theatricality. Not only a great actor performer, but also with an exceptional vocal instrument.”
“Battagliese’s classically handsome looks make Timothée Chalamet appear merely average. More importantly, performing Ten Minutes Ago ... Battagliese displayed a great voice and true acting chops. So when Battagliese, runs up some day to collect his Tony Award, remember that you heard his name here first.”
“Battagliese dominated the screen in songs like “She Cries”with a sense of power that can be viscerally felt despite the restrictions of the virtual platform.”
“As his secret boyfriend, Greg, good-looking John Battagliese is fabulous. Hilariously switching between being a macho jock and a fawning queen, this outstanding singer/dancer is great in this role.”
“Battagliese captures Jamie’s goofy charm and his literary-sensation charisma, and sings Brown’s eclectic batch of songs in the most gorgeous of voices.”
“Battagliese practically runs away with the show when he arrives, with his enormous talent consuming the character and the stage. He’s a great performer and he gives this character the evil, seedy, and seductive characteristics he needs as he lures Johnny down a path of self-destruction. I predict big, big things for him.”
“John Battagliese brings energy and a controlled level of flashy exuberance as the con man rainmaker Starbuck, reminiscent of Harold Hill in The Music Man. He provides easygoing, beautiful singing and a commanding stage presence.”
“John Battagliese is a seductive, looming presence and skillfully tackles the vocal challenges of the part.”
“Greg is charmingly played by John Battagliese with great comedic timing”
“John Battagliese as Starbuck brings an energy, a mystical magic, to this character that makes him multidimensional. He could easily be played over the top. Or one could choose to be subtle, with it, and both might work. Battagliese, though, finds just the right balance. You want to like him so much and even though we all know he’s a conman, the audience roots for him anyway. We want him to make it rain – we’re invested in that – for multiple reasons. The way it was acted . . . well, I just wanted Starbuck to fulfill his wild, imagination-infused dreams.”