Gerard Canonico (born July 23, 1989) is an American actor and singer, best known for his roles in Broadway and off-Broadway musicals, including Gavroche in Les Misérables and Rich Goranski in Be More Chill.
[2] In 2001, Canonico joined the national tour of Casper the Musical, performing alongside Chita Rivera, in Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Atlanta, and Dallas.
Canonico performed as an ensemble member and as an understudy for all male roles (excluding Melchior Gabor) in the Broadway musical Spring Awakening, which opened on November 10, 2006, at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.
The play concerns a group of teens wrestling with their identities, sexuality, and religion at a co-ed Catholic boarding school and navigating the complex road from adolescence to adulthood.
Canonico appeared in the world premiere of the Off-Broadway show Brooklynite (reuniting with Spring Awakening director Michael Mayer as well as former castmates Matt Doyle and Remy Zaken) at the Vineyard Theatre.
Canonico returned to Broadway in the Tim Minchin musical adaptation Groundhog Day, based on the Bill Murray film.
Canonico reprised the role of Rich Goranski in Be More Chill, which premiered Off-Broadway at Signature Theatre Company in July 2018.
Canonico was a member of the band Taking Chances, as lead singer and playing guitar, in which he wrote the music and lyrics, since Christmas 2006, along with the Salerno brothers, Nick, Chris, and Joe.
[13] Their influences include Green Day, Jimmy Eat World, the All American Rejects, Foo Fighters, and David Bowie They released a CD in April 2008, self-titled "Taking Chances".
On October 31, 2020, Canonico played drums with NYC's "Lion in the Mane"[14] at Takeover Live[15] in Los Angeles, CA.