Constantine Maroulis and Frenchie Davis have been in RENT.
Amy has been touring in JOSEPH.
Diana Digarmo was in HAIRSPRAY and is supposed to be back.
Talk is swirling about Katharine McPhee. Clay Aiken has been asked about it as well.
Has AI become a stepping ground for a Broadway career? Thoughts? Concerns? Opinions?
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
I think that it could be a great stepping stone. I hate when people say that the shows are just casting these people because they are names to get people in the seats. Of course that must be going through their minds becuase they are names that people can relate to, but at the same time, a lot of the American Idol contestants are great talent. I would love to see some of them on stage, and feel that their voices lend themselves to Bway more than they do to the Pop Charts. Im sure Jennifer Hudson is thanking her lucky stars that she was on American Idol which helped her get the Dreamgirls Audition and now she is the GREAT EFFIE WHITE!!!!
It really depends on the background that they have. But i think several of the AI contestants have a musical theatre background, mainly because it involved singing. In that case, yea, i think its a great place to start a broadway career. but i certainly dont think a contestant like chris daughtery could make it on broadway. but the ppl that have gotten to broadway from the show are alented enought to do it.
Oh my, ncvalmont! I had forgotten about Jennifer TOOOO cool. Thank you for the remind
And yes, I agree, Chris and Bo couldn't do Broadway... Even thought they are GREAT... And like you said, it depends on who they are and what their background may include.
I think the show provides exposure at the very least and can be a great stepping stone for those who want it.
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
And the list grows... I knew I was forgetting someone and knew my fellow board members would help
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
I think Broadway is a great place for former Idols to work. It gives them a chance to get into the grind of performing daily. I would much prefer if someone started a show looking for Broadway talent. That would be much fun. "Broadway Idol" or "Stage Door Idol". :)
"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal
"I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
In my opinion, putting the words Broadway and Constantine together is just sad. I think some of the most talented people in the world are on Broadway and the West End.....I just wouldn't put Constantine in that category. Like I said its just my opinion but I don't think he has any talent.
Too late. He did the Rent tour before he ever joined American Idol, I have no idea how he performs, because i hardly watch AI. But obviously the producers of Rent or whoever did the casting for that National Tour, found talent in Constantine.
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
I don't like most of the contestants I have seen on AI, but I don't watch it very much. Anyways, I think it could be a great stepping stone and "in" for people who already want to be in theatre. I know the only reason I have ever considered auditioning for it is because it probably would help me get into the theatre scene. But many of them I don't think belong there.
"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife
I loved Frenchie in Rent, she gets a standing O every night while singing her solo. Amy Adams stole Joseph the 2 times i saw her in it. Then her replacement, Natalie Hill was underwhelming and made me miss Adams. Tamyra Gray was great in Bombay Dreams also. That girl can sing and dance!
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
Glad to see the love for Amy, my favorite Idol contestant from all 5 seasons! And also, adding to the list, Diana in the Brooklyn tour! Frenchie was amazing in RENT i must say, both times I saw her!
Don't forget that our current Tarzan was an American Idol contestant. (God, he's pretty). Casting agents have gone so far as to say that they hope their favorites lose because then they can snatch them up. it is pretty much a national audition every week. While I don't agree with some of the "talent" that survives on that show, it does have some good people and if they can put a butt in a seat (who might go again to a Bway show), more power to the producers for putting them in the show. we do't really have THEATRE stars anymore, so someone with some national recognition is good for marketing - AS LONG AS THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TALENT! (steps off soap-box)
Constantine was in the Rent tour (not Broadway) long before he was on AI. Frenchie was on AI for about five minutes so it was hardly a stepping stone for her. She was a MT major so it's not unusual that she'd be in a Broadway show. Josh Strickland was also in a Rent tour prior to AI.
Most AI contestants wouldn't be able to do 8 shows a week onstage. There are exceptions and those are almost all MT trained prior to AI.
"Too late. He did the Rent tour before he ever joined American Idol, I have no idea how he performs, because i hardly watch AI. But obviously the producers of Rent or whoever did the casting for that National Tour, found talent in Constantine".
PS 1-Constantine was in the Rent Tour, but the genre is "Broadway", although he wasn't technically on Broadway-
PS 2-Tamyra Gray did Bombay Dreams 8/week even with the vocal demands of her character.
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-