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Jane
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« Reply #20 on May 13, 2009, 5:36pm » | |
Elle
Constantine MaroulisThe American Idol alum on his Tony nominationBy Erin Clements | May 12, 2009 5:00 p.m.
Raise your Bartles & Jaymes: Rock of Ages, Broadway’s '80s hair-metal jukebox musical, has joined the vaunted ranks of this year’s Tony contenders, garnering no fewer than five nominations—including a Best Actor nod for star Constantine Maroulis. Best known for his stint on season four of American Idol, Maroulis is the first contestant from Fox’s hit series to earn this rarefied distinction. The 33-year-old singer, who plays wannabe rocker Drew Bowie in Rock of Ages (recently optioned by New Line Cinema), spoke with us about the merit of metal, the state of Broadway, and grooming his widely recognizable mane.
So, what was your reaction when you found out about the Tony nomination?
I was really surprised, but I knew that people love our show. I grew up as an actor, long before the American Idol experience, and this has been a great vehicle for me. It’s a wonderful character, so I just go out there and do my job every night.
Were you a big fan of hair metal growing up?
I listened to everything from traditional Greek music to Nat King Cole to Zeppelin and Guns N’ Roses. But I grew up in New Jersey, and the soundtrack of my youth was Poison, Styx, Foreigner, and Bon Jovi—this music was so theatrical, and I loved the theater from an early age, along with my rock 'n' roll. These bands were rock gods—the music was bigger than life. They dressed the part and had this charisma that just jumped out of the television set.
How would you respond to critics who say that Poison doesn’t belong on a Broadway stage?
I haven’t heard many people say that. But I think a great song is timeless, whether it’s written by Andrew Lloyd Webber or Bret Michaels. And these songs lend themselves perfectly to theatrical settings. We’ve crafted them into a beautiful love story and probably the funniest comedy to be on Broadway in modern theater. It’s done very well—in an artistic way and not in an obnoxious way.
What’s your favorite number from the show?
I think the Whitesnake number at the end of Act One, “Here I Go Again on My Own,” is probably my favorite because it involves the whole ensemble, and my character in particular has reached his emotional peak. He’s starting this journey that he’s always dreamed about but is unsure of, and the lyrics are perfect. I think that’s why it elicits such an amazing reaction from the crowd—people really get it. Granted, we’re partying and having a great time, but trust me: They are connecting with these characters and with the story.
Have Simon Cowell and the other AI judges congratulated you yet?
No, not yet. They’re a little busy with this season of American Idol right now, but I’m sure I’ll hear from them when the time is right, and hopefully they’ll come see the show.
How did Idol prepare you for Broadway?
I studied at the Boston Conservatory, and my BFA is in musical theater. Long before Idol, I was doing the eight show a week thing in Rent, so it’s really been a long progression for me professionally. But American Idol is just the greatest performance bootcamp you could wish for. So much happens in such a short period of time. I was lucky that I was a little older and had the experience to deal with it. And my season was early on enough in the show’s history that no one really knew what to make of it. I think now we’ve learned that this is about talent, and the true talents end up working and having wonderful careers.
In Rock of Ages, your character is pressured to fit a cookie-cutter boy-band image. Did you feel that on Idol?
There’s always pressure in this business. When I was on American idol, they didn’t know what to make of me. I had this big theater background, but I was also in a band—they were these “bad boys” from Brooklyn, and I was this “rocker.” So I was certainly branded with that image. I obviously love rock 'n' roll, and it’s a big part of who I am, but it’s not all that I am. So I think it’s important to define who you are as an artist on that show, because the opportunity is just massive, but the window post–American Idol is very small for you to capitalize on that success, certainly as a recording artist.
Have you felt scrutiny from the theater community for having done Idol?
Well, I think that not everybody knew right away that I had a theater background. A lot of people knew me from Rent—I played Roger on the road for a while—and it is a small community, so a lot of people knew that I went to Boston Conservatory, which is probably the number one program for the musical performing arts. So that portion of the community welcomed me and knew how passionate I am. But I think there is a bit of a stigma. However, if it’s the right performer and the right role, it makes sense.
Are there any other Tony-nominated shows you’re rooting for?
It’s a tremendous year for Broadway. We’re in a very challenging climate right now with the economics of everything, but there are some amazing talents here—Jane Fonda, James Gandolfini, Marcia Gay Harden, Angela Lansbury. Those kids in Billy Elliot are amazing. And we have a tremendous revival in Hair, which I’m secretly rooting for, because Will Swenson used to be in our show off Broadway, and I have so many dear friends in it—also, they’re not in our category.
Speaking of which, how do you maintain your signature coif?
I used to do a lot more to it than I do now. People are always sending me different products, so I just use all the free stuff that I can. For the show, I spray it a bit and make it a little bigger than it normally would be. But I like to let it dry and be naturally curly and wavy—maybe throw a little product in. Before the Tonys, I should probably have a professional take a look at it.
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Jane
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| | Re: 2009 articles
« Reply #21 on May 15, 2009, 5:19pm » | |
http://cooperlawrenceblog.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
How To Become An American Idol With Constantine Maroulis
Rock of Ages is a new Broadway show that has already garnered five Tony nominations including Best Musical and a nod for Constantine Maroulis as Best Leading Actor in a Musical. If you are not sure why you know that name I will remind you. Constantine Maroulis, was a 2005 finalist on American Idol. He earned a degree at the prestigious Boston Conservatory and then, he says,“I went back to New York, where I am from, and was lucky enough to land a role in the touring company of [the musical] Rent. So I went out on the road with Rent playing the lead role. At the time I also had a band and I was just hustling.”
Constantine was working so hard out on the road that while he knew of American Idol, he had not actually seen the show. It was a former girlfriend who encouraged him to audition. He approached that audition not as if it would be his ticket to instant stardom, but the way he did any other gig a working performer might try out for. “I approached it like it was every other audition,” he says. Viewers don’t see how the stars have struggled: They see the glamorous end result—and they want that. The illusion is that celebrity is an easy, luxurious life where you feel special all the time—and that is just the kind of thing that many emerging adults have grown up believing they need and deserve.
Constantine Maroulis, with an insider’s point of view says that the major benefit to a singer’s career from appearing on American Idol is that a record label might look at a contestant and think, “maybe they didn’t win but they’ve been on TV and millions of people do like them and have been voting for them . . . and wow, it’s a great training program. They are a better performer, they’re seasoned already—what most people go through in 30 years they’ve gone through in 30 days.”
But future success depends on putting in the effort. Maroulis says, “I grew up in the theater so I understand the progression and the hard work involved and am not afraid to do what it takes to work my way up, like from ensemble to leading role when you are a Broadway guy . . . it’s a blue collar mentality. It’s about the job and not the bullshit. Millions of actors are not working and there are plenty of singers who have no record deals.”
When I asked Maroulis if he has any advice for young people who want to become stars, branding is definitely on the top of his list. “Even with the record companies, it’s not about selling just a record,” he says. “It’s about merchandise, ringtones, etc—they supplement lack of record sales with other things. The music industry is not what it used to be. Look at Justin Timberlake. His records sell, but compared to [his former band] ’N Sync, he doesn’t make that same astronomical amount he used to, so he has his clothing line and restaurants.”
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Jane
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« Reply #22 on May 25, 2009, 8:33am » | |
Not specifically about C, but interesting article about ROA for the literary minded 
Bway TV
The Art of Rock Of Ages Fight
Response To Broadway Critic
BROADWAY MAGAZINE – It may be the red-headed stepchild in the Best Musical nomination category, but after hearing the suggestion by Bloomberg’s Jeremy Gerard that Rock of Ages is not art, I gladly accept his challenge to venture down Shubert Alley to do battle…of course, perhaps a scotch at The Players would be preferred. In a May 6 article, Mr. Gerard wrote “Then, again, consider “Rock of Ages,” nominated in five categories, including Best Musical. If you want to call this art, or the best of the American theater, meet me, please, in Shubert Alley with boxing gloves.”
Game on! In fact, I would argue that the Art of Rock of Ages (and I’m not being facetious here) is more closely aligned to classic comic forms than either Next To Normal, Billy Elliot, or Shrek. Here then is the dual with a fictional Jeremy Gerard over the Art of Rock of Ages, joined already in progress:
Me: And another thing, I would say not only is Rock of Ages art, I would say it could qualify as Art with a capital “A.”
Fictional Jeremy Gerard (FJG): Are you calling Rock of Ages “high” art?
Me: Very clever. It is high art, no pun intended.
FJG: Why?
Me: Well, Chris D’Arienzo has woven a distinct theme into this musical. The idea that the dreams you arrive with aren’t necessarily the dreams you go home with, to paraphrase and end with an open preposition. It is a theme that resonates through Rock of Ages like the theme in a fugue, occasionally clear but more often dizzyingly disguised.
FJG: Maybe it has a theme, so what?
Me: It’s important, and it seems both consciously and cleverly woven into the book and crafted into the score.
FJG: So it has Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing and you say it’s Art?
Me: I think the theme is actually more subtle. If Journey had a song called “Don’t Stop Re-Believing,” maybe that would do it.
FJG: What does that mean?
Me: I’m not sure. My point is that the total message of the musical is more distinct than can be captured in a single song. Also, I would argue that Rock of Ages is more closely attuned to the ancient theatre going experience than any other show on Broadway.
FJG: Because they have drinking in the audience?
Me: Partly, also because the emphasis on the sexual, and specifically the phallic. The show’s raunch and roll atmosphere seems more aligned with our understanding of what the ancient Greek comedies offered their audience.
FJG: Says who?
Brander Matthews: Says I, Brander Matthews!
(Enter Early 20th Century Theatre Historian Brander Matthews on an antique bicycle with a large front tire. Sipping wine cooler.)
Brander Matthews cont.: The comedy of Aristophanes was a medley of boisterous comic-opera and of lofty lyric poetry, of vulgar ballet and of patriotic oratory, of indecent farce and of pungent political satire, of acrobatic pantomime and of brilliant literary criticism, of cheap burlesque and of daringly imaginative fantasy.
Me: Also, the show employs a chorus-figure.
Brander: The chorus, left alone, turns to the spectators and becomes the mouthpiece of the satiric dramatist, delivering what is called the parabasis, and what is in fact a personal address of Aristophanes to his fellow-citizens assembled in the theater,–an address not unlike our latter-day after-dinner speech on themes of the hour, now jocularly personal and now raising itself into genuine eloquence.
FJG: Rock of Ages has a parabasis? A formal parabasis?!
Me: I would argue it does.
FJG: Next you’re going to tell me Rock of Ages has similarities to the comedies of Shakespeare.
Me: Rock of Ages has similarities to the comedies of Shakespeare. D’Arienzo shrewdly uses the unseemly setting of the Sunset Strip in the 1980s in a manner similar to the way Shakespeare uses the setting of the forest in his comedies. It is a place where transformations occur, identities are changed, and dreams are realized. Never a safe place, the Forest in Shakespeare is a catalyst of the story itself…very much a character in the play. I would argue that the power of place in this musical is quite similar in Rock of Ages. In fact, like Los Angeles in the 1980s, the forests of Shakespeare were also rife with mystery, danger, and unlike the idyllic associations we imbue them with today. Think Midsummer Night’s Dream and As You Like It.
FJG: I still don’t believe that any sober person would consider it Art.
Me: Rock of Ages is not meant to be looked at somberly or soberly. That is why you can drink at the show, dude. The live theatre experience is what the show is all about from the sound, lights, and songs, to the drinking in the aisles. If you are not in the mood to party you should depart-y.
Brander Matthews: If Aristophanes were here, he’d be there.
FJG: Well, ok, since you are writing this, I agree that Rock of Ages is art. All the artists involved in its creation please accept my sincere apology.
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Jane
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« Reply #23 on May 28, 2009, 5:15pm » | |
BWW Baltimore
TONYS 2009 Q and A: Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Nominee - Constantine Maroulis
Thursday, May 28, 2009; Posted: 09:05 AM - by BWW News Desk
Broadway's surprise 'head banging' hit Rock of Ages, is among the celebrated ranks of this year's Tony Contenders, earning no fewer than five nominations-including a Best Actor nomination for star Constantine Maroulis.
A Season 4 veteran of American Idol, Maroulis is the first contestant from the hit FOX series to earn such a prestigious distinction. But it shouldn't come as such a big shock as the actor attended the The Boston Conservatory of Music, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater from the Boston Conservatory of Music and a minor in voice from the Berklee College of Music in 2002.
After graduating the Conservatory, Maroulis trained as an acting apprentice at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and toured in the Broadway international touring company of Rent, performing the lead role of Roger Davis. Since appearing on the nation's most watched television show, Constantine has starred in several stage productions, released his own solo album, toured the country, and even held a recurring role on CBS' daytime soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful.
He appeared in The Wedding Singer on Broadway as well as a thrilling turn as Judas in The Premier Theatre Company presentation of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Superstar" at The Henderson Theater in Lincroft, New Jersey in June 2008.
The 33-year-old singer, who plays wannabe rocker Drew Bowie in Rock of Ages, took a few during his very busy "Meet the Nominees" day to talk about the excitement of being nominated for a Tony, his love of the stage and his devotion to his director and cast.
BWW: How did you find out about the nominations?
Constantine Maroulis: I had been really sick with a bad cold all that week and fighting through it, so I was waking up crappy and tired, and just out of it, you know? I didn't set my alarm or anything for the Tony nominations, I didn't want to be ‘that guy' (laughs). I was actually asleep for the beginning. I usually fall asleep with Sports Center on, that is my bedtime entertainment, so the TV was on when I woke up. Once I was finally up I turned it on in the background just as they were literally saying ‘The Nominees for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.' I said, ‘Oh, OK, whatever.' I heard them read off Gavin Creel and Brian d'Arcy James and then the Billy Elliot boys, and then without warning, ME! It was amazing. Very, very surreal - truly just surreal.
BWW: You truly started your creative journey on the stage, so while a surprise to some, this is actually something you have trained for your whole life.
CM: Right. It is a wonderful, wonderful thing, to be performing on that stage every night. I studied at the Boston Conservatory, and my BFA is actually in musical theater. Long before I became known for Idol or whatever, I was doing eight shows a week in Rent on tour, so it's really been a long progression for me professionally, but it has always been my passion.
BWW: There is real honesty to your performance in the show, you hold together a great deal of the "truth connection" for the audience in the midst of all these outrageous characters.
CM: Thanks for saying that. I've been blessed in this life, and certainly in the last few years, and while I'm an actor doing the work, every actor needs a great director, and I am just blessed with Kristin Hanggi. I was super excited to sit down and to get to know Kristin, because they originally called me years ago to play the Stacee Jaxx role. You know this show started out in a bar in LA, from that bar to the Tony Awards, surreal. So, James Carpinello plays Jaxx on Broadway, but I went to the audition with his sides in hand. It was Kristin who had the idea of me for Drew. She is just amazing. She called me back in and said, ‘No, we need you for Drew.'
BWW: And what an inspiration, because you are perfect for the role.
CM: To create a role on Broadway, with Kristin, working with this cast, it is just amazing, a gift. This show has a wild energy, but we play the truth of the story, it is important that we play that truth. Kristin is instrumental in that. I'm so happy for her and her nomination. As for me being recognized it is just, it is all about The Cast.
BWW: It is an incredible ensemble.
CM: They are amazing, I just happen to be out front a lot of the time, and get some of the attention. But, I'd be nothing without the rest of The Cast. I think it's going to be hard to replace people in The Cast too. If the show runs a long time, you know for years and years. They are so connected. I loved being a part of the show, I could play it forever, but I would probably get too old! Hah!
BWW: You could play all the roles and end up playing Hertz!
CM: Right! That is a good idea, I could play the German father, love it!
BWW: The music has such a big theatricality to it, it almost belongs on a stage in some ways? The radio could hardly contain it in the 80's.
CM: I agree, absolutely. A great song is timeless, whether it's written by Andrew Lloyd Webber or Whitesnake. And these songs lend themselves perfectly to theatrical settings. But we work hard to make them real, to keep the characters honest.
BWW: Speaking of Andrew Lloyd Webber, you are a fan of his music, we spoke before and The Phantom of the Opera is a role want to play one day isn't it?
CM: That is my favorite! One day, I mean who knows? That show ain't goin' anywhere anytime soon. My hope too is to continue to do interesting new works, big and small, that is something that I really want to continue. I am so blessed to be able to be a part of this community, this is just a really special time.
BWW: Thanks for taking the time, all the best!
CM: Thank you to all the guys at BWW, thanks for all the support.
The "totally awesome" cast for Broadway's new, smash hit musical features Constantine Maroulis, ("American Idol" Season 4, Broadway's The Wedding Singer, RENT) reprising his critically acclaimed role as "Drew." He is joined by Broadway's best 1970's & 1980's period actors Amy Spanger (The Wedding Singer, Kiss Me Kate) as "Sherrie" and James Carpinello (Saturday Night Fever, VH1's "So NoTORIous") as "Stacee Jaxx".
(snip)
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Jane
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| | Re: 2009 articles
« Reply #24 on May 30, 2009, 7:38am » | |
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/fashion/31night.html
A Night Out With | Constantine Maroulis
From ‘Idol’ to Stardom
(stagedoor pic here)
SMOLDERING Constantine Maroulis is greeted by fans outside the Brooks Atkins Theater after a performance of the musical "Rock of Ages."
WENDY A. LEE
Published: May 29, 2009
BACKSTAGE at the Brooks Atkinson Theater, Constantine Maroulis inspected the contents of his dressing-room minifridge: a liter of Coke, one bottle of Champagne and two cans of, yes, Rockstar Energy Drink.
“It’s just like my apartment,” said Mr. Maroulis, 33, the leading man in the musical “Rock of Ages” and a former “American Idol” contender, before exiting into a scrum of female fans.
As Drew in “Rock of Ages,” Mr. Maroulis plays a bartender who wails big-hair hits from the 1980’s while struggling to become famous. As a singer and actor with an album, a devoted (albeit modest) following, and a Tony nomination for best performance by a leading actor in a musical, Mr. Maroulis is faultlessly polite, self-effacing and even melancholy.
“Oh, I’ll never win,” he said. “I’m pretty sure it will go to the guys from ‘Billy Elliot.’ ”
At last, Mr. Maroulis finished autographing Playbills and emerged in T-shirt, J. Lindeberg skinny jeans (“I totally stole these from ‘The Bold and the Beautiful,’ ” he said, referring to the soap opera where he used to appear), Yohji Yamamoto tennis shoes and his signature dark tresses. (On “Idol” in 2005, Simon Cowell once told him, “If this were ‘Smoldering Idol,’ you’d win hands down.”)
Waiting for him at an unmarked speakeasy that caters to Broadway performers were James Carpinello and Adam Dannheisser, fellow cast members from “Rock of Ages,” which has received five Tony nominations, including for best musical.
Mr. Maroulis slid into a booth and ordered what they were having (dirty martinis) as well as a plate of fish tacos. After certifying that there was “a fair amount of yellowtail in the yellowtail ceviche,” Mr. Carpinello placed his order. Mr. Dannheisser abstained.
Tired but cheerful, the actors discussed Martha Plimpton’s role in “The Goonies,” a throat-soothing beverage called Han’s Honey Loquat Syrup (“very thick and tastes delicious,” Mr. Maroulis said), and the threat of swine flu.
Mr. Maroulis tagged the waiter: “Excuse me. What kind of fish was in the tacos because it was really nice?” Mr. Maroulis is allergic to shellfish, he explained to the table, and suddenly wanted to verify that he had not ingested any, “but I wanted to phrase it in a good way.” (Not to worry: the fish was tilapia.)
The evening’s celebrity sightings included Lou Reed, Gabriel Byrne and Geoffrey Rush, who had won the Drama League’s distinguished performance award earlier that day. As they squeezed by the table, everyone tried to act casual.
Billy Porter, the Broadway singer with whom Mr. Maroulis appeared in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” was also in the house. “I knew him when he was non-Equity,” he called out as he passed the booth. “In the chorus Now he’s a staaar!”
What’s next for Mr. Maroulis? His “Rock of Ages” contract ends in September, after which he may go on tour with the show. The film rights have also been sold, although no casting decisions have been made. He would like to do more Broadway. He would love to do Shakespeare. “I’d cut off my hair tomorrow,” he said.
Does he ever watch his old “Idol” performances? “I can’t. I was so bad on that show.”
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Jane
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| | Re: 2009 articles
« Reply #25 on Jun 4, 2009, 6:02pm » | |
Thea terMania
Meet the Nominees: Rock of Ages' Constantine Maroulis
By: Brian Scott Lipton · Jun 4, 2009 · New York
Theatergoers who only know Constantine Maroulis as that guy from American Idol have discovered that he is more than just a good singer. In fact, his performance as wannabe rocker Drew in the musical Rock of Ages -- the first leading role he has ever created on Broadway -- has earned him a 2009 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
"I feel very lucky," says Maroulis. "This business is a lot about luck and timing. To have the opportunity to create a role in a great show has always been a dream of mine, and then to be able to help take us from Off-Broadway to Broadway and then to get a Tony Award nomination -- well, it's all been a real thrill."
Maroulis actually grew up in a theater-oriented family, and began his acting career as a teenager. "I was 13 years old when I did my first show, which was West Side Story; I played the third Jet from the left," he says. "It was probably terrible, but it was just so magical to me that I knew that it's what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. So I eventually studied at the Boston Conservatory, and then was an apprentice at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and even toured in Rent all before American Idol even came along. In fact, when the Idol auditions came up, I was just an out of work actor and singer with a little rock band who needed a job."
Fortunately, Rock of Ages allows him to draw on all of his talents. "Drew has some interesting emotional moments in the show. In the end of act one, he's starting to become the rock star that he wants to be and has always wanted to be. He also knows that he loves Sherrie, but he knows that she's betrayed him at that point, so we see him go into this interesting sort of transition leading into act two," he notes. "And to go out there and perform these classic rock songs every night consistently, especially when there's a lot of buzz about your show, is really exciting -- even though it's been quite a challenge. But to be able to be out there doing my thing, and to have this great cast to support me, is all I could ask for."
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Jane
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« Reply #26 on Jun 6, 2009, 7:33am » | |
Star Mag
Q&A With Tony Nominee Constantine Maroulis
June 6, 2009
It's been four years since Constantine Maroulis was voted off American Idol, but these days he's in the running for another title: Tony Award winner! The star of Broadway's Rock of Ages — a musical that centers on the '80s hits of Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx and REO Speedwagon — spoke to Star at the launch of Season 2 of IFC's Z Rock in New York City on June 3 about his nomination, his Idol roots and what the future holds.
Congratulations on your Tony nomination!
“Isn't that crazy? It is just a silly thing but I am excited. I grew up as an actor and it is an awesome opportunity. It feels really good.”
What was your reaction when you found out?
"I was blown away. I heard some buzz about it, but you know, you never want to expect or assume anything and I tried to stay away from the chatter. But basically I woke up that morning, put on the television and there I was. Not only were they announcing my name but the show got four different nominations, five in total. I am super excited.”
This is your first time going to the Tonys. What's going through your mind? Are you nervous?
"I am very nervous. I have never been to the Tony Awards but I am a big fan of Broadway and a lot of the talent that will be there. I don't do the red carpet comfortably even after all of the Idol madness."
How do you compare being on Broadway to being on American Idol?
“I think the work is the same. You have to approach it with the same mentality. It is life or death stakes. You really have to go into it with everything you've got. You feed off the audience and the energy. We try to prepare and connect emotionally with what is going on."
What has been harder to do? American Idol or eight Broadway shows a week?
“I think the emotional drain that Idol took on, especially me, the emotional journey was intense but I loved it. But this grind, 8-shows a week, rehearsals all afternoon, public appearances it is a lot of work. Nothing compares to the grind of Broadway.”
How long will your run with Rock of Ages last?
“I don't know, we will see. I will likely be there through September and then we will take it from there. I would like to take the show on the road and to the West End [in London].”
Are you looking ahead?
“Absolutely. I am working on some new music and I would love to tour. I would love to be considered for more television and film-type work. I look forward to other challenges such as cut off the hair and do something completely different.”
You would cut off your hair? Isn't that is like your trademark?
“I would for the right role, definitely I would.”
The 63rd Annual Tony Awards will air this Sunday, June 7, at 8pm/ET on CBS.
I guess I better start saving my pennies for London 
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Jane
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« Reply #27 on Jun 7, 2009, 8:40am » | |
NY Post
'IDOL' GOES TO THE TONYS
NOMINEE CONSTANTINE MAROULIS TALKS THEATER AND BROADWAY SOFTBALL
By Barbara Hoffman
Last updated: 5:53 pm
June 5, 2009
Posted: 12:00 am
June 7, 2009
HE didn't quite sweep "American Idol," but Constantine Maroulis, who belted "Bohemian Rhapsody" out of the box, is living out his rock 'n' roll fantasy: On Broadway. 8 times a week, he's all long hair and leather in "Rock of Ages," a big fat kiss to the big-hair bands of the '80s. Not only is the show up for a Tony Award tonight, but so is Maroulis, its frontman in more ways than one. This long-haired son of Brooklyn and Jersey just won't stop believing.
NYP: Forget the Tonys for now -- how's the "Rock of Ages" softball team doing?
CONSTANTINE MAROULIS: We just ripped Blue Man Group 15-2, or something like that. This should be the first win of many.
NYP: Tell us about your uniforms.
CM:We dress in one of the T-shirts ["Rock of Ages" character] Lonny wears -- the one that says, "Hooray for boobies," with our names on the back.
NYP: Speaking of which: Those theater critics. Are they harsher than Simon Cowell?
CM: Heh, heh, heh. I think some of the critics didn't know how to take the show at first, but since then, we've been blessed.
NYP: You play Drew, a rock star wannabe. What's he like?
CM: He's this Midwest kid from the big Journey song -- a city boy born and raised in South Detroit. He probably packed up his old Datsun and drove out to L.A. and tried to make it . . . He's shy, but I think he's cool. He's not a total doofus.
NYP: Hmm. Is there any Drew in Constantine?
CM: There's more than you think.
NYP: Word is, the rest of the cast looks to you for tips.
CM: I think it's part of my job to be a spirited sort of leader. I try to go out there and kick ass.
NYP: So who'd you vote for: Kris Allen or Adam Lambert?
CM: Honestly, they're so very different, I didn't vote for either. I knew Kris would win. I thought he progressed so nicely each and every week. He was like this sort of slow burn, and by the end he was roaring. Adam was awesome from Day 1. But what's going to happen a year from now? What's their five-year plan? You got to think about all that stuff. It's time to work, not party.
THE 63RD ANNUAL TONY AWARDS
Sunday, 9 p.m., CBS
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Jane
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« Reply #28 on Jun 7, 2009, 6:49pm » | |
http://www.okmagazine.com/news/view/14728
June 07, 2009
Constantine Talks About Rocking the Tonys
The Tonys will be rocking in every which way tonight. And at the rehearsal for the show, OK! caught up with American Idol’s Constantine Maroulis, who busts it out eight times a week in the Broadway hit Rock of Ages.
Maroulis plays Drew Bowie, a hopeful wine-cooler drinking rocker who dreams of making it to the big time. And he’s the first Idol contestant to snag a Tony nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.
Where were you when you heard that you were nominated for a Tony?
I was in my apartment in the city and I woke up right in time as they announced my name in my category. My mom and my cousins called. And I had the obligatory agent/manager calls, the publicist and producers. Basically, the phone hasn’t stopped ringing since. It was crazy. My mother was blown away. She is still hung up on me not winning American Idol. She can’t believe her boy didn’t win. But this is what I’ve always dreamed of. I’ve been watching the Tonys since I was a little kid.
Who are you bringing to the Tonys?
My family will be with me — my beautiful mother will be my date. I’m also bringing my sister Anastasia, my brother, Athan, his wife, and some friends. I got a bunch of $900 tickets. I’m the youngest of three, but we have a massive family. It's really awesome to bring everyone together. And all the cousins in Brooklyn and Long Island all going to be watching. It’s been quite a ride for them these last few years.
How are you preparing for the Tonys?
I’m trying to stay focused and do my show. Unlike every other award show, we do ours every night and it’s very challenging. It’s lot fun and we feed off the energy of the audience, but wailing Journey and Whitesnake eight shows a week is not an easy task. So I’m taking it day by day and not thinking of what’s at stake.
What is it like performing at the Tonys?
It’s different. We’re comfortable in our theater. We’re comfortable with the sound levels and the way the stage feels underneath us. Radio City is massive and one of the most famous venues in the whole world. There’s a whole new crew. There’s an elevator that’s bringing us in. And of course, there are about 100 cameras on us as well. I worked with this TV crew on American Idol. A lot of the camera guys, the assistant director, and the guys in the booth worked on American Idol because they’re the best in the business. So they got the best to do this show. It’s sort of like a crash course in Radio City performing. I’ve never been up on that stage. I’ve never been to the Tonys either. So I’m thrilled and honored.
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Jane
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« Reply #29 on Jun 8, 2009, 7:12pm » | |
Yahoo music
Constantine Maroulis Bangs His Head On Broadway
Posted Sun Jun 7, 2009 8:30pm PDT by Lyndsey Parker in Reality Rocks
Before you read on, watch this Rock Of Ages performance from tonight's Tony Awards. You'll be oh-so-glad you did:
OK, now. A few years ago, I was cordially and rockin'-ly invited to a preview performance of Rock Of Ages, a nostalgic rock opera featuring music from the big '80s era of big hair and big riffs. Man, I couldn't RSVP "yes" fast enough. C'mon, a Broadway musical featuring the classic headbanging hitz of Poison, Ratt, and Whitesnake? Dood, what was not to like?
Well, actually, there was a LOT not to like. Rock Of Ages just did not, well, ROCK. I dunno, I thought that seeing a chorus line of spandex-sheathed, haystack-haired Sunset Strip metal groupies high-kicking their way through Night Ranger's "Sister Christian" would make for a totally awesome night of theater. But I was wrong. So very, very wrong. Somehow, something was just missing...
...and hey, you know what Rock Of Ages was missing, specifically? CONSTANTINE MAROULIS!!
Yes, the American Idol also-ran (who long before Adam Lambert was seamlessly, sexily, and successfully combining rock 'n' roll bad-boyishness and cheesy Broadway theatricality into one bedroom-eyed, bedheaded rock-star package) was thankfully added to the Rock Of Ages cast. Then the show hit Broadway...and of course, accolades and Tony Award nominations ensued.
See, Rock Of Ages protagonist "Drew" was truly the role Constantine was BORN to play: the part of a struggling musician who journeys to the big, bad city of Hollywood with a headful of both Aqua-Net and dreams of rock stardom. Dreams that are soon crushed, of course, "Welcome To The Jungle"-style. Hey, sort of like Constantine's through-to-Hollywood dream of being the next American Idol was crushed, huh? So it's no wonder he gave such a convincing, Tony-nominated performance.
Yes, that's right: Tonight CONSTANTINE WAS NOMINATED FOR A TONY, for Best Leading Actor In A Musical. Sadly, that dream too was crushed, when he lost out to THREE kids playing the titular Billy Elliot role. (Doesn't that seem unfair? There were three of them!) But in a way, Constantine still won, because the performance above is THE 2009 Tony Awards moment everyone will be gabbing about around the watercooler tomorrow (well, that and the Bret Michaels incident, of course). Billy who?
"I think it's the kind of material that stays with you," Constantine told Rolling Stone when Rock Of Ages first began its Broadway run earlier this year. (Incidentally, Constantine was also in the musical-theater version of The Wedding Singer, so he's an old pro at this Broadway-goes-totally-'80s shtick.) "Those songs always stay with you, but it was nice to invite them back into my life. And sort of look at them from a different point of view and see which bands have survived and have been relevant."
Well, judging from the totally radical clip above, one of Constantine's most relevant moments in Rock Of Ages is when he belts out Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock." Let's face it, if only he'd sung that on American Idol during season 4's "21st Century Week" instead of the throwaway Nickelback song he foolishly went with, maybe he wouldn't have been eliminated. I know I would have speed-dialed his voting number with all the nimble-fingeredness of the greatest '80s metal guitar shredder ever, had he performed anything from the Dee Snider songbook with this much scenery-chewing gusto.
And if only he'd been the one singing all these hard rock hits the night I went to see Rock Of Ages in L.A. years ago, I would have had a MUCH better night at the opera.
Constantine, you were robbed tonight. But hey, don't stop believin'...
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Jane
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« Reply #30 on Jul 1, 2009, 9:19am » | |
Playbill
A Day in the Life . . . with Constantine Maroulis
By Blake Ross
01 Jul 2009
Constantine Maroulis rocks Broadway eight times a week in the hit show Rock of Ages. Playbill.com wants to know: What's a typical day like for a Broadway rock star? Maroulis gave us an exclusive look.
7 AM: I woke up early today. My warm-up starts as soon as I get up. I try not to talk that much…but with all the great press the show is getting, that's out the window these days! It's an all-day and all-night kind of job.
12 noon: Met Paul Reisman, my agent, for lunch. We went over some interests that have been coming in. Nice to have options, but I really love doing Rock of Ages and hope to take it all around the world. We have really cool producers—this is their first Broadway show, and they were fearlessly committed to making Rock of Ages happen. They first approached me the day I was eliminated from "Idol." I turned down Kenickie in Grease to be a part of it (the role went to Ace Young instead). I had a good feeling from the start.
2 PM: We went to the Boston Conservatory Senior Showcase where I used to go to school. I never got to showcase my senior year; it was a rough year. I lost my cousin in 9/11 and my best friend's father also died tragically in an accident. This was a huge blow to me. I had learned so much from them over the years, and they both believed in me. I wish they could see me now.
5 PM: Arrive at the theatre. From my dressing room upstairs I like to watch the line forming in front of the theatre. I feed off their energy.
Our show is a 1980s romp about two dreamers that meet on the Sunset Strip. This love story is a brilliant comedy told through the amazing and timeless songs from that "hair-band" era—Bon Jovi, Styx, Journey, etc. It's lots of fun.
5:30 PM: Jason, my best friend, just stopped over. We grab some dinner before the show.
7 PM: I've gotta catch Mike Francesca on YES before the show starts. Love him and love my Yankees!
8 PM Showtime!: It's going to be a great house tonight. I can see the line wrapped around the block. I'm ready to rock! Get into costume—pocket chain, jean vest, give the hair a spray and let's go!
9:20 PM Intermission: Quickly get the score of the Yanks game on a TV backstage. I don't have a costume change, so I can sit for a moment and cool off. The end of Act I is a big production number called "Here I Go Again," originally recorded by Whitesnake. The high F I sing is high, especially when you're dancing. I really do love this cast—they are perfect.
10:30 PM: It was a great show tonight! Then again, every night is a great night on Broadway.
10:45 PM: Signing some autographs and taking pictures. People really love this show; it's pretty awesome to see. I like walking past our billboard in Times Square. My first billboard—it's pretty cool!
Midnight: What a day. Let's do it all again tomorrow! I fall asleep to Sports Center on ESPN...oh, and the Yanks won.
Photos here
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Jane
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Jane
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| | Re: 2009 articles
« Reply #32 on Sept 2, 2009, 6:52pm » | |
Playbill
THE LEADING MEN: Maroulis and Kirkwood
By Tom Nondorf
02 Sep 2009
In this month's column, Rock of Ages Tony nominee Constantine Maroulis rocks on by, and actor-writer Kevin Smith Kirkwood puts the "fun" in funk.
CONSTANT SCENE
From "American Idol" finalist to Tony nominee in Broadway's Rock of Ages, it has been a whirlwind few years for Brooklyn-born, New Jersey-raised Constantine Maroulis. He lives the proverbial rock-star life onstage most every night at the Brooks Atkinson where his powerful but perfectly pitched vocals deserve their own dressing room. Offstage, the lifelong Yankees fan told me how he recently marveled at sitting near Paul McCartney and Jack Nicholson at a ball game. "It was one of those crazy nights," he says. One gets the feeling the crazy times are just beginning for Constantine.
Q: You're still rockin' in Rock of Ages. How are you keeping it a blast for yourself?
Constantine Maroulis: You know, I just do my job every night. That's what I get paid to do. Show up and kick ass—that's what I try to do. It helps that we have a thousand screaming, eager fans packing the theatre every night, anticipating a good show. The buzz has been awesome. It's been a great thing to be a part of. It was built so organically from a little club in L.A. to sold-out runs on Broadway to the Tony Awards and lots of turnover in my leading lady category! But we've had consistent fans and people who get to see a show they normally wouldn't see on Broadway. We're bringing a new demographic to the theatre mixed with a more traditional Broadway crowd, and it makes for a great dynamic every night—that energy, you feed off that energy.
Q: Coming off of "Idol" it was clear you had an affinity for this music, going way back. You also have theatrical musical experience as well, but you are definitely someone who always dug the rock, yes?
Maroulis: Absolutely. Definitely grew up with this music. Being born in Brooklyn and growing up in New Jersey, Bon Jovi was huge for me, all of that East Coast eighties rock and roll. I was a blue-collar kid; that was everything to me. Those guys could really sing, and it was so theatrical. So I definitely gravitated toward that music early on, and the videos and the spectacle that was a part of selling those songs as well.
Q: Have the rockers in the cast meshed well with the more theatre-loving folks? Or is everyone a little of both?
Maroulis: I think the creatives did an incredible job of casting this show from day one. They put the right players together. They put people together that had a lot of experience, but a lot of them hadn't had the opportunity to be out in front in a creative role and to really show what they could do as far as character work, singing, feature moments, everything. So I have to give all the credit to the creative team for casting the right people who knew how to take these songs and turn them into scenes in the show in a comedic setting and really just go for it. And what was awesome was creating the process together in the rehearsal room with Kristin Hanggi [director] and Chris D'Arienzo [book], really exploring the characters and the jokes and the ad libs, a lot of which ended up being part of the show permanently. Taking some of what the actors started in the L.A. workshop phase and bringing it to another level — I think all of that stuff was just so huge. I don't think anyone ever needed my help with the songs or anything like that. Once in a while [cast mates] will come up to me and say, "Dude, how do you do it every night? Where do you get it from? How can I sound a little bit more rock?" And I might recommend a couple of records to listen to that might help. It's all sort of in the phrasing sometimes. It's more of a feel thing than anything; it's not something you can really teach.
Q: I was curious what rock-and-roll albums shaped your life. You mentioned Bon Jovi, but were there ever specific albums that gave you the feeling, "Wow, this is it!"?
Maroulis: Definitely Jane's Addiction—"Nothing Shocking." Guns 'N' Roses—"Appetite for Destruction." Nirvana—"Nevermind." U2—"Joshua Tree." Aerosmith—"Toys in the Attic." You know, monster records that just jumped out of my youth and have still stayed with me the whole time.
Q: A common thread of those is the awesome production of the music.
Maroulis: Great production—great songwriting too, though. If you took those songs down to basic guitar and vocals, it would be just awesome melody, great vocals, great lyrics; they tell a story, they connect. That's what really stands the test of time.
Q: You spent time up at the Williamstown Theatre Festival earlier in your life. What does Williamstown mean to you?
Maroulis: It was huge for me. Coming out of a BFA setting and being able to apply all the tools I picked up there in a professional environment over a three- or four- month period was just so huge for me in my whole process. I had plans to move back to New York and work with the best in the country, the best in the world; all the up-and-coming writers, directors; all the established writers, directors. I had Chris Pine as an acting apprentice there with me, and we were competing for lead roles in all the little projects. And now he's a big movie star. Everyone would push each other to the next level. We were working around the clock; we were apprentices, so we were the dogs of the Festival, but if we weren't running crew and being in the ensemble on a main stage show, we were doing a director workshop production in the middle of the night —rehearsing that and still making our crew time in the morning — in time to make rehearsal for another thing that afternoon. It was just round-the-clock madness, and it was awesome. The problem is that I wish there was a little more air conditioning up there, but it helped us suffer for our art [laughs]. I met so many amazing people up there. I got to meet Paul Newman that summer, Christopher Reeve, somewhere in there, Michael Greif, actually, and he cast me in Rent shortly after that. It ending up being pretty cool.
Q: Tell me a little about "A Night at the Rock Show at Joe's Pub."
Maroulis: "A Night at the Rock Show" is a concept I'm working on. I can't reveal too much about it as far as our long-term plans with it, but I really just want to pay tribute to and celebrate the great songs of rock of the last 40 years in a bit more intimate, theatrical-meets-rock sort of setting. I think people got to know me on "American Idol" because I have a knack for interpreting good rock songs, and maybe some were hits, some were misses. I think I've assembled a great group of people to work with, and I hope to be able to take it to another level, where it would involve far more production, far more spectacle... It's just something I wanted to put together for the fans as well as for me. I'm not a 20-year-old recording artist; I'm a bit older than that now, and I appeal to a different demographic, from the teens to the moms and dads. I want to create something that everyone can enjoy. And based on the success of Rock of Ages and how everyone is reacting to that, I think this is the right time for "A Night at the Rock Show." That's what it is—it really is just a night at the rock show. Back in the seventies, when all the giants still walked the earth, the Led Zeppelins and the Who and everyone—it was an event, you'd go and see a concert. It was like a real event, and I want to bring back that feeling.
Q: What was it like working with Brian May of Queen and those guys? That had to be incredible for you.
Maroulis: Oh, clearly. Just legends. I plan on tipping my hat to them in my show at Joe's and the subsequent other venues. It was an incredible experience, and when I did the song on "American Idol," it was still so early on in the season and all, that they hadn't had one song really jump out of the show like that until then, and I was honored to jump into those shoes to do that, but we were just at the beginning of the digital age for downloading and stuff, so they saw the spike in their catalog, and it was the first time that people were saying, "Wow, maybe this 'Idol' thing could really help sell the records of these artists as well," and thereafter you started seeing more artists comply with letting them use their songs on the show, and then you saw more and more artists lining up to perform on the show. Brian May's been amazing. I've gotten to see Queen with Paul Rogers [singing] as well, and it's pretty awesome; it's a whole different sort of take, and I think they did a track with Adam Lambert recently, too, so it's awesome that they've been so supportive and involved with the "Idol" family and the talents in that as well and still to this day.
Q: Lastly, and I know that this is a changeable thing, but what's your favorite song to perform currently in the show?
Maroulis: I think I tell someone a different song every time they ask me that. There's some really beautifully strong moments in the show for my character. I think the end of Act One is really strong with the Whitesnake number because it's one of these rock classics that manages to be spiritual and very uplifting as well. "Here I go again on my own…" You know the lyrics. And it really just makes so much sense in the world of our show. And our two characters, Drew and Sherrie, are at a sort of crossroads. I really think it starts off so intimately and beautifully, and the whole ensemble comes out and rocks it out, and I get to scream the high F or whatever it is, and then we end Act One very strong with a bit of humor as well. That always ends up being my favorite, but every number I get to sing in the show is a blessing. From the opening to the end with Journey. "I Wanna Rock" by Twisted Sister — I grew up worshiping that band as well. The whole process has been a blessing, and I'm grateful to our great producers and creative team for giving me the opportunity. I think it's all worked out pretty good for all of us.
[Rock of Ages is at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 256 West 47th Street. For ticket information, go to www.rockofagesmusical.com.]
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Jane
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| | Re: 2009 articles
« Reply #33 on Oct 30, 2009, 6:02pm » | |
Constantine Maroulis ready to 'Rock' Bay Shore
October 30, 2009 By GLENN GAMBOA glenn.gamboa@newsday.com
Constantine Maroulis likes being busy.
"It's that Greek work ethic," the Tony-nominee and "American Idol" finalist says with a laugh. "I thrive on the workload."
That's why Maroulis decided he needed another project, in addition to normally doing eight shows a week in "Rock of Ages" on Broadway and working on a new album.
Maroulis is offering Long Island a sneak peek at his latest project, "A Night at the Rock Show," part of his plan to create his own brand and keep people interested in his work.
Where did the idea for "A Night at the Rock Show" come from?I wanted to do something that symbolized all the influences from my life in rock and roll, from Bob Seger to the Goo Goo Dolls, and I thought "A Night at the Rock Show" was a cool concept for the fans. . . . It's a celebration of rock music, of songs we can tell these great stories about, songs from movies that I love - all leaning on the rock side of things, even if it's not Twisted Sister like it is in "Rock of Ages."
People have been talking about the medley of songs with women's names - from "Alison" to "Rosanna" to "Veronica."That came about as a bit of a joke. . . . I come from a big Greek family, and there's always been a joke that I'm perpetually single and that I'll probably never settle down. Of course, my mother's always trying to get me to find the right girl. I thought it would be fun to work all those great songs into the show, and people seem to be responding to it.
And what about your own music?I'm working on new music all the time. I have a lot of new interests, and there will be a new album eventually, but right now I want to do my best and do the role. I'm really happy doing what I'm doing. I take great pride in that.
WHO Constantine Maroulis
WHEN | WHERE 8 p.m. Wednesday, YMCA Boulton Center for the Performing Arts, 37 W. Main St., Bay Shore
INFO $20-$25 (sold out, but call for last-minute availability); 631-969-1101, http://boultoncenter.org
I think he should add "Jane" to his medley of girl songs! Or "Sweet Jane" or "Jane Says" or the other "Jane" song or or or, lol.
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