Bernard Telsey, a casting director in New York has referred to American Idol as a "televised open call" since Broadway has culled so much talent from among the ranks of those who have appeared on the small screen via American Idol. In some ways Idol is looked at as the farm team for one major league team: Broadway.
Ultimately, many Idol stars have sidled onto the Broadway stage at some point once the competition ended. In fact, the Village Voice once declared that it's a dirty little secret that former Idols are much more likely to find work on the Broadway stage than as a pop star.
It doesn't seem to matter which genre the Idol star came into the competition preferring, and it doesn't seem to matter if the contestant went out in the first round or won the whole shebang. Many of the American Idol alumni have done a tour or two along the Great White Way after exiting the Idol stage.
Taylor Hicks, who won Season Five of Idol, seemed to wander aimlessly for a time, but like some predecessors, looked to Broadway. He joined the cast of Grease as The Teen Angel who sings "Beauty School Dropout," a song some would call tailor-made for him. Hicks says that he was asked to appear on Broadway in Hairspray as well, but he couldn't work it into his schedule.
Another former Idol, Ace Young, Season Five, joined Hicks (for part of his run) in the cast of Grease. Young took on the role of Kenickie, made famous by Jeff Conaway in the movie version.
No discussion of Idols on Broadway would be complete without Fantasia Barrino and Jennifer Hudson. Barrino, Idol's Season Three winner, took on the role of Celie in the Broadway version of The Color Purple. It was during this time that Fantasia developed problems with her vocal chords and had to undergo surgery to remove a tumor on her vocal chords.
Jennifer Hudson walked from the Idol stage to the Broadway stage, starring in the mega hit Dreamgirls. Hudson won an Oscar, a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Award, as well as a Golden Globe for her work on Broadway. Despite the horrific tragedy she's had to endure since Dreamgirls, Hudson certainly found a niche on Broadway.
Ultimately, many Idol stars have sidled onto the Broadway stage at some point once the competition ended. In fact, the Village Voice once declared that it's a dirty little secret that former Idols are much more likely to find work on the Broadway stage than as a pop star.
It doesn't seem to matter which genre the Idol star came into the competition preferring, and it doesn't seem to matter if the contestant went out in the first round or won the whole shebang. Many of the American Idol alumni have done a tour or two along the Great White Way after exiting the Idol stage.
Taylor Hicks, who won Season Five of Idol, seemed to wander aimlessly for a time, but like some predecessors, looked to Broadway. He joined the cast of Grease as The Teen Angel who sings "Beauty School Dropout," a song some would call tailor-made for him. Hicks says that he was asked to appear on Broadway in Hairspray as well, but he couldn't work it into his schedule.
Another former Idol, Ace Young, Season Five, joined Hicks (for part of his run) in the cast of Grease. Young took on the role of Kenickie, made famous by Jeff Conaway in the movie version.
No discussion of Idols on Broadway would be complete without Fantasia Barrino and Jennifer Hudson. Barrino, Idol's Season Three winner, took on the role of Celie in the Broadway version of The Color Purple. It was during this time that Fantasia developed problems with her vocal chords and had to undergo surgery to remove a tumor on her vocal chords.
Jennifer Hudson walked from the Idol stage to the Broadway stage, starring in the mega hit Dreamgirls. Hudson won an Oscar, a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Award, as well as a Golden Globe for her work on Broadway. Despite the horrific tragedy she's had to endure since Dreamgirls, Hudson certainly found a niche on Broadway.
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