Constantine Maroulis :: From Idol to Broadway
One of the emerging Broadway hits this spring season has beenRock of Ages, a musical set in Los Angeles in the 1980s when big haired rock bands like Bon Jovi and Whitesnake ruled the music scene. The music in the show is made up of music from such 80s classics as Twisted Sister’s "We’re Not Gonna Take It" and Night Ranger’s "Sister Christian." Constantine Maroulis stars as Drew, a newbie to the LA scene who wants to lives his dreams and be a star. EDGE’s Jim Halterman talked to Maroulis about how the just-opened show is bringing in audiences and how he feels about his association with American Idol.
Role a godsend
EDGE: As a kid growing up in New Jersey, was Broadway a big part of your life?
Constantine Maroulis: Absolutely. I grew up with the musicals in my house, everything from ’West Side Story,’ ’Guys and Dolls,’ even, a little later, ’Jesus Christ Superstar.’ I loved all that stuff and I was always a singer as a kid. In an effort to sing more and create more opportunities to sing, I got into doing theater when I was pretty young. My brother and sister were older than me and they always did all the high school stuff and I always wanted to be like them so it was a big part of my life.
EDGE: Were you into all the great music from the 80s that’s used in ’Rock of Ages’ before you became involved with the show?
CM: Absolutely. The interesting thing is that I grew up on show tunes and a lot of rock and roll as well. As much as I love ’West Side Story,’ I love my Whitesnake, ya know? It’s just been a godsend to me as far as the opportunity as an actor to create a role like this, to be able to sing songs that I grew up with and be comfortable singing. I used to put on concerts of these songs in my room and then next would be ’Jesus Christ Superstar.’ I grew up in the 80s and it’s been a lot of fun.
EDGE: How have audiences responded now that the show has opened?
CM: They’ve been amazing. From day one of previews, the theater has been full every night. We’re not a massive show, we don’t have a huge budget for big marketing and previews out of town so we’re really relying on word of mouth and it’s been wonderful so far. Fans have been great. We have a lot of new theatergoers coming to see the show who clearly are into the music that they grew up loving and I think they find that they leave the theater with a rewarding theatrical experience as well. We seem to be turning the sort of highbrow theater folk on as well with our show and we’ve had tremendous notices, which is very cool and flattering. We just go out there and have fun each night and try to tell our story.
