The American Idol Effect

It's beginning to look like losing on "American Idol" is better than winning, at least from a musical-theater perspective. Jennifer Hudson won the Golden Globe for best supporting actress for her film debut in Dreamgirls. And Broadway has proved to be more than willing to snap up "American Idol " runners-up:

Josh Strickland...Tarzan
Constantine Maroulis...The Wedding Singer, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well And Living in Paris
Diana Degarmo...Hairspray
Amy Adams...Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (tour)
Frenchie Davis...Rent

It's arguable that "American Idol" has also influenced singing styles on Broadway, although it also may be true that the two developments are simply parallel rather than causal. Recent shows that require, or have required, more of a pop sound include Wicked, Brooklyn, Spring Awakening, Rent, The Wedding Singer, All Shook Up, Jersey Boys, Good Vibrations, The Times They Are a Changin', Ring of Fire, Lennon, High Fidelity, and Mamma Mia.

Students at the Boston Conservatory have been requesting that instructors reshape their curricula to reflect that pop influence on Broadway. But this also could be because BoCo has had two former students go on to become "American Idol" finalists (Katherine McPhee and Constantine Maroulis), and students are hoping that they too might tread that potentially lucrative path.

Either way, it bodes well for Broadway. As musical theater infuses more of a popular sound, it becomes more relevant to a younger demographic, and that's the key to the long-term viability of the form. When Hair came to Broadway in the sixties, many predicted that pop music was the sound of the theater's future. Little did they know it would take some forty years for that prediction to come true. 

Comments

[Pat]

Katherine only went one semester/year and went back home.
Constantine did graduate.

[chris caggiano]

You're quite right. Notice I refer to her as a "former student" rather than a "graduate."

[Jude]

Constantine made a host of new fans because of his "natural comedic talents" in the Wedding Singer, and now he has
taken on the incredibly challenging role in the 4-person cast of Jacques Brel- 180 degrees from his Sammy role.
I agree with the Broadway critic who, after seeing C's debut last week, wrote:
"This guy is going places"
If he/she is talented and industrious enough, an AI alum can indeed make the critics take note-and of course, musical versatility supported by theater training certainly doesn't hurt!