Jordin Sparks Joins Broadway’s “In The Heights” For A Limited Run

This is a great show! (I saw it when it was off Broadway)

The character of Nina is sweet, smart, and kind of innocent. Should be a fun role for Jordin.

Is this a dancing role? Does Jordin dance?

goooooooo jordin :)

Good for you Jordin.. rake in the $$.

That’s cool news for Jordin! I hope she does a great job and has a great time.

Well if she doesn’t dance she will learn fast! I would imagine Jordin like most girls with the show biz bug took some lessons at one time or the other. I can’t wait to see how she does, but won’t be in NYC to see for myself.

congrats to Jordin on the role . she has mentioned before how she lived in NY when she was younger and became a fan of Broadway plays and recently she has said she hoped to do one sometime.

I’m not surprised. I think in about five years, most of the currently successful Idols will be on Broadwayf or in music theater somewhere. Maybe 2 or 3 tops will still have viable careers as recording artists.

I’m not surprised. I think in about five years, most of the currently successful Idols will be on Broadwayf or in music theater somewhere. Maybe 2 or 3 tops will still have viable careers as recording artists.

Being able to sing isn’t the be all and end all of a Broadway career. The idols have to be able to inhabit a character with credibility, so they need acting chops. As of right now I’d expect Constantine and Diana to be the only sure bets for future broadway success, with a couple others in the “possible” success box.

Many of the other idols who appeared on Broadway did it as a one-off and I doubt they’ll want to make their longterm career in it. It’s not an easy gig.

Congratulations to Jordin. I hope she has a good, solid run with ITH. It’s a fun, youthful show.

Really? I’m surprised…

I’m not surprised. I think in about five years, most of the currently successful Idols will be on Broadway or in music theater somewhere. Maybe 2 or 3 tops will still have viable careers as recording artists

I don’t know why people persist in looking at a broadway career as some sort of consolation prize for people who can’t cut it as recording artists. Huge movie stars are appearing on broadway right now, and not because their movie careers are failing. Some of the most talented, charismatic performers I have ever seen appear in musical theater. Yes, there have been a handful of Idol finalists who have had success in musical theater post idol, but they have also been blessed with acting ability. Not every Idol can simply say, hey, this recording thing isn’t working out, lets just join a broadway show. And I doubt that most of the currently successul recording artist Idols will ultimately wind up on broadway. I do not see Archie or Kris or Castro or Allison or Daughtry or Carrie (based upon the acting in her TV special) or Kelly (from justin to kelly, need I say more) on broadway.

if im not mistaken Jordin did musical theatre back home in glendale before the idol thing .. so she’s had some experience ( a lesser scale i’m sure) but some

wishing her all the best in all she does .. shes a sweetheart!!

That’s great!! I’m happy for her. And a broadway career (not saying she’ll be on Broadway for ever!) is not to be looked down at. It’s super great and a lot of singers would love to do that; it requires acting skills as well, so you got to be an overall versatil artist.

And the morons looking down on it have the “hero or zero” type of attitude (..you sell millions of records or you’re nothing) which I categorize as a mental and emotional disability.. lol

Most of the kids from Idol that get involved in Broadway would never have made to the stage at all or beyond the chorus (remember Adam?) without the name recognition Idol gave them. Name recognition = ticket sales = a good ploy to use when a play has been on awhile and TPTB want to spark publicity and continue to sell seats. That being said, as mentioned upthread they need to have talent, usually of the triple threat variety: Singing, Dancing, Acting.

I think it is a wonderful honor to be on Broadway, but it is an exhausting job. Ya have to really love it and also have a lot of stamina.

I love going to theater. Since i was a kid. I just love it. Musicals, drama, opera…i love it all.
I grew up thinking that live theater is the best thing in the world, i don’t get why there is a pejorative element to it sometimes. Just the atmosphere of a theater is magical:)
So is Jordin still touring or did she cancel the whole tour and starts rehearsing soon?

I also disagree that everybody can do it. You have to have some skills for it.

I have to agree that a Broadway musical is not something that just anyone can decide to do. You have to be able to sing, dance and act, very well, often at the same time. 8 shows a week for months on end is demanding and exhausting. Of course all parts are not created equal. Taylor Hicks cameo role of one song in Grease is hardly the same as what Fantasia, Clay or Constantine did with the lead role in their productions and essentially carrying the whole show.

I actually think Simon Cowell is responsible for people thinking Broadway is for second class singers.

Personally I don’t think “recording Artist” is the ultimate in entertainment. I think of the really big names that have endured over years and years as “entertainers” and they have done a lot more then sing in a studio and record an album. Besides, the streets of the good old USA are litered with recording artists who didn’t have the talent to do anything else and so once they weren’t the hot commodity any longer they just naturally faded away.

Successful people tend to get their feet wet in lots of different places…writing, tours, movies, TV, Broadway, and (heaven help us) even doing great Las Vegas gigs. So kudos to the Idols who are spreading their wings and trying new things…makes them lots more interesting entertainers, as well as peeps.

I think it’s kinda random,but Jordin Sparks is trending at number 2 on yahoo searches
jordin + Corbin would make a cute couple, but Corbin smokes…ewwww

So is Jordin still touring or did she cancel the whole tour and starts rehearsing soon?

she is on tour now an will be till the beginning of aug

Taylor Hicks cameo role of one song in Grease is hardly the same as what Fantasia, Clay or Constantine did with the lead role in their productions and essentially carrying the whole show.

Was Clay in another Broadway show other than Spamalot? He didn’t have the lead in that. Even tho Constantine had the top billing in ROA, he didn’t have the biggest role. Altho Constatine was good, there were several others in ROA who were equally or better than him. I think he got the top billing because of name recognition from AI.

Was Clay in another Broadway show other than Spamalot? He didn’t have the lead in that.

Actually he did. He played 4 roles in Spamalot with Sir Robin being the major one. These were the same roles that David Hyde Pierce played when he was the lead before Clay. Clay’s name appeared above the title, another indicator of a star with a lead role.

Most of the kids from Idol that get involved in Broadway would never have made to the stage at all or beyond the chorus (remember Adam?) without the name recognition Idol gave them. Name recognition = ticket sales = a good ploy to use when a play has been on awhile and TPTB want to spark publicity and continue to sell seats. That being said, as mentioned upthread they need to have talent, usually of the triple threat variety: Singing, Dancing, Acting.

To an extent, I’d agree. That was certainly the case with Taylor being Teen Angel in Grease.

However, I think both Diana and Ace claimed they had to audition for Hair. I’m sure name recognition helped getting those auditions, though.

Anyway, good luck to Jordin. As for her dating life, isn’t she seeing Steph Jones?

Was Clay in another Broadway show other than Spamalot? He didn’t have the lead in that.

Actually he did. He played 4 roles in Spamalot with Sir Robin being the major one. These were the same roles that David Hyde Pierce played when he was the lead before Clay. Clay’s name appeared above the title, another indicator of a star with a lead role.

King Arthur played by Tim Curry was the lead in which Curry was nominated for Best Actor in a Musical (for Spamalot). I didn’t see the play with Clay, but I did see it with DHP.

CONGRats to JORDIN , SHE IS GOING TO RAKE IN THE $$ ,AND NO THIS IS NOT THE END OF HER CAREER , she gonna be around for a very long time,this alot of publicity for the show and for jordin means great for her 3rd album,am sure she will workl on that right after the production

SHE IS GOING TO RAKE IN THE $$

LOL, no one famous does bway for the money…unless your deal includes a percentage of the box office (like lane and broderick in the producers or jackman and craig) you don’t make nearly as much money as if you were on a tv show or in a movie. But this will be a great experience for Jordin and I bet she will be terrific in the part.

Jordin is very talented and I’ll bet she is going to do quite well with the role.

As Idol trudges along, the winners and also-rans are going to come off the show with the expectation of 1 or 2 records tops with Sony and actual HOPES of going on to a Broadway career. The caliber of talent on Broadway is at a higher level than pop music, and being successful on Idol, it’s a given that you have the vocal chops to sing live on stage, as well as the charisma. Those top names like Clay, Fantasia, Constantine and Taylor can earn much more from a national tour than from the sputtering record sales the show is producing for everyone. Broadway is ready to swoop in and cherry pick the best when the album selling cycle is over. Mark my words, Simon, who frequently refers to Broadway with disdain, will be producing Broadway shows within 5 years. With the success of “Glee” and all the rock writers composing for shows, it’s going to be fertile ground in the future. Sure, idol alums would probably prefer to be a highly successful solo artist like Kelly and Carrie, but for those in the entertainment industry, Broadway is a very desirable and sought-after career goal.

This is a new experience for me. I am very happy to spend time in New York and join this talented and my new favorite musical.

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