The Story of Constantine: From Brooklyn to Broadway

You know him by the long hair, the flashed metal signs, the long-legged swagger. But how well do you know Broadway.com Star of the Year Constantine Maroulis? For those who want the info behind the bio credits and YouTube-able American Idol montages, we’ve put together a little back story on Maroulis, tracking his road from Brooklyn boy to Broadway star.

Born on September 17, 1975, a second generation Greek American, Constantine James Maroulis spent his early years in Brooklyn, developing a raging Yankees addiction by the time his family relocated across the Hudson when he was five. Transplanted to suburban Wycoff, New Jersey, Maroulis (along with his older brother, now a music producer, and sister, an educator) thrived, taking up music at a young age before tapping into a long Jersey tradition: jamming in garage rock bands.

Music morphed from an after-school hobby to a seriously pursued passion when Maroulis enrolled at Boston Conservatory of Music, joining the ranks of alums such as Memphis star Chad Kimball, Ragtime ingenue Stephanie Umoh, A Little Night Music cast member Erin Davie, Jersey Boys’ Dominic Nolfi and American Idol runner-up Katherine McPhee. With his strong rock vocals and ease in the spotlight, Maroulis found roles in productions of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and the national tour of Rent after graduation in 2002. He even appeared at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

His big break, however, came in 2005, when an audition for the fourth season of a reality TV sing-off competition American Idol (maybe you’ve heard of it?) paid off, landing Maroulis in the Top Ten—in front of millions of viewers. Though he was voted off in sixth place after an infamous performance of Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me” (years later, Maroulis apologized to the band personally when they came to see Rock of Ages on Broadway), the American Idol experience was kind to Maroulis. Considered one of the first of the wholesome pop showcase’s contestants to compete under the moniker of the edgy rocker, Maroulis is partially credited for paving the way for later contenders like David Cook and Adam Lambert, who were able to eschew Idol’s love of ballads for grittier covers of artists like Queen and Led Zeppelin.

Idol landed Maroulis an agent and manager; led to concert performances both with his band, Pray for the Soul of Betty, and as a solo artist; scored him hosting duties on shows like American Idol Extra; gave him the leverage to release his solo album, Constantine on his own label, Sixth Place Records; and effectively caught the ear of New York casting agents.

In 2006, Maroulis made a well-received off-Broadway debut in the revival of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, using the gig as a follow-up to his Broadway debut as Sammy in the musical adaptation of The Wedding Singer. He continued moving forward with a stint on The Bold and the Beautiful in 2007 (playing a dark and sexy singer) and a solo tour in 2008, as well as a run as Judus in Premier Theatre Company's regional production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

But the jump from jobbing actor and musician to star came in October 2008, when Maroulis hit New World Stages as lovable rock star-wannabe Drew in the campy musical comedy Rock of Ages. A Los Angeles transplant set in the late 1980s and scored with hair-band hits, Rock of Ages far exceeded its niche-demographic expectations, becoming a cult hit worthy of a larger audience; by January 4, 2009, the show had shuttered off-Broadway in anticipation of its official Broadway opening on April 7 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre--and what an opening! Reviewers singled out Maroulis, praising his “dazzling vocal pyrotechnics” and “shaggy charm that’s irresistible.”

When Tony Award nominations came out just under a month later, Maroulis was among the five performers honored in the category of Best Actor in a Musical. “Man, that was definitely a nice way to wake up [that] morning,” Maroulis told Broadway.com shortly after receiving the news. “It was amazing. Very, very surreal. I’m very blessed to have an incredible role and the opportunity to do what I love to do, which is be a performer, especially one in the theater. The chance to create a role is every actor’s dream.”

While Maroulis didn’t take home the Tony trophy (that honor went to the trio of young title stars in Billy Elliot), he does cap off 2009 with plans to play with the show through summer 2010, and, of course, his latest Broadway honor, the Broadway.com Star of the Year, chosen entirely by the fans. Not too bad for a boy from Brooklyn.

“I have the greatest fans in the world,” he told Broadway.com. “It’s been a crazy ride, and to be out there now, every night, doing this show with this cast on Broadway? It’s amazing.”