American Idol's Constantine Maroulis to Join The Wedding Singer in September

Constantine Maroulis, a contestant in the 2005 edition of American Idol, will join the cast of The Wedding Singer in early September in the role of Sammy, the not-so-bright bandmate of the title character. Maroulis has signed on for an eight week run in the show, replacing Matthew Saldivar.

While attending the Boston Conservatory of Music and Berklee College of Music, Brooklyn-born Maroulis began appearing onstage in shows such as Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Jesus Christ Superstar. In 2002, he apprenticed at the Williamstown Theater Festival, where he appeared alongside Ron Leibman and Diane Venora in Donald Margulies' God of Vengeance. For most of the next year, he toured North America and Asia as Roger in Rent and began his own rock band, Pray for the Soul of Betty. Among the highlights of Maroulis's stint on American Idol was his rendition of "My Funny Valentine" during the show's Broadway theme week. Though he was voted off Carrie Underwood eventually won, he became one of the show's most popular finalists. In the summer of 2005 Maroulis toured North America with the other Idol finalists and performed his version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" on The Tonight Show in support of his inclusion on Hollywood Records' Killer Queen tribute CD. He is currently at work on his solo debut with a new EP planned for late summer/early fall, and a full length release set for 2007.

With Broadway providing fertile ground for American Idol alumni, Maroulis follows in the footsteps of Diana DeGarmo, who returns to Hairspray as Penny Pingleton on September 8 through February 11, 2007, Tarzan star Josh Strickland and Frenchie Davis, who is currently starring in Rent.

The Wedding Singer continues to star Stephen Lynch, Tina Maddigan subbing for Laura Benanti, who is on medical leave, Richard H. Blake, Kevin Cahoon, Felicia Finley, Amy Spanger and Rita Gardner.