Todrick Hall Earns Adam Lambert Support, Top 20 Spot on American Idol

Broadway veteran Todrick Hall got one step closer to being the next American Idol, advancing to the top 20 on February 25 after the first week of live voting on the popular TV talent show. Hall has also caught the eye of last year's runner-up Adam Lambert, who tweeted about the fellow musical theater talent: "[He's] def gonna surprise us!! Mad talent!! Def the full package."

Hall performed an electro-funk take on American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson's song "Since U Been Gone" on the live February 24 broadcast of Idol, receiving harsh criticism from the judges, who usually encourage contestants to rethink popular songs (a practice that Lambert mastered on the show). Newbie judge Ellen DeGeneres had praise for his performance, but fellow judges Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi and especially Simon Cowell attacked, with Cowell saying that Hall's performance was "verging on stupid."

Hall starred on Broadway in The Color Purple, alongside American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino. In addition to his acting, Hall is a playwright, director and choreographer. He most recently wrote and staged OZ, the musical, an updated version of The Wizard of Oz that played around the country and has starred American Idol veterans Diana DeGarmo, Mikalah Gordon and Vonzell Solomon. In addition to The Color Purple (in which Hall appeared in the ensemble and was an understudy for the role of Harpo), he appeared in The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.