Broadway's Grease will soon gain yet another reality TV alum: American Idol season five finalist Ace Young. The sweet-faced crooner, who finished in seventh place in the 2006 edition of Idol, will make his Broadway debut in the role of Kenickie beginning September 9 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Taylor Hicks, who won season five of Idol, will depart Kathleen Marshall's production on September 7 after a summer run as Teen Angel.
Young, a Denver, Colorado, native, has appeared on TV's Half & Half and Bones as an actor. As a songwriter, he was composed music for TV's Tom Green Live! and collaborated with fellow American Idol graduate Chris Daughtry on the hit single "It's Not Over," earning a 2007 Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Song in the process. His self-titled solo CD was released on July 15. Young also appeared in People as one of the magazine's "Hottest Bachelors" in 2006.
In addition to Young, Grease stars You're the One That I Want finalists Derek Keeling as Danny and Ashley Spencer as Sandy along with Ryan Patrick Binder as Doody, Susan Blommaert as Miss Lynch, Will Blum as Roger, Jeb Brown as Vince, Janine DiVita as Rizzo, Allison Fischer as Patty, Robyn Hurder as Marty, Lindsay Mendez as Jan, Jose Restrepo as Sonny, Jamison Scott as Eugene and Kirsten Wyatt as Frenchy. The ensemble features Ashley Arcement, Brian Crum, Natalie Hill Cha-Cha, Keven Quillon, Josh Rouah, Allie Schulz, Brian Sears, Christina Sivrich, Amber Stone and Anna Aimee White.
