Constantine Maroulis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Constantine Maroulis
Constantine Maroulis in May 2015
Background information
Birth name	Constantine James Maroulis
Born	(1975-09-17) September 17, 1975 (age 49) Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres	Rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, actor
Years active	2003–present
Labels	6th place Records

Constantine James Maroulis (born September 17, 1975) is an American actor and rock singer. He became famous as a finalist on the TV show American Idol. He also earned a special award nomination, called a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, for his role in the musical Rock of Ages. Later, he played the main character in Jekyll and Hyde on Broadway. For this role, he received another nomination, a Drama League Award.

Constantine's Early Life and Music Journey

Constantine Maroulis was born in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were Greek American, and his grandparents came to the United States from Greece in the 1920s. He grew up following the Greek Orthodoxy faith and can speak Greek. His older brother, Athan Maroulis, is a music producer. His sister, Anastacia, is a school principal.

When Constantine was five, his family moved to Wyckoff, New Jersey. He became interested in music, just like his older brother. By age eleven, he was learning to play the trumpet.

He sang in high school bands like Lady Rain and Milkbone. After high school, he studied Music Theater at Boston Conservatory. Before American Idol, Constantine appeared on a dating show called Elimidate. He was also an extra in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and did voice-overs for Astro Boy.

He performed in many plays and independent films. He also toured with the musical Rent.

Becoming an American Idol Star

In August 2004, Constantine tried out for the fourth season of American Idol. The show changed its age rules that year, allowing contestants up to 28 years old. This helped Constantine and another contestant, Bo Bice. They were also among the first to sing rock music on the show.

On April 27, 2005, Constantine was eliminated from American Idol. He had sung "How You Remind Me" by Nickelback. Before his elimination, his band, Pray for the Soul of Betty, announced their first album would be released soon.

Constantine's performance of "My Funny Valentine" was featured on the American Idol Season 4: The Showstoppers album. He also impressed the judges with his version of the Queen song "Bohemian Rhapsody". Queen's guitarist, Brian May, even invited Constantine to record a studio version of the song. This was for an album called Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen.

Constantine's American Idol Performances

Music Career: From Bands to Solo Hits

Constantine became the lead singer of the band Pray for the Soul of Betty in 2003. The band gained attention when he appeared on Idol. He left the band in March 2006 after three years.

In 2005, Constantine started performing solo shows. He sang songs from his theater roles and his time on American Idol. In 2006, he went on a 13-city solo tour. He introduced new songs for his upcoming album.

Constantine started his own music label, Sixth place Records. On August 7, 2007, he released his first solo album, Constantine. It had 12 songs and reached number 75 on the Billboard charts.

He has sung "The Star-Spangled Banner" at many big events. These include a New York Yankees opening day and a 49ers football game. He also sang "God Bless America" at the 2009 Men's U.S. Open. On July 4, 2009, he sang the National Anthem when the Statue of Liberty's crown reopened to the public.

In 2008, Constantine went on another solo tour, playing to sold-out crowds. He also appeared on the TV show Don't Forget the Lyrics! in 2008. He won $25,000 for the charity Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

In 2009, he started his "A Night at the Rock Show" series. He sang his own versions of famous rock songs. He returned to American Idol in 2011 to perform his new song, "Unchained Melody". He also released his live version of Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4".

Constantine has also worked on children's projects. He voices Gus the Bear in the Loukoumi children's books. In 2011, he became a spokesperson for Disney/Fisher-Price's Rock Star Mickey toy. For this, he released a new version of "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks.

He often performed with the 1980s tribute band Jessie's Girl. In 2015, he recorded "Close My Eyes Forever" with the band SYKA. That September, he took part in the Rock in Rio festival in Rio de Janeiro. He also helped produce the musical Spring Awakening, which was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

In 2016, Constantine released new songs like "Here I Come" and "She's Just Rock'n'Roll". He returned to American Idol for its final season. He mentored contestants and performed "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "My Funny Valentine". At the finale, he joined other former Idol stars for a rock medley.

In 2018, Constantine performed with Scott Bradlee's band Postmodern Jukebox. He also joined the rock band Adler's Appetite, formed by Guns n'Roses' drummer, Steven Adler. He toured Australia with them.

Constantine's Acting Roles

In 2005, there were talks for Constantine to star in a TV show called Brooklyn. It was based on his Greek-American family life. However, the show was not made.

Maroulis during The Wedding Singer.

In September 2006, Constantine joined the Broadway musical The Wedding Singer. He played the role of Sammy. He also helped record a song for a charity album, Carols for a Cure, to support Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

In 2007, he played "Young Soldier" in the Off-Broadway musical Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. He also became an American Idol expert for Good Day New York and Yahoo! Buzz. Later that year, he had a special role on the TV show The Bold and the Beautiful as a singer and record producer.

In March 2008, Constantine co-hosted American Idol Extra. In June, he starred as Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar. He had played Jesus in an earlier production when he was younger.

Maroulis and the Rock of Ages cast backstage with Kevin Cronin.

Constantine became very successful starring as Drew in the Broadway musical Rock of Ages. This show featured music from 1980s rock bands like Journey and Bon Jovi. The musical started Off-Broadway in October 2008 and moved to Broadway in April 2009. Critics praised his performance and powerful singing. The New York Times called his voice "soulful, pure, and intense." In May 2009, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. He then led the national tour of Rock of Ages until July 2011. He also had a small role in the movie version of Rock of Ages in 2012.

In 2012, Constantine played Melvin Ferd the Third in The Toxic Avenger. The Houston Chronicle praised his "gorgeous, crystal-clear" voice.

He also hosted a new show on Fuse.tv.com called Unofficial Idol Forum. He interviewed Idol contestants and talked with fans online.

In autumn 2012, Constantine took on the main roles in Jekyll and Hyde. He toured with the show before it opened on Broadway in April 2013. The New York Times said he handled the music "with aplomb" and gave an "intense performance." He received a Drama League Award Nomination for this role.

Constantine has also appeared on TV shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Z Rock, Unforgettable, and Madam Secretary.

In 2014, he returned to Rock of Ages as Drew for a special run. His return was extended until the show's final Broadway performance in January 2015.

In 2015, he was in a commercial for La-Z-Boy furniture. In 2016, he was cast in the play Friend Art. In 2017, he joined The Most Beautiful Room in New York and played Judas Iscariot again in Jesus Christ Superstar. He also played Che in Evita and Robert Moses in Bulldozer: The Ballad of Robert Moses. He reprised his role in Jekyll and Hyde in 2018.

In 2019, he played The Wolf and Cinderella's Prince in Into the Woods. In 2023, he played Alan Freed in an Off-Broadway show called Rock and Roll Man. In 2024, he starred in East Carson Street.

Awards and Recognitions

In 2007, Constantine received the Hellenic Times Scholarship Fund's Humanitarian Award for Artistic Achievement. This award honors Greek-Americans who show hard work and dedication. He also received an award from New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. for his leadership in the Greek Community.

For his role in Rock of Ages, Constantine was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. He also received a Drama League Award Nomination for this role.

Inside Broadway, an organization that teaches young people about musical theater, gave Constantine a Broadway Beacon Award in 2009. This award recognized his support for theater and arts education.

On July 1, 2009, Constantine and the cast of Rock of Ages set a new Guinness World Record. They had 810 people playing air guitar at the same time, breaking the old record.

Broadway.com named Constantine "Broadway Star of the Year" for 2009. He received over 25,000 votes from fans.

In March 2010, Constantine's caricature was added to Sardi's, a famous New York City restaurant. A month later, he was honored on the Broadway Wall of Fame at Tony's di Napoli. On April 26, 2010, the New York City Council honored him for his achievements.

The Greek America Foundation chose Constantine as one of their "Forty Under 40" winners in 2010. This award recognizes young Greek Americans who are leaders. In June 2011, he received a Gabby Award for Performing Arts from the Greek America Foundation. He also received the 2011 Spotlight Award from the Elios Society.

In 2013, he received another Drama League Award Nomination for his performance in Jekyll and Hyde.

Constantine was the first person to receive the Loukoumi "Make a Difference" Award in January 2015. This award recognized his contributions to entertainment and his efforts to inspire children.

Constantine's Music Releases

Albums

• 2005: Pray for the Soul of Betty
• 2007: Constantine
• 2020: Until I'm Wanted

Singles

• 2005: "My Funny Valentine"
• 2005: "Bohemian Rhapsody"
• 2006: "Hanukkah Song"
• 2009: "I'll Be Home for Christmas/Christmas in America" (duet with Orfeh)
• 2011: "Unchained Melody"
• 2011: "25 or 6 to 4"
• 2011: "You Really Got Me"
• 2011: "Down Flew the Doves" (with Tim Prottey-Jones)
• 2015: "All I Ask"
• 2015: "Close My Eyes Forever" (with SYKA)
• 2016: "Here I Come"
• 2016: "She's Just Rock 'n' Roll"
• 2017: "All About You"
• 2018: "All About You" (acoustic version)
• 2023: "Daydream"
• 2023: "Comeback"

Other Projects

• 2007: Growing Up With Loukoumi (as Gus The Bear)
• 2009: Loukoumi's Good Deeds (as Gus The Bear)
• 2009: Rock of Ages: Original Broadway Cast Recording
• 2009: Loukoumi's Gift (as Gus The Bear)
• 2012: Rock of Ages: Motion Picture Soundtrack
• 2012: Jekyll and Hyde: 2012 Concept Recording
• 2013: Loukoumi and the Schoolyard Bully (as Gus The Bear)
• 2016: Welcome to Our Christmas Party (with Band of Merrymakers)