Former American Idol finalist Ace Young may be used to performing in front of a live audience, but now he's doing it eight times a week completely naked!
"It's so freeing," the Colorado native says of Hair's infamous group nude scene.
Young, 29, premiered with fellow former Idol Diana DeGarmo in the Broadway musical earlier this month. "If I could walk down 42nd Street with a bar of soap and let the rain clean me, I would," he says. "I'm comfortable with my body."
To build stamina for his role as Berger, Young tacked early-morning sprints onto his regular weight-lifting routine. But he's less concerned with his diet: "I can really eat anything because the show is such a workout," he says of the pastrami sandwiches, burgers and two gallons of water he's been putting down each day. "I've even dipped back into eating Funyuns and Doritos," he admits.
In fact, after rehearsing six days a week for eight hours a day, the high-energy show is officially open and Young says, "I'm in the best shape of my life."
They never claimed the top title on American Idol, but former finalists Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo are about to “Let the Sunshine In” — and let it all hang out! — as part of a replacement cast in Hair, Broadway’s successful, ongoing revival of the stage musical about late-1960s counter-culture.
The newly announced cast, which will get naked for a scene in each performance if they follow show tradition, takes over on March 9 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, reports Broadway.com.
Young finished seventh on Idol’s season 5, the year Taylor Hicks won. Now he’ll play Hair’s sexy, impish Berger, leader of a tribe of hippies living in and around New York City’s Central Park.
DeGarmo, who was the runner-up to Fantasia Barrino in season 3 (the same year Jennifer Hudson got booted early), plays college student and political activist Sheila, and thus will get to belt the showstopper “Easy to Be Hard.”
We can only wonder if Simon Cowell will attend one night and take special heed of the song’s most memorable lyrics: “How can people be so heartless? How can people be so cruel? … Easy to be proud. Easy to say no.” Sing it, Diana!
Going to New York early on this summer? Want to catch a show? Here's a taste of what you won't want to miss!
Last summer The Public Theater's Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rick Musical was the show to see. So much so in fact that you can still get your "Summer of Love" fix on Broadway this year at the Al Hirschfeld Theater.
This summer, Shakespeare in the Park is going to knock it out of the ballpark again. Daniel Sullivan is presenting a star-studded production of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night featuring Anne Hathaway, Audra McDonald, Raúl Esparza, Stark Sands, and Julie White. Performances run from June 10th - July 12th at the beautiful Delacorte Theater in Central Park and tickets are free. Be sure to wake up early and get a spot in line.
On Broadway there is also plenty to see. Dolly Parton fans, look no further... 9 to 5 has finally arrived! Allison Janney teams up with Stephanie J. Block and Megan Hilty to cause all kinds of trouble, much to our collective delight. Meanwhile, the men in the show are hot! Mark Kudish, Andy Karl, and cutie-pie Van Hughes will steal your hearts away with their singing, dancing and masculine wiles.
If you're looking for a revival, run to the electric production of 
West Side Story, playing at the historic Palace Theatre on Broadway. Arthur Laurents directs a stellar cast including pretty boy Matt Cavenaugh, the stunning Josefina Scaglione, and memorable Karen Olivo.
On the other side of Broadway, Marcia Gay Harden, James Gandolfini, Hope Davis, and Jeff Daniels tear up the stage in God of Carnage, a comedy of manners...without the manners.
And if you're flocking to Times Square between now and early June, you can still catch Geoffrey Rush, Susan Sarandon, and Lauren Ambrose, and Andrea Martin in Eugene Ionesco's comedy, Exit the King at the Barrymore.
Off Broadway, the talk of the town is Leslie Ayvazian's latest play, Make Me, opening May 31st at The Atlantic Theater Company. If you don't know Ayvazian you're in for a real treat. She is one of the coolest women working on the New York theater scene. Her play, Nine Armenians, ran at the Manhattan Theatre Club and won the John Gassner Outer Critics Award for Best New Play. The smart director Christian Parker leads a cast that includes New York favorites: Jessica Hecht and Candy Buckley.
In this latest naughty comic adventure, six pent-up Americans have reached the end of their ropes and the rules all change. What length will they go to be seen, heard, and obeyed? Avyazian challenges our assumptions about what makes love work and who's really in charge.
For the adventurous theatergoer, Fuerza Bruta: Look Up is a must. The sexy show offers a monthly "Boys Night" where ripped performers slip and slide in a giant pool that hovers inches above the audience. Upcoming "Boys Nights" at Fuerza Bruta are happening on Saturday May 30th and Saturday, June 27th at 10:00 pm.
Elsewhere, the Midtown International Theatre Festival is teaming up with the Fresh Fruit Festival to present an inclusive, multidiscipline International Festival of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Cultural & Arts Festival under the direction of artistic director Carol Polcovar. The program has yet to be announced, but will feature at least eight plays from July 13th - August 2nd at various venues.
Meanwhile, this year's New York International Fringe Festival is running from August 14th - 30th all over Manhattan. With over 200 shows, 4,500 artists, and over 75,000 tickets this year's festival will surely offer a variety of colorful and queer options. Recent success stories from the FringeNYC include: Confessions of a Mormon Boy, Debbie Does Dallas, Dixie's Tupperware Party, Urinetown: The Musical, and Matt&Ben.
Former American Idol finalist Ace Young may be used to performing in front of a live audience, but now he's doing it eight times a week completely naked!
