Photo Flash: Idol: The Musical

Performances for Idol: The Musical, described as�"a�satirical�new Off-Broadway musical described as "a show based on the worship of Clay Aiken," began Off-Broadway at the 45th Street Theatre (354 W. 45th St.) on Thursday, July 5th.�

Produced by the Syracuse Civic Theatre's Todd Ellis, "Idol" features a book by Bill Boland.� Jon Balcourt composed the music.� Boland and Balcourt co-wrote the lyrics.�Daniel�Tursi�directs.
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The show, according to press notes, "is a satirical musical comedy that focuses on the outrageous and delusional fan base of the hit television show.��The musical takes place in Steubenville, Ohio where a group of dork-like students are preparing for their high school graduation after which they are determined to drag themselves out of the dregs of the middle-of-nowhere.��There are eight of them; all belonging to the same cult-like club that meets daily in a barn that doubles as a shrine to Clay Aiken...The story heats up when the mid-American leg of the 'Idol Tour,' starring Clay Aiken, is announced to be playing Chicago, Memphis, Louisville, Scranton, Charleston, Greensboro,�Roanoke and...Steubenville."
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Featured in the cast are Babs Rubenstein (42nd Street, Beauty and the Beast, Footloose, Titanic) who plays 'Adrienne' the real bad-guy of the piece; Jennie Riverso (Once Upon A Mattress, Bye Bye Birdie, Cats) who plays 'Alex' a brutally combative diamond-in-the-rough who fights all of her battles with her two fists; Nikita Richards� (Cats, Peter Pan) who plays 'Cass' a Goth-chick whose voodoo doll is named 'Willard'; Courtney Ellis (The Sound of Music, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Miracle Worker) who plays 'Cicaida,' a child prodigy with an encyclopedic knowledge of the world; Jon Balcourt (The Wiz, Good News, Babes In Toyland, Anything Goes) who plays 'Connor,' the home-schooled kid; Ryan Sprague (Cyrano de Bergerac, The Giver, Proof) who plays 'Duncan,' a loveable goofball obsessed with Western apparel; Joella Burt (The Wizard of Oz, Grease, Footloose, Annie), who plays 'Emily' the alpha-misfit; Joe Walker (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) who plays 'J.D.,' the basketball phenom who longs to be a Chippendale dancer and Roy George-Thiemann (Seussical, The Wiz, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown), who plays 'Kodi' a self-appointed celebrity waiting to happen.
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Tickets are $60 for general admission, and $25 for student rush. Call 212-868-4444 or visit www.smarttix.com for tickets.