Frankie Grande, Lauren Zakrin to Join Broadway's ROCK OF AGES; Tony Nominee Constantine Maroulis Extends Run

Producers of the five-time Tony Award-nominated Rock of Ages announced today that "Big Brother" starFrankie J. Grande will return to Broadway in the smash-hit musical beginning November 10, 2014. Grande will star in the role of "Franz" - the free-spirited son of German developer Hertz Klineman, who threatens to tear down the Sunset Strip - through January 18, 2015. Click here to catch a video roundup of his past performances!

"Ever since my first role on Broadway, I have dreamed of playing Franz. I couldn't be more excited to finally get this opportunity, especially alongside this incredible cast," commented Grande.

"We are beyond thrilled to have Frankie return to Broadway and join the cast of Rock of Ages," said producer Scott Prisand. "With his exceptional, triple-threat talent and effervescent personality, he is the perfect match for our show and the role of the hilarious and endearing 'Franz'."

Frankie J. Grande is an actor, dancer, singer, producer and YouTube personality who began his career on stage in 2007 in the Broadway production ofMamma Mia! In addition to performing, he has produced Broadway plays and musicals such as Hamlet starring Jude Law, La Bête starring David Hyde Pierce and Born Yesterday starring Jim Belushi. Most recently seen on season 16 of the hit CBS reality series "Big Brother," Grande's other performing credits include the 2014 Off-Broadway revival of Pageant; regional productions of Crazy For You ("Bobby"), George M! and A Chorus Line; and cabaret acts throughout NYC, including Birdland Jazz Club, 54 Below, and the Laurie Beechman Theatre headlining his own show Living La Vida Grande. Grande is a founding member of the charity 'Broadway in South Africa', a global arts outreach group, and in 2014 was honored by buildOn with the Global Impact Award for his work building a school in a rural village in Malawi.

Original Tony Award-nominated star Constantine Maroulis will extend his return engagement as "Drew" through January 18, 2015 and Lauren Zakrin (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812) will also join the company, making her Broadway debut in the lead role of "Sherrie" beginning November 3. As previously announced, award-winning YouTube sensation Chester See joins the cast as "Stacee Jaxx" beginning October 27.

Lauren Zakrin - a finalist on the MTV reality show "Legally Blonde: The Search for the Next Elle Woods" - makes her Broadway debut in Rock of Ages,fresh off her run in the acclaimed Off-Broadway electro-pop opera Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812. Additional credits include originating the role of "Brooke" in the Las Vegas production of Surf: The Musical directed by Tony nominee Kristin Hanggi, "Sandy" in the first national tour ofGrease, "Elle Woods" in Legally Blonde at The Muny, and understudy for "Glinda" and "Elle Woods" in the first national tours of Wicked and Legally Blonde, respectively.

The music that ignited a generation is heating up Broadway in the five-time Tony Award-nominated musical Rock of Ages. The hilarious, tongue-in-cheek love story - which recently celebrated its fifth anniversary on Broadway and its spot in the Top 30 Longest-Running Broadway Shows in History- erupts into Broadway's Best Party, all to the sounds of such feel-good, sing-out-loud songs as "I Wanna Know What Love Is", "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," "Wanted Dead Or Alive," "Here I Go Again", "Don't Stop Believin" and more.

ROCK OF AGES currently stars a "Supergroup" of performers including Tony Award-nominated original star Constantine Maroulis as "Drew", Original Las Vegas cast member Carrie St. Louis as "Sherrie," Original Broadway cast member Mitchell Jarvis as "Stacee Jaxx," Genson Blimlineas "Lonny," Original Broadway cast member Adam Dannheisser as "Dennis," Original Toronto cast member Cody Scott Lancaster as "Franz," Original Toronto cast member Josephine Rose Roberts as "Regina," Original Broadway cast member Paul Schoeffler as "Hertz," and Original First National Tour cast member Teresa Stanley as "Justice." Rounding out the cast are Tessa Alves, Cristy Candler, Alyssa Herrera, Tony LePage, Michael Minarik, Josh Sassanella, Andre Ward and Katie Webber.

ROCK OF AGES opened on Broadway to critical acclaim on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 and played its final performance at The Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Sunday, January 9, 2011 before transferring to The Helen Hayes Theatre on March 24, 2011. Now in its sixth year, the smash-hit musical has been seen on Broadway by over 1.4 million people, grossed over $123 million, broken the Box Office Record at the Helen Hayes Theatre ten times, and continues to sell out performances week after week. In addition to being a bona fide hit on Broadway,