An Evening with Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young
Hair
When I met Ace Young last week he told me that I should get a ticket to Hair so I can get it over and done with. I took his advice and got good seats (second row) so I can take advantage of the full frontal nudity I've been hearing so much about. LOL! One of our longtime contributors on the blog JeffreyChrist was my date for the evening.
Diana DeGarmo plays Sheila, one of the main female characters. She gets to sing all the best songs for the girls on the show and she lends a very emotional portrayal - she gave us tears! Awesome. Ace was wonderful as Berger, the second lead on the show -- and he displays his perfect V body for almost the entire show. Unfortunately, JC and I were too distracted by the face and body to think of anything else. If you are an Ace fan, you will definitely want to see this - if only to see his bare chest for a good hour on stage. The best seats are in the aisles because for sure Ace will interact with you!
Oh yeah, the proverbial question that needs to be answered, which was one of the main missions of the evening: What about the full frontal nudity? Yes, Ace and Diana bare it all. Diana has a cute left boob, and wait for it... Ace Young is hung. I am a witness! His junk was swinging freely as he got into position behind someone's head at the end of Act I.
The highlight of the night for me however was at the end where the audience is encouraged to go on stage to sing "Let the Sunshine In". At first I wanted to go because Ace had suggested it to me in an e-mail earlier, but the stage had gotten full really quickly and I couldn't see him on stage. I didn't want to go there and start looking for him. However, towards the end of the song, Diana DeGarmo went to the front of the stage and she spotted me! She asked me to come up! I asked JC to go but he didn't want to, so I went up by myself -- the last guy to do so -- and I of course had my diva moment! I got on stage and gave Diana a big hug while we sang "Let The Sunshine In" holding hands. So surreal. I shared the stage with Diana leading the audience in song -- who did I think I was Fantasia? Anyway, I will always have that moment with me. (I will check the Hair website eParty in the morning since they post a video there.)
http://www.youtube.com/v/7PdN8PsQS3s&hl=en_US&fs=1&
It's a good thing that I followed Ace's advice because just yesterday it was announced that Hair is closing in two weeks. Tomorrow is the 500th show of Hair and at 10 am 500 tickets will be given away for free. If you are in New York, go line up. And wait, here's a little tip: a former American Idol judge will be in the audience tomorrow as well. Can you guess who it is? I actually just might line up!
Also: Diana and Ace will be at the Nintendo Store tomorrow morning in Rockefeller Center.
After Party
Ace was very nice to let me and Jeffrey go on the stage after the show for some pictures. After Ace and Diana signed autographs, the three of us... wait for it... went out for dinner! (Jeffrey had to go home).
It was a dinner/interview/chat. Ace had a medium-rare burger. Diana and I had sushi. Ace and Diana had beers while I had a girly sake-tini.
We talked about a lot of stuff -- about American Idol, the fans, their careers. It was like talking with friends which was amazing. Thanks Ace and Diana for spending time with me!
So what did I learn?
1. Ace and Diana are NOT dating. Although they were very friendly! I think Ace flirts with anything that moves. I've always thought that he was a very formal straight up guy -- but he was such a college jock! Hahaha. It was really fun to witness Ace's flirtatious ways. Oh the things I just can't write it in this blog!
2. Ace is going back to L.A. to write music for himself and others after Hair is finished.
3. Diana is going back to Nashville to work on her music. I tried to convince her to do Wicked on Broadway as Elphaba, but she said she wants to take a break from theater for the moment.
4. Both of them told me that they can't wait for Jordin Sparks to make her debut in In The Heights. Actually, they can't wait to see her reaction three weeks in. LOL. I guess that's when it kicks in that Broadway is more work than you think it is.
5. Diana told me she just flew in from Nashville in the morning (for the CMT Music Awards) and was very tired. She said that in preparing for the show, the cast practiced during the day while the cast they were replacing performed in the evening.
6. They both told me that they still get in touch with the other Idols. I said "fraternity" and Diana said that it was a "sorority". LOL.
7. We discussed a little about "crazy" fans. Diana has a stalker as everyone knows by now. Ace told me he has a photographic memory and remembers all the dedicated fans who come out to see him regularly. I told him that his fans are "looking better" now from the time when I saw them a few years ago. He said: "They're cleaning up." Loved that.
I walked with them up to 42nd street before we parted ways. But not before one more photo op. Diana stopped a stranger to take our picture -- then the dude asked her: "First time in New York?" Then I said: "Yes!" Diana and Ace loved that.
Overall, it was like a nice chat and dinner with friends which was more than I could ever ask for. (Plus Ace treated us!) I also shared with them a little about my own experience blogging the show and what I want to do in the future.
I think that some fans -- brainwashed to think that anyone who comes on American Idol should be rockstars -- fail to understand that Broadway and getting on Broadway is a lot of work. There are a lot of Idol alumni who audition to be on Broadway but just don't cut it. Ace and Diana have done good for themselves, and I hope they continue to find work and entertain their fans.
No video, but it was a great night!
Diana DeGarmo on FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/DianaDeGarmo
Ace Young on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/aceyoung
Diana DeGarmo will have a show at The Birdland on July 5 and the Highline Ballroon on July 26