EDGE Interview: Constantine Maroulis on 'Blood/Love,' the Immersive Vampire Musical He Stars for One Night Only

When Constantine Maroulis was playing Roger in a tour of "Rent" in 2004, a friend suggested he audition for "American Idol." With his long hair, sexy looks, and big voice, Maroulis brought a rocker's vibe to the hit music competition show. But he was equally at home with musical theater, singing Queen one week and Rodgers and Hart the next. So it is not surprising that in his post-Idol career, Maroulis would pivot between being a front man for a rock band and theater roles; and in 2008, he combined both for the role of Drew in the 1980s rock tribute musical "Rock of Ages" off-Broadway. The following year the show went to Broadway and Maroulis was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical.

He returned to Broadway four year later in a revival of Frank Wildhorn's Jekyll and Hyde, co-starring with Deborah Cox, for which he received a Drama Desk nomination. He also showed he could be adept in a non-singing role. Speaking of his performance in the off-Broadway comedy "Friend Art," the New York Times wrote: "Mr. Maroulis, a former "American Idol" finalist and a Tony nominee for "Rock of Ages," has bloomed into a fine actor. As Nate, the most easygoing of the characters, content to coast along and take things as they come, he gives a wonderfully sensitive performance."

Since then, Maroulis continues to mix things up by playing such roles as Che in "Evita" in regional theater, television roles, and a third album, "Until I'm Wanted," released in 2020. Last summer he appeared as rock and roll pioneer Alan Freed in a new musical bio "Rock & Roll Man," that he hopes will head to the West End and Broadway. In his immediate future are two concert performances of "Blood/Love," a Vampire rock/pop-opera. In the performance, Playbill writes: "The original score by Carey Sharpe, Dru Decaro, Erin Boehme, and Adam 'snake' Kobylarz immerses audiences into a gothic nightclub where vampires mingle with the living."

He follows this with numerous tour dates through April that will no doubt feature Maroulis performing two singles he released last summer, "Daydream" and "Comeback."

But Maroulis began his recent conversation with EDGE by praising "Blood/Love."

EDGE: Tell us about "Blood/Love?"

Constantine Maroulis: It's an exciting new project. I met the creators recently and we connected right away. I love the music. It's modern, sexy, and powerful. It's a well-constructed amazing piece of work. They've already had some success with the show in Los Angeles and Oshkosh. It's a piece that lends itself to all the exciting things that are happening on Broadway and other theatrical stages all over the world. It's an immersive show that can't be defined by a genre necessarily. I love it because it is not a traditional musical theater piece.

EDGE: What can you tell us about your character?

Constantine Maroulis: We're not deep into the rehearsal process yet, but from what I've learned he's the non-vampire in the group. Many probably thought I was the head vampire given the name of the show. That is why the show speaks to me, especially when I can take the audience by surprise. I love playing something opposite of myself. I'm excited to work with both Jelani Remy and Courtney Reed. I admire them very much and their talent is massive. We're going to put on one hell of a show, and I hope that it garners more interest for the show to live on in different spaces around our community.

EDGE: How does the immersion experience with the audience feed into your energy as a performer?

Constantine Maroulis: Great question. It can depend on the audience. I think you just feed off whatever energy is in the house that given night. You hope it's interactive that you each respond to each other's energy. What I love is that they are witnessing the action, and they are part of the landscape instead of having a stage separating them. With a show like this, it is like you are watching this beautiful moving picture that is happening around you. For a piece like this, it's great to have the audience so close to us.