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Post from: Clay Aiken News Network

Clay Aiken – with David Foster

As most of you know, Clay Aiken made his first starring role on Broadway, playing Sir Robin in the quirky musical, Spamalot. Clay’s first run in the show was from January 18 to May 4, 2008. After taking the summer off, Clay returned to the show and played the show from September 19, 2008 to January 4, 2009.

Spamalot is the hilarious musical adaptation of the classic 1975 film ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’. Eric Idle who was an original Monty Python cast member created the Broadway musical comedy, Spamalot. Spamalot premiered on Broadway in 2005. The show won a Tony Award for best musical in 2005. Spamalot played more than 1400 shows during its run on Broadway before it finally closed its doors to go on tour in January 2009.

The following is a list of some of the interesting facts about the show.

• “Spamalot” uses 40 wireless microphones, consumes more than 2,500 AAA batteries per month, runs more than 1 mile of cable and uses custom-built lasers to aim the speakers in each house.
• Among the props is a cow that weighs 45 pounds and it takes two stagehands to catapult it over the castle.
• Spamalot uses approximately 40 coconuts per month, supplied by the Coconut King in Florida.
• The “Feet of God” weighs 1,700 pounds.
• It takes more than 80 people on stage and off to run each performance.
• The Electrics Department uses six tanks of liquid carbon dioxide per week to create the low-ground fog effect and uses eight fire extinguishers per week for the Feet of God “blast off” effect.
• Six pounds of confetti are used at each performance.
• The orchestra uses a Spama-horn, an instrument specially developed for and used only in “Spamalot.”
• There are more than 100 wigs (including facial hair) in the show, all hand-tied and made of human hair, yak hair and synthetics supplied from New York, California and London.
• The mud make-up is a formula specially designed for “Spamalot.”
• The poorest peasants’ costumes in the show are actually made of raw silk.
• Three feet of “blood” has to be ironed prior to each performance.
• There are more than 100 undergarments in the show, including 30 pairs of men’s fishnets and 56 codpieces.
• The Lady of the Lake’s costumes are all comprised of hand-strung glass beads.
• The costumes are not only made of a wide variety of fabrics, but many are made of molded ABS plastics, and even nuts and bolts. You are as likely to see a costumer with power tools as you are a sewing machine.

After seeing Clay in his starring role in The Drowsy Chaperone, it reminded me of how wonderful he was in Spamalot.

I hope we see Clay on Broadway again…”soon“.

Post from: Clay Aiken News Network

Clay Aiken – Spamalot on Broadway

Congratulations to Candice Glover!  She is the winner of Season 12 of American Idol.   Candice is from South Carolina and she has auditioned for the show three times…I guess “third times a charm” worked well for her.

Candice is the show’s first female winner in six season and beat out Kree Harrison.

To be completely honest, I haven’t watched American Idol for many years, but I am happy for Candice and wish her all the luck in the world!

Today, I read an article on the Entertainment Weekly  website.  Written by Annie Barrett and Sandra Gonzalez, it is titled:

American Idol: Ranking All 12 Finale Matchups

I have never read another article that didn’t have Season 2 at the top so I was surprised when they chose Season 8 with Kris Allen and Adam Lambert at the top of the list. I am sure it was a great show, but besides enjoying Clay and Ruben, there are a few things that make me question their rating.

First, both Kris and Adam released the same coronation song.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t a big hit for either singer.  Season 8 was also the first season of AI in which the winner has failed to reach gold album status.  And, no one from Season 8 has achieved platinum status for an album in the United States.

Lastly, look at the numbers.  The Season 2 viewership for the finale was 38.06 million and the highest in any year.  Season 8 tied with Season 3 for 7^th place overall.  Their viewership was only 28.84 million, almost 10 million less than Season 2.

Ruben won Season 2 by only 134,000 votes.  However, there was little personal competition between Clay and Ruben.  It was obvious to the audience that the two were friends and even when the press tried to make it a battle, they just wouldn’t play the game.

So…I vote for Season 2.  How about you?

The following is a chart that shows the audience numbers for the finale night of each season.  I will post season 12 when the numbers are available.

The following videos are from the Finale of Season 2.  I haven’t seen these performances for a long time.  A big thank you to Wowzers4Clay.

Please take a moment and vote in the new poll at BUDDY TV

The Best Performances Ever on ‘American Idol’

This new poll was posted Thursday and Clay is falling behind!

Click on POLL to Vote

Post from: Clay Aiken News Network

Clay Aiken – Season 2 – Still The Best!

National Inclusion Project’s
200 Kids Campaign
GOAL = Raise $50,000 by July 28th to enable programs to include 200 kids in camp!
IF we reach our goal and raise $50,000 by July 28, 2013 (our official anniversary), two donors will be randomly selected to present the 200 Kids Campaign check on stage to our co-founders, Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel at the 10th Anniversary Champions Gala!

DONATE NOW to help us send 200 Kids to camp!

We hope you will join us in celebrating our first 10 years by participating in the 200 Kids Campaign. Your donation will help the Project ensure that EVERY child has the opportunity to participate and that no child sits on the sidelines.  On behalf of ALL children, thank you for making a difference!

The Following is some Helpful Information

1) To count towards our goal, each donation must be marked as a gift to the 200 Kids Campaign.

2) All donations must be received by midnight on Sunday, July 28, 2013.

3) Two donors will be randomly selected with an outside party as a witness to present a mock check to co-founders Diane Bubel and Clay Aiken at the 10th Anniversary Champions Gala on Oct 12, 2013 in Charlotte, NC. Those selected will be contacted through phone and email in August and must confirm within 15 days that they would like to present the check.

4) The selected donors must be Gala attendees to be able to present the check.

5) In the event that the selected donor can not attend the Gala, another will be chosen.

What a great way to raise some money for The National Inclusion. This is an opportunity for every person to help Clay, Diane, and The National Inclusion Project make sure that no child sits on the sidelines!  Remember…every dollar counts!

SO…head over to the National Inclusion Project website and click on the donate tab.  AND…don’t forget to mark it as a gift to the 200 Kids Campaign!

NATIONALINCLUSIONPROJECT

The following are a few pictures of past National Inclusion Galas!

Post from: Clay Aiken News Network

Clay Aiken – The 200 Kids Campaign

It is exciting to see that the positive reviews of the North Carolina Theatre’s production of The Drowsy Chaperone are continuing to be published.  The production was a critical success and most of the critics feel it was one of the best shows in the history of the NC Theatre.

There were two interesting articles that were published on Tuesday.

Garrett Canna writes a blog titled Theatrically Musing.  He graded each actor and section of the production as a report card.  He said the following about Clay:

Clay Aiken: A
I’ll admit I was hesitant at seeing yet another singer try to act. The results can range from Beyonce Knowles all the way to Katherine McPhee in Smash. Aiken is the former, turning in a fully realized performance, a feat made all the more impressive since he only goes offstage once during the show’s two hour running time (and even then, it’s only for two or three minutes). His Man In Chair is positively joyous and bursting with charm. The character’s mental breakdown near show’s end was played with devastating understatement and almost no angst-ridden camp. Seems like Spamalot’s producers weren’t too far off the mark when they hired him to play Lancelot near the end of its Broadway run. (UPDATE: It seems that Clay Aiken played Sir Robin in Spamalot, and not Lancelot. My mistake!)

If you are interested in reading the entire blog, click on MUSING

Stagedoor Dish is a site that reports about the theatre throughout the world.  The following article was written by one of their interns.  I am surprised that they did not mention Clay’s role in The Drowsy Chaperone, however, they do have some fun ideas in the article.

An ‘American Idol’ on Broadway: Five roles that Clay Aiken should take on in a return to the stage

On April 18, the season two runner-up of American Idol returned to the television show that put him on the map, belting out Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” while the country swooned and cried.  (Okay, maybe it was mostly just me.)

That’s right, Claymates: Clay Aiken has returned!

Since his American Idol days in 2003, Aiken has released six studio albums and has toured the country numerous times, selling out huge concert venues while skyrocketing to superstardom.  His hit singles include “Invisible” and “Measure of a Man,” and he is noted also for his powerful rendition of “Unchained Melody.”

Aiken also founded his own charity, the National Inclusion Project, which promotes the integration of children with disabilities and non-disabled children.  On the 2012 edition of The Celebrity Apprentice, the last television program Aiken had been seen on until his return to Idol, he fought to raise money for his charity and made it all the way to the final two, finishing in second place behind Arsenio Hall

One of Aiken’s biggest achievements was his Broadway debut. In 2008, he portrayed the role of Sir Robin inSpamalot, receiving high praise for his performance.  He was also recently named “Broadway’s Best Idol” in a poll conducted by broadway.com.

With Aiken’s undeniable stage presence, charming disposition, and many talents, it’s clear to many of us that he belongs on the Great White Way.  There could be a number of opportunities for him to make a return to the stage.  In fact, here are a few ideas I would suggest:

1. Thenardier in Les Miserables. He has the impeccable comedic timing and vocal range this role demands, so why not cast him in the 2014 revival?  Give him some fake teeth and a few bottles of wine and Aiken would be a great “Master of the House”!

2. The Baker in Into the Woods. Unlike Les Miserables, there’s no Broadway revival of this musical on the horizon.  However, there is a film adaptation planned for next year.  It would be lovely to hear his take on “It Takes Two”, and he could bring something light-hearted yet genuine to the role.

3. Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors. The goofy and loveable florist would be a fantastic part for Aiken to play. It’s not too soon for a revival, and maybe another Idol alum could be enticed to play his Audrey! (I’m looking at you, Diana DeGarmo!)

4. Jimmy Winter in Nice Work If You Can Get It. Aiken would be phenomenal as the wealthy and absurdly funny 1920s playboy. With the swinging Gershwin score and snappy Kathleen Marshall choreography, audiences would be in for a treat if Aiken were to take on this role.

5. Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Remember the seventh season of American Idol which included an Andrew Lloyd Webber-themed night?  Unfortunately, Aiken was not a part of that season, so we missed out on the possibility of his singing “Close Every Door”, but if he played this role, there wouldn’t be a dry eye in the house during that number, and we all know that “dazzling coat of many colors” would be a perfect fit!

Clay simply can’t come back to Broadway soon enough. What do you think?  What roles would you like to see the former American Idol contestant take on?  Let me know in the comments!

I do hope you will visit the site and leave a comment.  It is a great way to let the site know you like to read about Clay and that you enjoyed the article.  You can see the article at STAGEDOOR

Here are a few more pictures from The Drowsy Chaperone.  The photographer said:

Please do not post on OFC, Twitter or Facebook!

I hope you will respect the photographer!  

Which picture is your favorite?

Post from: Clay Aiken News Network

Clay Aiken – Receiving High Praise For His Performance

Can you believe?  It is just a week since Clay Aiken made his debut as Man In A Chair.  The production of The Drowsy Chaperone by the North Carolina Theatre was a huge success and received glowing reviews from both the audience members and the theatre reviewers.  Their week-long run was just not enough.

I found a wonderful blog about The Drowsy Chaperone.  The writer, Peter Hilliard wrote the following about the Man In The Chair and the requirements needed for an actor to make the character work:

Man in Chair:
This is a tour-de-force role for a comic actor. He has to be able to sing, but only enough to just carry a tune at the end. The important thing is that he can command the stage for the whole show; he makes or breaks the evening. There is a tricky monologue at the end that pivots from tragicomedy to tragedy to comedy on a dime, and not everyone can pull it off. When he came and spoke to our Villanova audience Bob Martin said that he considered the show a tragic monologue interspersed with some funny numbers. An amusing remark, to be sure, but it really is a story about the Man In The Chair and his relationship with a record. That record has replaced any kind of functional relationship in reality. It’s hard to play that well, and if you have somebody just playing it for laughs, the show has very little meaning.

What an important role…and Clay was amazing in the role!    You can read Peter Hilliard’s entire blog by clicking HERE

A big thank-you to Canfly for the following pictures.  They are amazing!!  Please do NOT copy these pictures on FaceBook.

Doesn’t it look like Clay is having fun?

Would you like to see Clay do another show on Broadway?

Post from: Clay Aiken News Network

Clay Aiken – Commands The Stage!

May 13, 2003………American Idol, Season 2. It’s time for the Final 3.

Clay Aiken, Kimberley Locke and Ruben Studdard worked hard each week to impress the audience so that they would continue for another week. American Idol’s fans did it right that season. They voted for the best three singers of Season 2.

For the Final 3 show, there were only the regular judges. No guest judge joined the panel. Ryan Seacrest explained that this was a night of “picks.” All three contestants sang three songs; one was a random pick, one was a judge’s pick and the last was the Idol’s pick.

The performances of the night and their order were:

Random Round ( fishbowl):
1. Kimberley Locke- “Band of Gold”
2. Ruben Studdard- “Signed, Sealed, & Delivered”
3. Clay Aiken- “Vincent”

Judges’ Choice:
1. Kimberley Locke-”Anyone Who Had a Heart” – Randy Jackson
2. Ruben Studdard- “Smile” – Simon Cowell
3. Clay Aiken- “Mack the Knife” – Paula Abdul

Contestant’s Choice:
1. Kimberley Locke- “Inseparable
2. Ruben Studdard- “If Ever Your In My Arms Again”
3. Clay Aiken- “Unchained Melody”

Each Idol chose a song from a fishbowl. Kim picked “Band of Gold” as her random pick and Ruben picked “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”. All three of the judges thought both of the performances were brilliant.

Clay picked the song, “Vincent” made famous by Don McClean. The song about suicidal painter, Vincent Van Gogh is a sad and dreary song. Clay sang a haunting version of the song, but missed a cue that was not noticeable to most people. He did an excellent job of covering up and going on which is the sign of a true professional.

The judges were brutal. Their comments ranged from boring to dreary. Well, it was a dreary song about a sad time. What was the singer supposed to do? Of course, Paula had to let everyone know that Clay “forgot” the words, but did not let the TV audience know that the arrangement of the song was changed just before the program started. Clay said later that he had never even practiced the new arrangement.

The second round was the Judge’s Pick. Randy picked “Anyone Who Had a Heart” for Kim. Both Randy and Paula thought it was beautiful, but Simon said it was “safe….good…ish.”

For Ruben, Simon chose the song, “Smile.” The judges’ comments included the words, brilliant, well-done and beautiful.

Paula announces that Clay had been assigned an ‘American classic’ known as “Mack The Knife.” She also said it oozes coolness—and he deserves coolness. She commented that if Clay pulls this off, he will be cool and not a lounge lizard. He will go straight to headliner.

Most of the audience thought that Clay did an awesome job on the song and thought he looked great in his tux. The judges seemed to agree and used the words, cool, brilliant and standing ovation when they critiqued his performance.

For the last performances for the Idols, they were supposed to pick a song from their own idol.

Kim and Ruben sang their picks and the judges were extremely nice in their comments. Simon said, “This is the only time we’ve had three good people in the Top 3… not the case last year -so I don’t know who will be in the Top 2 because you all deserve to be there”

Clay sang “Unchained Melody” after sharing that it was his mom’s favorite song and she was his “idol”. The judges were impressed with his performance, especially Paula who thought it was the best performance of the entire season.

And, after some “silly” banter by Ryan Seacrest, the show was over for the night.

The following evening was results night and we finally got to know who would be in the finale.

The contestants did a medley of love song duets, including “Up Where We Belong,” “Reunited,” and “Solid.” The three contestants were great together and a shout out to Michael Orland for arranging the medleys.

Musical guests for the evening are Tamyra Gray and Justin Guarini who both sing. Too bad that Justin chose to sing the same song that Clay sang the night before…Unchained Melody.”

The contestants had a chance to fly home to their hometowns for a day the previous week. Kim had many appearances and interviews. One DJ predicted next year’s movie will be From Kimberley to Ruben! She sang for friends, returned to school, signed autographs—had a good time.

Ruben headed home to Alabama and greeted lots of kids and former teachers. The kids seemed star struck. He also visited his school, his church friends, and had other assorted appearances.

Clay headed to North Carolina. He went to the YMCA to receive a 500-foot greeting card, he did radio and TV interviews, he went to his old school to see the kids, and he spent time with Mike and Diane. Clay went home and ate some barbecue with the family. He took his Mom a bouquet of flowers. He met the governor and he got to throw out the first ball and sing the anthem for the Durham Bulls game. He was brought to the game on a helicopter. Then it was back to LA. It was apparently a really full trip considering it only lasted a little over 24 hours.

Finally, it was time for the results and it was revealed that Kim was going home. She smiled graciously and gave a hug to tearful Clay.

Ryan closed the night by announcing that there would be an extra show the next week to get to know the contestants better.

Next week……the finale!!

We have included videos of all three of Clay’s songs and the group performance. It certainly was a great week.

Click here to see videos:

Post from: Clay Aiken News Network

Clay Aiken – Cool, Brilliant!

 

The following article was published for Mother’s Day in 2012.  It is a great interview with Clay’s Mom, Faye Parker.  It is worth reading again.  Thank you to Pat Gallagher, for the interview.

 Clay Aiken’s Mom: Mother’s Day Revelations With Faye Parker

Not all of us know what it is like to have a celebrity son or daughter, but it’s interesting to pick the brain of a mother who has shared the “stage” with a famous offspring. And who better to talk to than Faye Parker (or better known as Clay Aiken’s mother)?

Parker opened up about her son’s sudden fame in 2003 (when he was named runner-up on American Idol); how she’s treated by his fans; and how she felt when Aiken told her he was gay. She also gave us her take on her son’s appearance on Celebrity Apprentice and a few photos of her and Aiken, which you can see in the slideshow below.

How did your life change after your son became famous on American Idol in 2003?

When Clay went on American Idol I did not know what to expect. I thought life would go on as usual for me and [his brother] Brett, but that is not how things go. My life became a roller coaster of events, one after the other. I did not expect to be having so many interviews myself or being put on a stage so that others would know me when I walked out the door. Locally, I could not go anywhere without taking extra time to prepare myself. Going to the grocery store was a three-hour event. Once, while shopping at my favorite store, even the press came out. I was invited to attend national events. I even judged three state Miss America pageants. Whoa, what did I know about that? I did learn quickly, and it was fun.

Clay’s fans are called “Claymates.” Were you inundated with people wanting to get close to you from his fan base?

We had people driving by the house all times of the day taking photos of our home from their cars. Some brave souls, bless them, even came to the door and rang the bell. The most overwhelming was the fan mail that arrived daily. We had boxes and boxes that were sent from the Idol studios and to my friend’s P.O. [box] as she was brave enough to put that out to keep so much from coming here. I wish I had time to have read them all. They were sweet, sad, and very supportive. Once he had his book published (where he talked about conflicts with his birth father, his stepfather and bullying he had to endure as a child) we received many letters from people that were hurting just like we had experienced. I was not happy having my life on display with all the dirty laundry hung out to dry. But as I accustomed myself to the fact, I hope that our lives made the lives of others easier to bear. It is always good knowing you are not alone with problems you are going through.

The other things were the gifts people made for him and sent. I have a room above my garage I lovingly call “The Shrine” with such wonderful mementos from his fans. There are over 100 scrap books included in this and the love and devotion put into them was amazing. I think I treasure those most — not to slight any of the other things that were sent.

You have two sons, one who’s famous and one who isn’t. How do you make your son Brett feel as “important” in your life as Clay? And how close are Clay and his brother Brett?

Brett is my hero too. He is famous in his own way. He served four years in the Marines and [did] two tours in Iraq during the war. The thing about Brett is that he is laid back and did not want the attention. He was supportive of his brother and enjoyed a lot of things that came with Clay’s stardom, but he liked being behind the scenes. He was confident enough in his own self that he did not have to have constant attention. I think Brett knows how important he is to me and how much he is loved. We try to do things together when we can and started a new tradition during some of the holidays when Clay was out of town. As for the closeness of the boys as brothers, there is seven years difference in age and this gap has put them closer as the years go by. Right now Brett actually lives with Clay and they get along extremely well and do lots of things together.

Show business is an up and down proposition. As Clay’s mother, how do you feel when his career is up, down, sideways, and back up again?

Mothers always are concerned about their children’s welfare and their happiness. When his career is going well I am always elated. When it seems like a dry spell, I sometimes get concerned. Faith is a big part of my life and I try to leave that in God’s hands. He never forsakes us, even when we think He is not there. Do I think Clay is strong enough to weather the ups and downs in the entertainment business? Yes I do. He is intelligent, business savvy, and I believe he can work in so many avenues of the entertainment world, not just singing. I am concerned that his music does not get heard, but I know he is smart enough to write, produce, etc.

Do you ever offer career advice?

I laugh as I say this. Yes, I sometimes offer but I am blowing in the wind. Does he listen? Hard to say sometimes. I think he does not, but then once in awhile I will hear him say, “Mom said that too.” I think, like other young people, he listens and then makes his own decision. That is okay. But once in awhile Mom would like to know she said something profound.

When Clay came out as gay, how did he tell you, and what was your first response?

I actually don’t remember my first response. I think I was quite surprised. He told me as we were on the way home the night we dropped Brett off at the Marine base to leave for Iraq. Too much in one night to handle. I do remember he had a very hard time telling me and I think I tried to act calm. He would know.

Do you think Clay feels like you support him as a gay man?

I do support him very much. I think he would like me to be more of an advocate. I am not one for speaking publicly about anything really. Sometimes I have had interviews about his entertainment experience and what he is doing on tour, etc. I have not been asked much about this subject. My friends know that I support him. Fans have sent me emails when someone in their family comes out, and I try really hard to show them I understand where they are coming from. They want to know how I handled the situation. I think it brings them some comfort. I love my son dearly and what makes him happy I am going to support. I don’t believe being gay is a choice and feel that people need to get more educated on this fact.

Now that Clay is a father, how has fatherhood changed him? Do you get to spend a lot of time with your grandson?

I love spending time with my grandson. He is the apple of my eye … so much like his daddy. I do get to spend a bit of time with him even though we are 3,000 miles apart. Parker gets to visit and Clay allows him to spend time with me also.

I don’t know that fatherhood has changed Clay in any particular way. He loves being a father and loves his son. He is a disciplinarian but disciplines with love and understanding. Parker is a lucky boy to have him for a dad. Clay has so much to teach a child. He impresses me with his patience with Parker and how he teaches him about the things around him. Watching them together delights me. I see my son in Parker and that brings good memories. You know how we mothers hate for our children to grow up so we get to relive that time through our grandchildren.

I’ve been watching Celebrity Apprentice and it looks like Clay may be headed for the final two. If that happens, how much do you want him to come in first this time, and why do you think he should?

I want with all my heart for him to take first place. I am tired of him being called runner-up (Laughs.) But most importantly, I want him to win the money for his charity the National Inclusion Project. This foundation is close to his heart, and it is the main reason he went on Celebrity Apprentice. I hope more people will check out the website and see the importance of what the money goes for. I think Clay should win because, in my opinion, he has played the game with integrity and has been one of the kindest persons on this season. Of course, that’s his mother talking. (Laughs.)

What is your favorite Mother’s Day memory with your sons?

I think my favorite memory of Mother’s Day is when both the boys were young and they made the little gifts from school or picked wild flowers from the yard. One of the cutest things I can remember was from Brett. He gave me a card one Mother’s day that read. “I love you so much I could clean my room.” Don’t know where that came from but it was so cute. I still have boxes of the things they did for Mother’s Day and other holidays. Maybe they will have fun looking at them one day.

HUFFPOST

There are two Mother’s that will probably get extra attention from Clay this year….

The mother of your child always has a special place in your life.  Happy Mother’s Day to Jaymes!

It doesn’t matter how old you are, your own mother is always a part of your life.  Happy Mother’s Day to Faye!

Happy Mother’s Day To All

from

CANN

Our server was down at a critical time last night so this blog probably didn’t make the cut-off time for the e-mail.  Please pass the word that there is a blog today!!

Post from: Clay Aiken News Network

Clay Aiken – Mother’s Day Thoughts!

It is hard to believe that there are only four more performances of the Drowsy Chaperone at The North Carolina Theatre.  The production continues to garner positive reviews and, according to those in attendance, the audience is growing after each performance.

There was another wonderful review about The Drowsy Chaperone that praises the performance of Clay Aiken.  The following is from The North Carolina Theatre Blog.

Critics love THE DROWSY CHAPERONE!

Here at NCT, we have been taken aback by the accolades for THE DROWSY CHAPERONE and are so humbly grateful that audiences and critics alike are enjoying it as much as we are. We are particularly proud of one recent excerpt written by one of Raleigh’s top theatre critics, not as a reviewer, but as a theatre lover. We reprint it here with his permision…

As published in Triangle A&E’s Theatre Review:

Last night, I went to North Carolina Theatre’s production of The Drowsy Chaperone, not as News & Observer reviewer, but just on my own. I can truthfully say it was the best all-around production by North Carolina Theatre in its 30 seasons. The all-Equity cast included two Raleigh natives: Beth Leavel, recreating her Tony Award®-winning role as the title character, and Clay Aiken in the lead role, Man in Chair. One would have expected Leavel to be stellar (which she was), but the big surprise was Aiken. In this non-singing role, he proved to be an astute comedian, landing his punch lines with consummate skill and making the reclusive character endearing in a subtle, knowing performance. It’s on until Sunday — I highly recommend it.

-Roy C. Dicks, Triangle theatre critic   The article is found HERE

dancermom at Clayversity posted the following picture of Clay.  It is one of my favorites…ever!!  Thank you for sharing the picture with Clay fans!!

The Triangle – Arts & Entertainment published another review of The Drowsy Chaperone.  This one was written by Susie Potter, a self-confessed Clay Aiken fan.

An All-Star Cast Makes “The Drowsy Chaperone” a Hit

…Aiken is, as one might expect, the star of the show. From the moment he was revealed onstage at the opening night performance, the audience simply couldn’t get enough of him. He did not, however, use his loyal fan base as an excuse to hold back on the performance. Though Aiken does not sing in the role, he steals the show time and time again with his perfect delivery of the character’s comedic commentary, and the man really knows how to milk a moment. During the “intermission” of the record, Aiken has his character eating a Power Bar and almost oblivious to the audience for a full two minutes or so. These types of antics and the fact that the story’s somewhat bittersweet ending is played up nicely  create an uncomfortable type of comedy and give the story an edge it often lacks in more mundane performances…

You can read the entire review by Susie at SUSIEPOTTER

The following are some great pictures and screencaps from The Office.  Thank you to all for making screencaps.

Check out the socks!

What a fun week to be a fan of Clay Aiken!

Post from: Clay Aiken News Network

Clay Aiken- “An Astute Comedian”

From the INDY Week

A loopy musical send-up with a heart: this DROWSY CHAPERONE’s no sleeper

This production marks Clay Aiken’s return to the site of some of his earliest stage work, well before the days ofAmerican Idol and his subsequent leap to pop stardom. After a bit of digging, I found that I saw—and reviewed, for the News & Observer—the 1996 N.C. Theatre production of 1776 (in which he appeared in the modest supporting roles of A Painter and A Leather Apron), and the company’s 1997 iteration of Annie (in which he made the chorus).

Since neither of those reviews made any mention of the budding thespian and future pop star, I kind of need to make sure that doesn’t happen this time out.

 Aiken surprised me, slowly turning a role that so easily qualifies as a stereotype itself—a somewhat catty musical theater fiend, of ambiguous sexual orientation—into a character whose wit, insight and increasing poignancy ultimately moved me. Though his makeup needed further tweaks to reflect the true age of the Man in Chair, I found I cared a lot more about Aiken’s character, under Hushion’s direction, than the lead who played to the same house in the professional touring version in 2008.

In these hands, we spend some time in a small room with a man who is—and, suddenly, isn’t—quite alone. Bette Davis was right when she once observed that old age is not for sissies. In this production, a daffy musical comedy—and a vivid world that reconstitutes whenever a phonograph record plays—provides an aging man with hidden, formidable resources. Hushion and Aiken find the heart in The Drowsy Chaperone. I’m pleased to report that its pulse is still quite strong.

The entire review is long and detailed.  Please visit the site and give some props to the review and reviewer.

You can see the entire article at  INDY

Post from: Clay Aiken News Network

Clay Aiken – “…Ultimately Moved Me”