Stars to return to "Heights," "Rock of Ages"

Rock on Broadway LA!

These national tours of the big musicals and more celebrated straight plays will come and go, sometimes memorably, other times less so. Inevitably they come through L.A. We’re a big market and we’ve got the Ahmanson and the Pantages (occasionally the Wilshire) to house them.

What’s occasionally different about L.A. is, of course, the exposure potential of our market. If you sit down at the Pantages for two weeks (or, better, a month) the TV and movie execs, agents, casting directors etc. will see you. Or so the hope goes. When “Hairspray” came through L.A. for the first time, original star (and Tony winner) Marissa Jaret Winokur came right along with it. Ditto Norbert Leo Butz for “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.” These are but a couple recent examples.

Who’s to say whether this exposure potential in any way factors into the decisions of original stars to jump back in to the L.A. run engagement of whatever hit show is on the road? But two recent announcements out of Broadway/ L.A., the entity that programs the touring musicals at the Pantages, indicate that “star returns” are alive in well at least on this leg of the road.

The first really is an exclusive: Lin-Manual Miranda, the creator and star of the Tony Award-winning “In the Heights” will join the touring company when “Heights” arrives at the Pantages June 22-July 11.

Miranda’s a hugely busy guy, and he’s gearing up to the reprise the role of “Heights’s” Usnavi in the film version of the musical. In recent months, he has spiffed up the Stephen Schwartz musical “Working” and is working on an adaptation of the movie “Bring it On” into musical form, so it’s a pretty good bet that he’s not going to stay on stage with “Heights” past the L.A. engagement’s closing date.

Nor does he really need the exposure to producers, etc. Here was Miranda’s explanation for –the L.A. re-up in the press announcement:

“To be honest, I've been itching to play with the tour cast since we began their rehearsals last fall. It has been a joy to watch Kyle Beltran and the rest of this company make this show their own, and to win over audiences all over the country. I'm excited to play at the gorgeous Pantages Theater, which I had the privilege of visiting two weeks ago. I can't think of a better way to prepare myself for the demands of playing Usnavi in the movie version of ‘Heights.’ Most of all, I can't wait to get back on that stage, in Usnavi's shoes."

“In the Heights” follows the residents of New York’s Washington Heights. It took four Tonys in 2008 for best orchestrations, score, choreography and best musical.

In February. The Pantages will see another return-ee…Constantine Maroulis, the “American Idol” finalist who will tour with the 80s flavored rock musical “Rock of Ages.” He’ll step back into the role of Drew, the big haired, Dep resplendent dreamer who woos a “small town girl living in a lonely world.”

Maroulis, who earned a Tony nomination for the role, will go from the Broadway production (in which he’s s currently performing) into the national tour when in launches in Chicago in September. Then it’s on to Boston, Minneapolis, Cincinnati and a whole bunch of other places before landing in the Pantages Feb. 15-27.

Maroulis is no stranger to the road. The man toured with “Rent” and with the summer tour of “American Idol.” He’s got a fair number of stage credits, so one suspects this isn’t the case of some sitcom-eying wannabe sticking with his meal ticket because he can’t find anything else. Those of us in L.A. (or Tampa, Pittsburgh, wherever) should find it cool when a “star” of any magnitude leaves the relative security of a Broadway engagement for the road.

Of course, “Rock of Ages” has a whole lotta dates past the Pantages, and we’ll just see how long Maroulis stays with the company once L.A. is out of the way. Still, bully on him for doing it.

And for Miranda. And for Broadway/L.A. for housing their performances.

Info: www.Broadwayla.org.