Ashley Parker Angel

Many of you know Ashley Parker Angel from his reality TV days on "Making The Band" and "There And Back" but now Ashley is stepping into a different spotlight, one in which first peaked his interest in music. "From a really young age I was always involved in a lot of plays and musicals, even before I really decided that I wanted to pursue music. I discovered that I loved being on stage through theatre really so I feel like I am going back to where I started." Ashley will be debuting on Broadways production of HAIRSPRAY on January 19th, 2007 as Link Larkin. Growing up Ashley starred as Danny in the college production of Grease in his small town, "we had to turn away a couple hundred people a night, and one of the reporters in my town did this article on it and she foreshadowed where I am at, she was like 'This kid is going to be on Broadway someday' and I have that article still and is cool to have that and see that she was right."

While Ashley has grown in the music industry from standing in front of Lou Pearlman to releasing his solo CD it has all prepared him for reaching the goals that he has always wanted to achieve. "I am ready for this Broadway thing, I am ready for it. It has inspired me in a way that I haven't felt in a long time, it's a new thing. From 18 years old to being 25 I was pursuing music and it's in the same ballpark, but its different, so its exciting me." While he was touring last summer as a solo artist he started to get lonely and lost the excitement he initially had but Hairspray is allowing him to regain the excitement, "It's a new thing that I am trying to tackle, so it's not like I have been there and done that. It's a fresh thing and exciting me like I haven't felt in a long time." He is taking this new experience to push him along with "My love for being on stage, its more theatrical and I am excited to see where it takes me in other aspects of being on stage away from music. Maybe this Broadway thing will open a whole other path for me that I can't even really see yet. But if I couldn't be up on stage and performing someway, I would shrivel up and die. I need it like I need food. For me, I have always thrived off of this situation." While he has lost excitement before, "The fact that its live theatre, every show is obviously the same lines but each show isn’t the same, each actor is bringing their own personality to the character, [and] no show is identical. I think it's the magic of live theatre, you feed off of that energy."

Ashley wanted to let his fans know about his upcoming role so he posted a blog on his myspace and "30 seconds later I was getting all of these messages back and everyone was so hyped for me. I have always to push myself and grow and try new things and open new possibilities for myself and everyone has always been so supportive of me. Everything I have heard back they are like 'I am so excited to come see you' and 'We're so happy for you.' I think that everyone knows from watching me that there are a lot of things that I want to try." All of Ashley's focus is on this Broadway as he has 3 weeks to learn the entire play and wanting to be the best his attention is shying away from working on a follow up album, but being in NYC is giving him new inspiration in life, "Starting 2007 in New York is really inspiring for me. I am getting back to myself more, I used to write in my journal constantly and I got away from it. It’s a great way to stay connected to who you are and improving on who you are; and I am writing in my journal again. New York has it's own thing and I'm probably going to miss it when I leave."

We look forward to watching Ashley in this new chapter of his life, his last comments he wanted to make before we wrapped the interview were "Did I mention I was excited? I just want everyone to know how excited I am!" His life has gone full circle from starting in community theatre to the pop music scene and now his role on Broadway. Be sure to check him out starting January 19th at the Neil Simon Theatre on West 52nd Street.

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Interviewed by Amanda Stephan and Adele Connolly on January 3, 2007 in NYC.
Copyright Front Row Fanz 2007.