Wise has been playing the role since original star Amy Spanger departed the production after the Tony Awards. Spanger had been scheduled to return to the production June 29 but did not due to 'personal reasons.' In a statement lead producer Matt Weaver said, 'It is that rare and fortunate instance in. BOOK OF MORMON Original Cast Signed Broadway Poster Windowcard RARE! EUR 336.62; + EUR 10.10 postage. Les Miserables Original Broadway Cast SIGNED and Framed 14x22 Window Card COA. EUR 3,867.37; +. ROCK OF AGES Original Broadway WINDOW CARD 14'x22' Rare 2009 MINT. Find Broadway shows, musicals, and plays in this Broadway guide. Buy Broadway tickets, read show reviews, and get theater info at TheaterMania.

Constantine Maroulis Playbill.com caught up with Maroulis days before was scheduled to take its final bow on Broadway. The hit musical, which closes Jan. 18 after 2,350 performances, has been central to Maroulis' life and work. Maroulis spoke candidly about his experience with 'Idol,' the Rock of Ages film, as well as his personal life, crazy audiences, and dealing with social media haters.

He even took a moment to speak up for fellow Broadway actor, and superstar,, who got flack for her New Year's Eve live performance of 'Let It Go.' Did you ever think you'd be back with Rock of Ages? You've been attached to the show for so long and given a lot of your life to the project, even after it found legs of its own.: It's an honor to have the opportunity to come back and finish the show off as we began it. I think it's every actor's dream to create a role like this that becomes in a way iconic.

Who knows, for me, this might be the only time this will ever happen. It has been a tremendous run. So much has happened in my life since I began Rock of Ages in summer 2008. But, as early as winter of 2005, they had been talking to me about it. I had just been eliminated from 'American Idol,' and I remember meeting [producer] Matt Weaver, and he pitched me this show.

It's essentially been a ten-year process for me. And to see it become a global brand like this and be successful on so many levels. And unsuccessful in other ways as well. Honestly, the movie. I think if the movie was what we wanted it to be, even close to what we, as the original cast, wanted it to be, it really could have helped sustain the brand for far, far longer on Broadway. As you can see now, we've been doing tremendous business for where we are.

I think there's such excitement in the air. It feels fresh and new again. We have a really solid cast right now. Download Osama Bin Laden Death Video on this page. It's a shame to see it go. But to be honest, I never thought I'd be back.

I smelled the finish line, and [the producers] were hoping to get some of the original energy back into the show. It worked out for all of us, and I ended up staying for five/six months. Are you sad to see it go, or does it feel like the right moment for you?

CM: It's mixed emotions. I'm ready to move on and shave my head and do something different, but I will certainly miss it. [Laughs.] It's my part. It's been my career-defining role and work. I think of Rock of Ages is the rare sort of combination, for me, as an actor, of everything I do well. It's sort of an underrated big acting role for me.

It's a character people are not used to seeing from me. If you haven't seen the show, you come in assuming I'm going to be some balls-out rockstar the whole time and mugging, but it's really about something completely different, and it's a completely different arc for me. It's got all these great comedy moments and honest comedy moments for me. All of the rock and roll flair is awesome vocally and all that, but I think that it's just one of those rare parts.

There are shows like Wicked and Phantom of the Opera, which had amazing original casts, but have managed to be able to find very strong replacements, even stronger replacements at times. I think I can boldly say, it's not the case with Rock of Ages. I think that there's something about me going home early on 'American Idol' ten years ago, being that underdog, playing the underdog in Rock of Ages, and me getting the baby at the end of our story and me ending up with a baby in real life.

It's sort of this strange kind of cosmic connection. Granted, the show is great without me, or any of the original cast, it's very well written and well crafted, but I feel that there's just something different when I'm there.

Did 'American Idol' prepare you at all for the mainstream success you've found since that show and with Rock of Ages? CM: It was a completely new experience, but it felt like a natural progression. I knew I wasn't ready for college right out of high school, or a conservatory at 17. I hustled for a few years. I worked full time. I auditioned a lot. I was a very young 21-22; younger than most people, even though I kind of grew up in the New York area.