Diana Nicole DeGarmo (born June 16, 1987[2]) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She rose to fame in 2004 as the runner-up of the third season of American Idol, releasing her debut studio album, Blue Skies, later that year. The following year, DeGarmo ventured into a career in musical theatre. She has starred in two Broadway, one off-Broadway and three national tours. She made her television acting debut in a six-month arc as Angelina Veneziano on The Young and the Restless. DeGarmo has since released two extended plays, Unplugged in Nashville (2009) and Live to Love (2012). She is married to fifth seasonAmerican Idol finalist Ace Young.[3]
Diana DeGarmo was born on June 16, 1987 in Birmingham, Alabama, but was raised primarily in the Atlanta suburb of Snellville, Georgia. DeGarmo began singing at a young age, including the 1997 Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards, and in Atlanta-based stage productions of Annie and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. At age ten she was part of the Cartoon Gang on The Cartoon Network, appearing in various bumper segments. As a third grader she was a Coca-Cola Kid during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. The next year she sang at Opryland USA during the Christmas season. In 2002, she was named Miss Georgia Teen and was also a finalist on the NBC talent search program America's Most Talented Kid.
Career
American Idol
DeGarmo took part in the third season of American Idol in 2004, finishing second to winner Fantasia Barrino.[4] She was 16 years old at the time she competed.
During her run on American Idol she was thrice in the bottom three, but was the first contestant sent to safety each time and thus never in the bottom two. She became one of the front-runners by week 6.
She performed around the country with the other third-season top-ten contestants during the summer of 2004.
DeGarmo was signed to RCA Records shortly after the Idol finale and released her single, "Dreams," on June 29, 2004. The single reached number 2 in Canada and number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single also included her version of "I Believe" and a remake of Melissa Manchester's "Don't Cry Out Loud". She recorded her debut album in between Idol summer tour stops.
DeGarmo's debut album, Blue Skies, was released on December 7, 2004, to opening week sales of 47,000. The album debuted at number 52 on the Billboard 200 and included songs written by future American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, as well as Desmond Child, Adam Shankman, and Andreas Carlsson, among others. As of fall 2008, the album had sold 168,000 copies with little to no advertising.[5] The lone single from the CD, "Emotional", was released to radio in November 2004, peaking at number 54 on the Mediabase Pop Chart. She toured independently in the spring and summer of 2005 in support of Blue Skies. During the same time she recorded a song for the soundtrack of the Disney movie Ice Princess. "Reaching for Heaven", written by Desmond Child, can be heard during the climactic ice skating scene in the movie.[6] In June 2005, RCA and DeGarmo parted ways. On September 17, 2005, DeGarmo received the Horizon Award at the Georgia Music Hall Of Fame Awards ceremony; the award recognizes Georgia artists on the path to successful and lengthy careers.
DeGarmo began recording a pop/R&B album in 2007;[7] however, she backed out of the project to return to her country music roots.[8] After filming CMT's Gone Country in late 2007, she relocated to Nashville. She signed to John Rich's production company and recorded material with him in 2008. The songs were never released and DeGarmo moved on to other collaborators.[9] In February 2009 she self-released a four-song acoustic country EP, Unplugged in Nashville, to digital retailers.
In March 2012, DeGarmo wrote "Good Goodbye" for use with her character on The Young and the Restless. It was released to iTunes and was included on her May 2012 EP Live to Love. After producing a music video for "Good Goodbye," fans were asked to vote on two versions of the video on the American Idol website.[10] The winning video became available on iTunes.
DeGarmo's second album, Gemini, was released August 2, 2019 with a release concert at Sony Hall.[11][12] DeGarmo presented and streamed a live concert of Gemini in the summer of 2020, ultimately winning the 2020 BroadwayWorld Award for Best Streamed Concert.[13]
Musical theatre
DeGarmo made her major stage debut as Maria in an American Musical Theatre of San Jose production of West Side Story in November 2005. She followed with her Broadway debut in a four-month run of Hairspray as nerdy Penny Pingleton taking over for Tracy Miller in February 2006. She also performed the lead role of Brooklyn in the 2006 national tour of Brooklyn: The Musical alongside one of her idols, Melba Moore. DeGarmo returned to Hairspray for a second engagement from September 2006 to February 2007. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in April 2007 at a tribute to Neil Sedaka.
In 2008, DeGarmo was set to star in a Broadway revival of Godspell at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, but on August 19, it was announced that the show was postponed indefinitely due to the loss of an investor.[14]
In May 2009, DeGarmo starred in the musical revue Back to Bacharach and David, which featured the songs of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The Kathy Najimy created and produced show played a limited two-week engagement in Los Angeles at the Music Box Theater on Hollywood Boulevard.[15] In July 2009, she starred as the narrator in the Oklahoma Lyric's Theatre production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat alongside Idol alum Anthony Federov.[16] Her next role saw her return to New York City when she debuted in August 2009 as Sarah, the "sexy, blind librarian" and love interest of Toxie, in the off-Broadway musical The Toxic Avenger.[17] The show was housed at New World Stages. DeGarmo remained with Avenger until it closed on January 3, 2010.
DeGarmo made her return to Broadway, starring as Sheila in the Broadway company of Hair where she met her future husband, Ace Young. She succeeded original cast member Caissie Levy beginning March 9, 2010.[18] She played Sheila until the show's closure on June 27, 2010.
DeGarmo played the role of Doralee Rhodes in the national tour of 9 to 5, which was launched in Nashville on September 21, 2010.[19] She ended her run as Doralee after the July 2011 Minneapolis tour stop.
DeGarmo appeared on musical theatre composer Scott Alan's third album, What I Wanna Be When I Grow Up with the song "I Wish", released November 1, 2010.
She reprised the role of Penny Pingleton in the Hollywood Bowl production of Hairspray, which ran from August 5–7, 2011.[20]
DeGarmo has done several readings for new musicals over the years, starting with In Your Dreams in early October 2006. In 2009, she played the title role in a concert for Liberty: A New Musical at the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and in 2009 played the role of Chris in the much anticipated reading of an updated Carrie: The Musical. In 2011 and again in 2013 she played Fern/Vylette in Manhattan industry readings of "Jawbreaker," a musical based on the 1990s movie of the same name.[21]
In January 2013, DeGarmo played "Sally" in the pre-Broadway run of the new musical "NERDS," in Raleigh, NC, for the North Carolina Theatre.[22]
In June 2015, DeGarmo starred as Dorothy in Studio Tenn's production of The Wizard of Oz at The Schermerhorn Symphony Theater in Nashville, Tennessee.[24] She and Young are set to lead the first national tour of First Date, which is set to launch in the fall of 2020.[25]
She played Lucy in the 2016 to 2017 world tour of Jekyll & Hyde.[26]
DeGarmo joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in October 2011. She portrayed Angelina Veneziano, the daughter of resident mobster, Angelo. Her character was a terrible singer who was obsessed with gaining the affections of Kevin Fisher. Her character went through a redemption arc, and by the time her last episode aired in March 2012, Angelina not only could sing, she had matured into a kinder and gentler character.
In film, DeGarmo played Dora Hand, a dance hall singer in the 2012 western film Wyatt Earp's Revenge.[28]
DeGarmo made a cameo appearance as herself in the Lifetime Network holiday movie All About Christmas Eve starring Haylie Duff.[29] She also appeared on the second season of TLC's wedding dress show Brides of Beverly Hills, which documented her search for a wedding dress.[30]
During 2013, DeGarmo and Ace Young hosted a weekly one-hour entertainment show, Planet 360.[31][non-primary source needed] It started on the Hallmark Movie Channel in March, moved to TVGN in May and was canceled in December.
In 2013, DeGarmo starred in an independent film comedy, Alto.[32] DeGarmo's character, Frankie, is a struggling musician who falls in love with the daughter of a mafia don, and the two women become involved in a murder while also trying to come out to "Family." As of June 2015 the film has been shown at four festivals: The Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, The VisionFest Film Festival in New York City, the Hoboken International Film Festival in Middletown, New York and the Frameline LGBTQ film festival in San Francisco. DeGarmo was nominated for the Jack Nance Breakthrough Performance Award at VisionFest, where Alto won the Audience Award.[33]
In 2016, DeGarmo's third film, The Morning Sun, based on the play The Morning the Sun Fell Down, was released.[34]
Charities
DeGarmo is a celebrity ambassador of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and supports the cause at events including the 2012 MDA "Show of Strength" Telethon to raise money for children and adults with neuromuscular disease.[35] She also supports and performs in fundraisers for a number of charitable organizations both nationally and locally, including Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.
Other activities
DeGarmo was the first American Idol finalist to participate in a USO tour. She has been on four USO tours overseas:
From December 2005 through January 2006 she entertained troops in Southwest Asia on a tour hosted by General Peter Pace.[36] Her song "Thank You" is inspired by this trip.
In April 2012, she and Ace Young toured, accompanied by fellow performers and athletes Anthony Anderson, Weeman, Dennis Haysbert, Randy Johnson, and The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.[37]
In February 2013 she toured with Ace Young, Peyton Manning, Austin Collie, Curt Schilling and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.[38]
In March 2015, DeGarmo, Andrew Luck, Weeman, Miss America, and several other celebrities toured the Middle East and military installations in Korea, Japan, and Hawaii.
In late 2007/early 2008, DeGarmo participated as a Southern celebrity in television ads for the Zaxby's restaurant chain. She also made a guest appearance as Cosmo's singing voice in The Fairly OddParents episode Fairy Idol.
In November 2008, DeGarmo appeared on the Howard Stern Show.[39]
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a sung-through musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, based on the character of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly; their first collaboration, The Likes of Us, written in 1965, was not performed until 2005. Its family-friendly retelling of Joseph, familiar themes, and catchy music have resulted in numerous stagings. According to the owner of the copyright, the Really Useful Group, by 2008 more than 20,000 schools and amateur theatre groups had staged productions.
Hairspray is an American musical with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on John Waters's 1988 film of the same name. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the production follows teenage Tracy Turnblad's dream to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life Buddy Deane Show. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight, leading to social change as Tracy campaigns for the show's integration.
Justin Guarini is an American singer, songwriter and actor who in 2002 was the runner-up on the first season of American Idol.
Brooklyn the Musical is a musical with a book, lyrics, and music by Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson. It was acquired for licensing by Broadway Licensing
Constantine James Maroulis is an American actor and rock singer. He was the sixth-place finalist on the fourth season of the reality television series American Idol, and received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for his role in Rock of Ages. He starred in the title role in Jekyll and Hyde on Broadway, for which he received a Drama League Award Nomination for a Distinguished Performance Award.
Shoshana E. Bean is a Tony-nominated American singer, songwriter, and stage actress. She has appeared in numerous musicals, performing in major Off-Broadway and Broadway theatres, including in the original production of Hairspray.
Anthony Fedorov is an American singer and actor who is former lead singer for the Chicago band 7th Heaven. He rose to fame as the fourth place finalist on the fourth season of American Idol.
Kerry Butler is an American actress and singer known primarily for her work in theater. She is best known for originating the roles of Barbara Maitland in Beetlejuice, Penny Pingleton in Hairspray, and Clio/Kira in Xanadu, the latter of which earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.
Brett"Ace"Young is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He gained national recognition while appearing on the fifth season of American Idol. Young is married to American Idol season-three runner-up Diana DeGarmo.
Sarah Litzsinger is an American actress and singer, best known for her career in musical theatre.
Laura Ashley Bell Bundy–Hinkle is an American actress and singer. Her career started as a child, when her mother entered her in beauty pageants, where she would sing as a talent. After recognizing her singing ability, her mother took her to New York City, where she found success as a child actress and model, signing with Ford Modeling Agency in 1986. She was cast as the lead in Ruthless! at age 9 in 1991.
Erin Davie is an American actress and singer, best known for her performance as the young Edith Bouvier Beale in the musical Grey Gardens, taking the part on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre in 2006, after its initial run Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons.
Ashley Marie Spencer is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Spencer was a contestant on the 2007 NBC show Grease: You're the One that I Want! She was the understudy for Barbie in the Barbie in Fairytopia tour, in which she sang and danced ballet.
Caissie Levy is a Canadian-American actress and singer, mainly known for her work in musical theatre on Broadway and in the West End. Her early Broadway credits included Penny Pingleton in Hairspray and Sheila in Hair, a role she also played in the West End. She originated the role of Molly Jensen in the West End and Broadway productions of Ghost: the Musical, and played Fantine in the 2014 Broadway revival of Les Misérables. Levy also originated the role of Elsa in Frozen on Broadway. For her performance on the cast recording of Caroline, or Change, she was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2023. Levy originated the role of Diana Goodman in the London production of Next to Normal and received a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Gone Country is an American celebrity reality television show in which contestants compete to become a country music singer. The winner gets a country single produced by host John Rich, one-half of the country duo Big & Rich. It aired on CMT, with reruns on TV Land, and VH1. On the first-season finale, Julio Iglesias Jr. was named the winner.
Gone Country uproots these seven musical celebrities and moves them into a Nashville mansion together to embark on a two-week adventure, hosted by singer-songwriter John Rich. Each celebrity will be paired up with some of Nashville's finest songwriters in an attempt to prepare them for a career in country music. In each episode, the cast competes against each other in challenges that will test them musically and physically to adapt to a country music lifestyle, both on and off the stage. At the end of the two weeks, the artist who is most prepared to impress a country audience, as determined by Rich, will record and release a song.
Donna Vivino is an American theatre, television, film actress and singer. She is known for playing Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked and as the original Young Cosette in Les Misérables on Broadway. She was seen on Law & Order in January 2023 as guest star Rachel Ford. She will be appearing in the upcoming films "Family Affair" and "Inappropriate Behavior" with Bobby Cannavale.
This page lists only acting roles and other projects undertaken in film, television and theater in the post-Idol career of American Idol contestants. It does not include guest musical performances or interviews on TV shows, or any pre-Idol work. It is also not intended to be a comprehensive list of all acting roles, appearances, awards nominated or won by any particular alum. Where there are multiple entries, only the more significant may be listed. Please see the appropriate links and references for individual alum for such more complete lists.
Angelina Veneziano is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. She is portrayed by Diana DeGarmo, who is famed for being runner-up on the third season of the reality television competition American Idol. She was introduced by former executive producer and head writer Maria Arena Bell on October 31, 2011, as the daughter of mob boss Angelo Veneziano. Angelina was described as a mob boss daughter and aspiring singer by Zap2it. DeGarmo described her as an over-the-top "jersey girl", and noted her flamboyant costumes and voice. The show's executive producer and head writer Maria Arena Bell offered DeGarmo the role of Veneziano after seeing her performance of Penny Pingleton in the musical production of Hairspray.
Keala Settle is an American actress and singer. Settle originated the role of Norma Valverde in Hands on a Hardbody, which ran on Broadway in 2013, and was nominated for the Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, and Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In 2016 she was in the original Broadway cast of Waitress portraying Becky. In 2017, she portrayed Lettie Lutz, a bearded lady, in the musical film The Greatest Showman. The song "This Is Me" from the film, principally sung by Settle, won the 2017 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Tyler Jonathan Hanes is an American actor, singer, dancer and choreographer best known for his work in Broadway musicals.
References
↑ "News". Mailboat Records. Archived from the original on November 27, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
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