Diana DeGarmo Wire

BWW TV gets a first look at '9 to 5'

2010-09-02T11:56:00.002-04:00

BroadwayWorld TV recently got to sit on a rehearsal for the national tour of 9 to 5: The Musical ahead of its Sept. 21 launch in Nashville. Watch the clip below:

During the rehearsal, director/choreographer Jeff Calhoun read aloud a letter from none other than Dolly Parton herself, who said she hoped everyone was enjoying her music and that she could not wait to see them in Nashville later this month.

Diana prepares for '9 to 5' debut

2010-08-28T11:05:00.004-04:00

Diana has been busy preparing for the national tour of Dolly Parton's 9 to 5: The Musical, spending most of August in rehearsals for the show that kicks off at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Sept. 21, as evidence by her recent tweets like the following:

First day of 9 to 5 rehearsal, yeehaw!
9:07 AM Aug 19th via MOTOBLUR

Day 2 has begun w/ a wig fitting (the wigs are AWESOME), then music, then learning the "cowgirls revenge" good times!
9:31 AM Aug 20th via MOTOBLUR

Hello workout, its been a lil while, but it was nice seeing ya! Gotta get in tip TOP shape for Doralee.
7:40 PM Aug 20th via MOTOBLUR

Dolly Parton recently vlogged about the tour, encouraging everyone to get out there and buy tickets:

More casting details have been revealed, including Joseph Mahowald's announced portrayal of Franklin Hart.

For updated tour dates and destinations, visit 9to5TheMusical.com.

Diana announces starring role in '9 to 5' national tour

2010-08-01T22:53:00.009-04:00

Earlier this week, Diana tweeted about her starring role as Doralee Rhodes in the first ever national tour of Dolly Parton's movie and Broadway musical 9 to 5:

"It's official: I will be playing Miss Doralee Rhodes in the 1st Nat'l Tour of 9 to 5 The Musical :-) plus, we open in NASHVILLE!!!"

The tour will kick off at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville, Tenn., on Tues., Sept. 21. A list of tentatively scheduled dates is as follows:

September 21-26 @ Tennessee Performing Arts Center (Nashville, TN)
September 28-October 3rd @ Fox Theatre (Atlanta, GA)
October 5-10 @ Ovens Auditorium (Charlotte, NC)
October 12-17 @ Civic Center (Des Moines, IA)
October 22-24 @ Von Braun Center (Huntsville, AL)
October 26-31 @ Carol Morsani Hall-The Straz Center (Tampa, FL)
November 2-7 @ The Orpheum (Memphis, TN)
November 9-21 @ The Hobby Center (Houston, TX)
December 7-12 @ The Majestic Theatre (San Antonio, TX)
December 15-19 @ Wharton Center (E. Lansing, MI)
December 27-January 2 @ Philharmonic Center for the Arts (Naples, FL)
January 4-9 @ The Peace Center (Greenville, SC)
January 11-16 @ Clowes Memorial Hall (Indianapolis, IN)
January 18-31 @ Bank of America Theater (Chicago, IL)
February 1-6 @ Shuster Performing Arts Center (Dayton, OH)
February 8-20 @ Fabulous Fox Theater (St. Louis)
February 22-27 @ Gammage Auditorium (Tempe, AZ)
March 9-20 @ Sacramento Theater (Sacramento, CA)
March 24-27 @ INB Performing Arts Center (Spokane, WA)
April 5-24 @ 5th Avenue Theater (Seattle, WA)
April 26-May 8 @ Buell Theater (Denver, CO)
May 10-15 @ Segerstrom Hall (Costa Mesa, CA)
May 31-June 5 @ Benedum Center (Pittsburgh, PA)
June 7-12 @ Civic Center Music Hall (Oklahoma City, OK)
June 14-19 @ Tulsa Performing Arts Center (Tulsa, OK)
July 12-24 @ Ordway Center (Minneapolis, MN)
July 26-31 @ Bass Peformance Hall (Ft. Worth, TX)

An article on Playbill.com provided a little background on the story:

The Broadway musical — based on the hit 1980 movie comedy about women in an oppressive office workplace — closed on Broadway Sept. 6, 2009. The book was by Patricia Resnick, based on the screenplay that she co-wrote. Music and lyrics were by Dolly Parton, who wrote an entirely new score for the show (excluding the catchy title tune, of course).

The tour will be directed and choreographed by Tony nominee Jeff Calhoun. Ticket info is still forthcoming and will be available at 9to5theMusical.com in the near future.

Diana performs at Birdland, Listening Room Cafe

2010-07-12T19:41:00.004-04:00

Diana did two Nashville-related shows last week beginning with "Singin' In the Shower: Songs From Behind the Bathroom Door," a benefit concert for people affected by the May flood at Birdland in New York City. Diana sang "It's Raining Men" among other karaoke favorites. Watch the performance below:

"Singin' In the Shower," which donated all proceeds to the relief effort, was far from an average show. Per an article on Playbill.com:

Singin' in the Shower, according to press notes, is a "behind-the-scenes look into the one place where stage fright doesn't exist and clothing isn't required. Join us as we pull the shower curtain back to reveal the stage where today's entertainers debuted their talents: The Shower."

Diana also did a show at The Listening Room Cafe with fellow upcoming Nashville-based singers Robin Meade, Victoria Shaw and Cardin McKinney on Friday.

'Hair' closes on Broadway

2010-06-27T22:17:00.002-04:00

And with that, the Broadway revival of the classic musical Hair closed its curtains for the final time at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Below is a video that Diana and fellow tribe member Josh Lamon posted on the show's official Facebook page earlier today:

allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="224">

More reaction from tribe members and fans will be posted in the coming days, but it's safe to say this is a sad day for all who have been involved since the new cast took over in March. Despite Diana's relatively short run in the show, there have been many memorable moments both on stage and off.

In other New York City-related news, Diana's concert at the Highline Ballroom on July 26 has been postponed indefinitely according to her Twitter.

Diana to perform set at the Highline Ballroom

2010-06-22T20:25:00.004-04:00

Diana is one of three former American Idol finalists to perform a set at the Highline Ballroom over the next month. Diana's show will take place at the venue on Mon., July 26 at 8 p.m., while Taylor Hicks's show will happen on Sun., July 25. Constantine Maroulis's show already took place on Wed., June 16. The Ballroom is located on New York City's 431 W 16th St.

Meanwhile, Diana and Ace Young found time to promote the launch of Ubisoft's Dance on Broadway game for the Nintendo Wii at Nintendo's flagship store at Rockefeller Center on Fri., June 11. BroadwayWorld.com's BWW TV was there to cover the event:

The game features a few Hair favorites including "Aquarius" and "Let the Sunshine In."

In other news, press is still being drummed up ahead of Diana's participation in the "Singin' in the Shower" at Birdland on Mon., July 5. Per an article on Playbill.com:

Singin' in the Shower, according to press notes, is a "behind-the-scenes look into the one place where stage fright doesn't exist and clothing isn't required. Join us as we pull the shower curtain back to reveal the stage where today's entertainers debuted their talents: The Shower."

There's a great cause behind Diana's show, as proceeds will benefit the Nashville Flood relief effort.

'Hair' update: producers give away 500 tickets

2010-06-13T20:04:00.006-04:00

As the current Hair tribe moves into its final two weeks on Broadway, assembled below are random items of note about the show.

The producers of Hair generously gave away 500 free tickets to Friday night's show in celebration of the revival of the show's launch during the Public Theater’s free 2008 Shakespeare in the Park season. An article on SILive.com detailed the giveaway, saying the first 500 people to stand in line at the show's box office before it opened at 10 a.m. would get a ticket.

Later that day, Diana and fellow Idol alums Ace Young and Constantine Maroulis as well as fellow Broadway actors Liam Redhead, Dayton Tavares and Michael Dameski participated as celebrity judges for Macy's Ticket to the Tonys semi-finalist competition at Macy's Herald Square. Per an article on TheaterMania.com:

Customers are encouraged to come out and show their support for the singers by casting their own vote to determine who will walk the red carpet at the 2010 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall. The event will also feature USA Today's Elysa Gardner as a judge, and celebrity columnist Naughty But Nice Rob as host.

Meanwhile, Idol blogger Rickey Yaneza of Rickey.org recently attended a show and got star treatment from Diana and Ace, capturing his experience for TV.com. After the show, he went out to dinner with the two of them and learned some news:

So what did I learn?
1. Ace and Diana are NOT dating. Although they were very friendly! I think Ace flirts with anything that moves. I've always thought that he was a very formal straight up guy — but he was such a college jock! Hahaha. It was really fun to witness Ace's flirtatious ways. Oh the things I just can't write it in this blog!

2. Ace is going back to L.A. to write music for himself and others after Hair is finished.

3. Diana is going back to Nashville to work on her music. I tried to convince her to do Wicked on Broadway as Elphaba, but she said she wants to take a break from theater for the moment.

And numbers were revealed for the total amount of money raised during Hair's Love Out Loud: A Donation of LOVE from HAIR. An article on TheaterMania.com reported more than $15k raised over the duration of the benefit for the Fresh Air Fund.

Diana to perform in Birdland's "Singin' In the Shower"

2010-06-13T19:44:00.003-04:00

Despite the news that Diana's role as Sheila in Hair will come to and end at the end of the month, it was revealed that she will take part in The Birdland's "Singin' In the Shower: Songs Behind from Behind the Bathroom Door" on Mon., July 5 at 7 p.m. Per BroadwayWorld.com:

"Singin' in the Shower" is a behind-the-scenes look into the one place where stage fright doesn't exist and clothing isn't required. Join us as we pull the shower curtain back to reveal the stage where today's entertainers debuted their talents: The Shower.

BroadwayWorld goes on to say Miranda Sings, Travis Nesbitt, Kenny Holcomb, Elizabeth Jones, Jessalyn Gliebe and Jermaine Miles will also take part in the show. Cover is $25 and there is a $10 food/beverage minimum.

BREAKING: 'Hair' to close June 27

2010-06-09T19:51:00.005-04:00

After 15 months at the Al Hirschfeld Theater, the revival of Hair will close its curtains for good on Sunday, June 27. Diana tweeted about the news earlier this evening:

DianaDeGarmo Just heard the news via TEXT MESSAGE, @HAIRtribe is closing in two weeks.... out last performance is June 27th.
about 1 hour ago via MOTOBLUR

The news comes as a shock to many fans, but an article posted on BroadwayWorld.com seemed to put things into perspective:

The closing release emphasized that Hair recouped its entire $5,760,000 investment four months into the run and has generated a profit. The show weakened at the box office after the original cast departed for London, grossing $351,992 for the week ending June 6 and playing to 46.50% of capacity.

By the time the show closes, Diana will have starred as Sheila for nearly four months, as she and the rest of the current tribe began exactly three months ago today.

Stay tuned for more news on Hair's closing weeks.

Diana talks with CultureMob about "Cut-In"

2010-06-06T22:58:00.003-04:00

Diana recently spoke to Jonathan Mandell of CultureMob.com about her recent efforts along with the rest of the Hair tribe in their efforts to aid the cleanup of the gulf coast as it copes with the recent oil spill. Read an excerpt of a piece Mandell wrote on their "Cut-In" back on Mon., May 24, below:

Diana DeGarmo sounded apologetic recently for not having gotten a haircut. “I’m contractually obligated to not cut my hair,” she said. “I have to have my hair for the show.”

The show the former American Idol contestant is talking about is “Hair,” at the Al Hirschfeld Theater, where since March DeGarmo has played Sheila, a leader of the Tribe — student, anti-war protester and girlfriend of Berger, played by Ace Young, another ex-American Idol contestant, and another cast member who cannot casually get a haircut.

Diana want on to say she couldn't wear a wig for the show because "Hippies don’t wear wigs." The "Cut-In" was sponsored by the nonprofit group Matter of Trust. (Photo courtesy of CultureMob.com).

Diana participates in tribute to Simon Cowell

2010-06-02T07:54:00.000-04:00

Diana was one of many former Idol finalists to take the stage at last week's American Idol Season 9 finale at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, Calif., where she and her peers sang in unison on the chorus of "Together We Are One" in a tribute to Simon Cowell, who ended his run on the show that night. Watch the performance below:

In other Diana and Idol-related news, she picked Crystal Bowersox to take the crown over Lee DeWyze, as she told HollywoodLife.com the Monday before the finale:

"I would like to see Crystal win because I would like to see a female take it home....I think they’re both great [but,] we’ve had two guitar playing guys win the last two years. It’s time for a lady to take it!”

While in town for the finale, Diana walked the red carpet outside the Nokia.

Diana and 'Hair' contribute to Gulf Coast relief in "Cut-in"

2010-06-01T23:48:00.006-04:00

Diana and nine of her fellow Hair tribe members donated their time to a great cause on Monday, May 24, as they spent a few hours at the uptown Bumble and bumble to help gather hair clippings from free hair cuts in a "cut-in" for the purpose of cleaning up the oil spill affecting the Gulf Coast.

Diana appeared on New York's FOX affiliate morning show, Good Day New York, on the morning of May 24 to raise awareness of the event. Watch her segment below:

The event at Bumble and bumble was covered by Cara Joy David of HuffingtonPost.com, who wrote the following about Diana's involvement in the cause:

Ten Hair cast members were there, handing out Gerbera Daisies to attendees. "We at Hair like to practice what we preach," star Diana DeGarmo, who hung around talking to folks for almost three hours, said. (Her costar, Ace Young, was notably absent.) "When we found out hair would help in the Gulf, we at Hair thought we should help by giving hair."

Photos from the event taken by Monica Simoes like the one above were posted on BroadwayWorld.com.

Diana performs on CBS's 'The Early Show'

2010-06-01T23:10:00.006-04:00

Diana visited CBS's morning program The Early Show on Saturday to perform a few songs from Hair. Watch her perform "Easy to Be Hard" as part of the program's "Second Cup Cafe" below:

Diana later performed "I Believe In Love" and the tail end of her original composition "Thank You," which is featured as a free download as part of SunTrust's "Solid Salutes," to play the show out. Watch her singing in the plaza outside CBS studios below:

There were service men and women in attendance as part of Fleet Week, whom Diana, Ace Young and fellow Hair tribe members performed before the previous day at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Per Theatermania.com:

The entire cast of Hair -- including American Idol veterans Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young -- will perform, as will Eddie Clendening, Lance Guest, Levi Kreis, and Robert Lyons from Million Dollar Quartet; Brooks Ashmanskas, Sean Martin Hingston, Ken Land and Matthew Loehr from Promises, Promises; Krysta Rodriguez and Wesley Taylor from The Addams Family; and Rebecca Naomi Jones, Mary Faber, Christina Sajous, Alysha Umphress, Leslie McDonel, and Libby Winters from American Idiot.

The event was hosted by Lend Me a Tenor's Mary Catherine Garrison & Jennifer Laura Thompson.

'Hair' update: Tribe joins "CUT IN" tomorrow

2010-05-23T19:17:00.004-04:00

It was announced last week that the Hair tribe will take part in Bumble and bumble's "CUT IN" to benefit the efforts to clean up the oil spill along the gulf coast tomorrow from 12-4 p.m. at Bumble and bumble's Uptown location (146 East 56th Street, between 3rd and Lexington). According to BroadwayWorld.com:

During this time, Bumble and bumble stylists will be on hand to give free hair-cuts to attendees. This event is open to the public. The hair trimmings will be donated to Matter of Trust, an environmental non-profit that has helped clean up oil spills since 1998 by reusing donated hair clippings from hair salons, barber shops, pet groomers, and wool farmers. Stuffing this donated hair into donated nylon stockings, this organization is creating highly absorbent booms to help contain the oil crisis in the Gulf of Mexico.

Tribe members will be at the event and Hair tickets will be raffled every hour.

Elisabeth Vincentelli of The New York Post recently reviewed Hair for the newspaper. Below is what she had to say about Ace Young and Diana:

"Hair" is so ensemble-driven that "names" are irrelevant, but let's start with them anyway because there's now two "American Idol" alumni in the show. Ace Young's Berger lacks Will Swenson's dyonisian bravado, and strains to keep up with the beat on faster songs like "Donna." On the other hand, he does feel as if he could actually be in high school, and exudes a playful trickster's charm. As Sheila, Diana DeGarmo (an "Idol" runner-up in 2004) pushes a little too much. Her "Easy to Be Hard" lacks vulnerability and serves merely as a pretext for harsh "Idol"-isms. I wasn't feeling Sheila's pain there, just her need to project to the rafters.

And the show's "Love Out Loud" auctions to benefit the Fresh Air Fund came to a close last Wednesday, May 19. The auction prize featuring lunch with Diana was the first one completed back in March.

Diana performs "Easy to Be Hard" on Arbor Day

2010-05-05T22:44:00.005-04:00

Diana performed at the OneMillionTreesNYC event for Bette Middler last Friday in honor of Arbor Day, in what turned out to be a very windy day. Despite the wind, Diana sang "Easy to Be Hard" with Lon Hoyt accompanying her on piano. Watch the performance below:

allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="224">

Diana has also asked fans to donate to the American Red Cross's disaster relief fund for the people of Nashville and surrounding areas that are coping with the deadly flood. She posted a link on her Facebook page to an article on Nashville.About.com detailing how people can help.

Diana and 'Hair' tribe perform with Kelly Ripa on 'Live'

2010-04-27T23:30:00.005-04:00

Diana, Ace Young and the rest of the Hair tribe members visited the set of Live with Regis & Kelly this morning to perform as part of the syndicated talk show's "Broadway Week" special.

Just as Diana promised in a recent tweet, Live co-host Kelly Ripa took part in the performance, which can be watched below:

Before the performance took place, co-host Regis Philbin introduced a recorded message from Hair cast members backstage at the Al Hirschfeld Theater talking about their excitement to be on Live. Diana even recalled her performance of "Dreams" on the show back in 2004 after she finished as runner-up on American Idol. Watch the segment below:

The tribe is next supposed to perform on CBS's The Early Show in the near future.

Diana reviews grooming products, talks 'Hair' with The AP

2010-04-26T20:24:00.004-04:00

Diana and three fellow Hair tribe members reviewed what else but eco-friendly grooming products for Time Out New York in honor of Earth Day last week. Diana was tasked with reviewing three products: Azur sunscreen, Eco Tools recycled-steel nail-care set and Sula Beauty Paint & Peel polish. Of Azur, Diana said:

“This SPF is so awesome because (a) you don’t smell like you’re wearing sunscreen, (b) it’s not greasy, and (c) it’s super water-resistant. When I did a little protest down in D.C. and ran into the water at the Mall, it totally stayed on.”

The tribe members also took part in a photo shoot for the piece, with a video montage below:

Diana and Ace Young also were interviewed by The Associated Press last week on their experiences in Hair up to this point. Watch what they had to say below:

Diana, Ace and the rest of the Hair tribe will appear on Live with Regis & Kelly tomorrow where they will perform with co-host Kelly Ripa.

Diana and fellow alums help out for "Idol Gives Back"

2010-04-19T18:31:00.005-04:00

Diana and fellow Idol alums RJ Helton (Season 1), Julia DeMato (Season 2) and Hair co-star Ace Young helped out the local City Harvest when they spent their Thursday afternoon at the Jan Hus Presbyterian Church soup kitchen and food pantry as part of "Idol Gives Back" week. FOX5 was there to cover the event, which can be watched below:

MJ of MJsBigBlog also posted photos of the volunteer event.

Diana also tweeted that she and the cast of Hair will be performing on Live with Regis anf Kelly on Tuesday, April 27, and The CBS Early Show sometime in the near future. She originally tweeted she and the cast would be appearing on the morning show tomorrow, but retracted the news in another tweet shortly after.

Diana takes on "Single Ladies" at the Laurie Beechman Theater

2010-04-13T18:15:00.006-04:00

Diana appeared with her former Hairspray co-star Michelle Dowdy and Melissa Oropesa Monday at the Laurie Beechman Theater to chat with "The Canteen Troop" and do a little singing. Watch an excerpt of their act below:

In other news, Diana will be taking part in Feeding America's local food pantry initiative as part of American Idol's "Idol Gives Back" celebration, which will feature many former contestants contributing at their local centers.

Diana will join Ace Young, Jorge Núñez, Julia DeMato and RJ Helton by delivering food courtesy of City Harvest with at the Jan Hus Presbyterian Church in New York.

'Hair' update: Diana and Ace talk with BroadwayWorld.com

2010-04-11T18:41:00.007-04:00

Diana and Ace were interviewed by BroadwayWorld.com along with other cast members of Hair, which was uploaded to the outlet's official YouTube channel on Thursday. Watch the interview below:

Diana was briefly mentioned in a solo interview given by Ace on FOX5 New York's broadcast from Mon., April 5. Watch the interview below:

On Tues., March 31, the cast celebrated one year on Broadway in its current form, which basically involved the cast posing for photos after the curtain closed.

Matthew Blank from Playbill.com was there to snap a few shots like the one on the left.

And more photos of Diana with Ace and the rest of the cast in addition to special guests Mayor Bloomberg, Snooki and The Situation from MTV's Jersey Shore at the Inner Circle dinner at the Hilton Hotel on March 28 were posted at BroadwayWorld.com. The photos are courtesy of Spencer T. Tucker.

'Hair' Update: Michael Bloomberg, Snooki & The Situation?

2010-03-28T15:34:00.007-04:00

Diana and the rest of the cast of Hair had some help from three unlikely co-stars at last night's Inner Circle dinner at the Hilton Hotel: Snooki and The Situation from MTV's Jersey Shore and Mayor Michael Bloomberg himself. According to an article in The New York Daily News:

Earlier at rehearsals, Bloomberg joked with former "American Idol" singers Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young, showing off his bell-bottomed jeans and flashing a peace sign.

The ridiculousness of the collaborations can be watched in the video below:

In other Hair news, Allison Klamkin of The Hofstra Chronicle reviewed the new tribe's performance in a recent show, giving them props for the most part. Of Diana, she said:

DeGarmo is still the vocal powerhouse she was on “Idol.” Back in 2004, she was just a 16-year-old kid in a singing competition. Now, at 22 and with several musical theatre credits under her belt, DeGarmo has become a much more skilled performer, and has found her niche in musical theatre. Her rendition of “Easy to Be Hard,” Sheila’s first act ballad, brought down the house and the audience truly felt the hurt Sheila is feeling at that moment.

Playbill.com posted more photos of Diana and the rest of the cast during a recent performance. One can be seen to the right (courtesy of Joan Marcus).

Ace Young gave Diana a nice shoutout in his blog on Playbill.com's "CELEB PlayBlogger" feature:

It’s been a real pleasure being able to not only get to know, but get to work with my fellow “American Idol” alum Diana DeGarmo. After learning the show with her, I can’t imagine doing it with anyone else. And, it’s an amazing thing to be part of the first show to have two “American Idols” on a Broadway stage. So if you’re a fan of Diana’s or a fan of mine, or just a fan of the show, we hope to see you at Hair.

And Diana's auction item of dinner with her for Hair's "Love Out Loud" benefit for the Fresh Air Fund closed this week, with the winning bid taking in $1,527.00.

Diana participates in "Love Out Loud" auction

2010-03-15T00:05:00.006-04:00

Diana is lending herself to Hair's "Love Out Loud: A Donation of LOVE from HAIR on Broadway" auction series benefiting the Fresh Air Fund, as she is the first auction "prize" up for grabs.

The benefit, which runs from March 11 until May 19, is featuring dinner with Diana as its first item to bid on. The starting bid was $250 and is now up to . The bidding began on March 11 and wraps up on March 24, so if you're interested in being the proud winner of a shared meal with Diana you should act fast.

According to an article on TheaterMania.com, other prizes include:

Other packages will feature a voice lesson with the show's vocal coach Nadia DiGiallonardo, a walk-on role in the show, and an opening night VIP package to a Shakespeare in the Park production.

To bid on Diana's dinner package, visit HairLoveOutLoud.com.

The week in review: new cast of 'Hair' opens on Broadway

2010-03-14T22:15:00.007-04:00

The first week of the new tribe's performance in Broadway's musical Hair is now complete, and Diana seems to be relieved yet appreciative of the experience, as she tweeted:

DianaDeGarmo We survived our first week! Now it's time to RELAX.........5 minutes ago via mobile web

It sure was a busy week. Playbill.com features five exclusive photos from the new tribe's opening night performance, with one photo of Diana and the fellow cast members available below on the left.

A lot of publications have been focusing on the fact that both Diana and fellow American Idol finalist and co-star Ace Young opted to do a 15-second portion of the show fully nude as the script calls. Per Zap2It.com:

According to MJ's Big Blog, people are saying that both Young and DeGarmo opted to shed their garb for the clothing-optional scene -- historically it has been up to each individual actor whether or not he or she will participate completely nude. We're sorry to disappoint you -- no pictures of the buff Idols.

But Diana and Ace laughed off people's emphasis on the minor part of the show, as she said in an interview with New York magazine's Jada Yuan:

DeGarmo added, "But it's not about the nudity," and Young righted himself: "It's just being free. We're being free. Literally, we're letting everything out. We're just being ourselves and standing in front of 1,500 people doing it." Heavy, man!

For more information on the show and to purchase tickets, check out HairBroadway.com.

Diana opens in 'Hair' on Broadway

2010-03-09T15:14:00.003-05:00

After weeks of rehearsals, Diana, Ace Young and the rest of the new cast of Broadway's Hair finally get to take the stage tonight at the Al Hirschfield Theatre.

The most recent cast starred in its final show on Sunday, which was covered by Playbill, and an article that appeared on Playbill.com made not of the changing of the guard:

A new Broadway tribe, including "American Idol" finalists Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young, as well as Spring Awakening's Kyle Riabko, will begin performances at the Hirschfeld March 9.

Diana just tweeted her excitement about beginning the latest chapter of her career:

DianaDeGarmo Final dress is OVER! Now it's SHOWTIME!!!
18 minutes ago via mobile web

Hair's show times are as follows:

Tuesday: 7 p.m.
Wednesday: 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Thursday: 8 p.m.
Friday: 8 p.m.
Saturday: 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Sunday: 3 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased on HAIRBroadway.com.

Diana and Ace chat with FOX 5 News

2010-02-21T18:54:00.005-05:00

Since being announced as new cast members of the Broadway musical Hair, Diana and Ace Young have been gaining the attention of much of the national media. Last week, they took time out from rehearsing with the rest of the cast to chat with FOX 5 News' entertainment correspondent Anne Craig about their new roles. Watch the segment below:

The news of the cast changes has been making the rounds, including appearing on People.com and NYTimes.com.

Diana officially joins the cast of 'Hair'

2010-02-16T18:21:00.007-05:00

The long-awaited announcement that Diana will be one of the new cast members in Broadway's musical Hair came today, as The Associated Press reported:

When the new cast of the Tony-winning musical revival takes over March 9, it will include Ace Young as Tribe leader Berger, Kyle Riabko (ree-AB'-ko) as good buddy Claude and Diana DeGarmo as Sheila.

Other new cast members were revealed via Playbill.com, including Annaleigh Ashford (Wicked, Legally Blonde) as Jeanie, Jeannette Bayardelle (The Color Purple) as Dionne, Vanessa Ray as Crissy, Wallace Smith as Hud and Jason Wooten as Woof.

This will be Diana's first time appearing on Broadway since 2007 when she ended her role as Penny Pingleton in the musical Hairspray. The photo of Diana with Ace Young is courtesy of Matthew Blank of Playbill.

Diana was excited to finally be able to talk openly of her new gig, although you wouldn't know it from her latest tweet:

The show has been revealed to the press....
about 1 hours ago from mobile web

Video of Diana with the rest of the cast rehearsing the number "Let the Sun Shine In" was posted on BroadwayWorld.com, which has been all over the story:

Per BroadwayWorld, ticket information is as follows:

Tickets for HAIR (starting at $37.00) are available via Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200. The schedule is as follows: Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday at 2:00 & 8:00 p.m., Thursday - Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 & 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

The new cast will premiere at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street, NYC) on Tuesday, March 9.

Diana comments on 'American Idol' for OKmagazine.com

2010-02-15T14:53:00.003-05:00

Diana is one of three former American Idol finalists to be opining on the show's ninth season, as she will be a part of OKmagazine.com's "Idol Roundtable" feature for the spring.

In addition to Diana, Mikalah Gordon of the show's fourth season and Anoop Desai of the show's eighth season will give their input on the goings on of the current season each week. In last week's edition, Diana said:

I really like Lacey Brown. She has a gorgeous, sweet voice and is cute as a button! The one who I cannot get out of my head, and wish I could, is Adrian Chandtchi. He is like a gentle giant, but when that soft voice comes out of that body it throws you for a loop!

She also commented on the auditions process, saying:

"I remember feeling a huge rush of relief when I finally made it out of that audition room! So many emotions happen in that room and when you finally get that golden ticket, it’s almost like you can’t believe it!”

Diana added that she's excited to see what new judge Ellen DeGeneres can do, although not seeing Paula at the judges' table will seem strange.

BroadwayWorld: Diana and Ace Young join cast of 'Hair' on Broadway

2010-02-08T17:41:00.005-05:00

Today marked the closest to an official announcement we've got so far on the mysterious new role Diana has landed up in New York City, as BroadwayWorld.com's Rialto Chatter reported that she and fellow former American Idol contestant Ace Young (Season 5) will star in the Broadway musical Hair.

This comes after weeks of speculation caused by rumors and hints about Diana's secretive new gig (some hints were even doled out by Diana herself via Twitter). According to the article:

No official announcement has been made by the production, although it is expected that casting announcements for London and New York are imminent, as the new Broadway performers go into rehearsal in the coming weeks.

The show's new cast will debut at the Al Hirschfield Theater on Tuesday, March 9. Hair has won a Tony Awards and was named Best Musical Revival by the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League.

'Toxic Avenger' ends Off-Broadway run

2010-01-05T21:32:00.004-05:00

After starring as Sarah the blind librarian for nearly five months in the Off-Broadway musical The Toxic Avenger, the show closed its doors at New World Stages on Sunday with one final 7:30 p.m. showing. Diana marked the final day of performances with a series of tweets:

Diana DeGarmo Wow, y'all. It's officially the last day of The Toxic Avenger ..... maaaaan, I can feel my eyes welling up. I'M SUCH A GIRL! 10:40 AM Jan 3rd from Facebook

getting Starbucks then off to our LAST SHOW of The Toxic Avenger...... SAD! 6:37 PM Jan 3rd from mobile web

I just saw 3 fulls moons over New World Stages... thanks guys!! 8:40 PM Jan 3rd from mobile web

Diana joined the cast of Toxic on Fri., Aug. 15. While there, she and her cast mates made many local appearances in support of the show including ringing the opening bell at NYSE and appearing on Good Day NY.

Following the performance, Diana returned home. Stay tuned for more updates on Diana's career now that she has left New York City for the time being.

Last-minute tickets for 'Toxic Avenger' available

2010-01-01T19:44:00.004-05:00

There are still some tickets left for The Toxic Avenger's four remaining shows before it closes at New World Stages on Sunday, Jan. 3. The show times are:

Saturday, Jan. 2: 4 p.m. / 8 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 3: 3 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.

Diana has been reminding fans via her official Twitter account that tickets are going fast:

DianaDeGarmo It's here folks, our FINAL weekend at The Toxic Avenger. Come spend your first days of 2010 with US

Diana also said to use the promotional code TOFINAL11 for a discount. If you have not yet seen the show and will be in the New York City area this weekend, be sure to check out one of the musical's performances in its current off-Broadway run. Visit TheToxicAvengerMusical.com for ticket information.

Diana's time with RCA contrasted with Allison Iraheta's Jive experience

2009-12-06T12:23:00.003-05:00

In a recent article written by James Montgomery and Jim Cantiello of MTV News, Diana's time with RCA Records was contrasted with the experience American Idol fourth-place finalist Allison Iraheta is now having with the release of her debut album Just Like You. Below is a snippet of what the article had to say about Diana:

One of the youngest — and most talented — "Idol" contestants, she was inked to RCA Records in 2004 and released Blue Skies, a glossy pop album she had little creative control over (in a recent interview, she complained that RCA ignored her suggestions about songwriting partners almost entirely) and one that effectively ended her career. It debuted at #52 on the Billboard 200, then, without the benefit of a hit single, quickly disappeared. Nearly five years later, it has sold fewer than 200,000 copies, and DeGarmo is starring in an off-Broadway production of "The Toxic Avenger."

The article went on to quote Allison as saying she had more input in the songs that made it onto her album, which was much different than the situation Diana was in as a young artist, which she recently spoke of candidly in an interview on WithJosh.com.

Diana performs at Houston's Christmas tree lighting

2009-11-18T21:16:00.008-05:00

Diana spent her weekend in Houston, Tex., where she performed at the Christmas tree-lighting in the city's Galleria. The Houston Chronicle covered the event, writing of Diana:

American Idol finalist Diana DeGarmo opened the show with The Christmas Song. Pair skaters Gord Willemse and Lisa Grice performed two exciting routines with lots of lifts; the audience held its breath as he spun her around with her head dangerously close to the ice.

Diana was excited to be at the event, as she tweeted:

The show @ the Galleria was GREAT! Such a fun event! :-) I am hitting the hay NOW b/c I literally cannot keep my... http://fb.me/37rGvgR 8:47 PM Nov 14th from Facebook

Diana then sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the New Jersey Nets game last night. Watch the performance below:

The Nets played the Indiana Pacers at the IZOD Center at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, N.J.

Diana joins 'Carrie' cast for industry presentation

2009-11-13T13:09:00.004-05:00

It was announced yesterday that Diana has joined an all-star cast for an industry reading of a revival of the 1988 Broadway musical adaptation of the Stephen King novel and film Carrie. Playbill broke the news, revealing the entire cast:

The cast will feature Foster (Shrek, Thoroughly Modern Millie) as gym teacher Ms. Gardner, Mazzie (Passion, Ragtime) as Margaret White, Molly Ranson (August: Osage County) as Carrie and Damiano (Next to Normal, Spring Awakening) as Sue.

Also revealed are "American Idol" finalist Diana DeGarmo (Hairspray, The Toxic Avenger) as Chris, Matt Doyle (Spring Awakening, Bye Bye Birdie) as Tommy and John Arthur Greene (West Side Story) as Billy.

The Carrie ensemble includes Corey Boardman (Next to Normal, Altar Boyz), Lilli Cooper (Spring Awakening), Katrina Rose Dideriksen (Things to Ruin), Benjamin Eakeley (Sweeney Todd), Emily Ferranti, Kyle Harris (The Cure), Philip Hoffman (A Catered Affair), Kaitlin Kiyan (Hair), Max Kumangai (What's That Smell?), Mackenzie Mauzy (White Noise), Preston Sadleir (Mrs. Sharp), Jonathan Schwartz (The Fantasticks) Bud Weber and Sasha Weiss (Jerry Springer).

Diana also excitedly tweeted about the announcement, thrilled that she could finally talk openly about her "secret rehearsals":

@batboysings YES, CARRIE, is the top secret reading that I have been working on. I am SOOOOO FREAKIN EXCITED! I get to be the MEAN girl!!! about 19 hours ago from web

Diana attends 43rd annual CMA Awards

2009-11-12T17:01:00.000-05:00

Diana was one of many country music artists to attend country's biggest night, the 43rd annual CMA Awards, Wednedsay night at Nashville's Sommet Center.

Diana turned heads on the red carpet thanks to an eye-catching pink dress courtesy of Jovani. She tweeted:

Jovani, I want you to know that i have been getting compliments on my dress left and right tonight!! 6:44 PM Nov 11th from mobile web

Despite the positive responses at the show, the press had mixed reviews. Cathi from The Tennessean wrote Diana "rocked a hot pink gown with exposed gold zipper embellishment," while Vicki Hyman of The New Jersey Star-Ledger wrote the dress "only exaggerates the fakeness of her tan."

Also according to her official Twitter account, Diana sat next to Jennette McCurdy of Nickelodeon's iCarly and she was excited for Lady Antebellum's win in the "Single of the Year" category.

'Toxic Avenger' to close on Jan. 3, 2010

2009-11-11T11:55:00.003-05:00

After less than one year on the Off-Broadway, The Toxic Avenger will end its run on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010. Diana joined the show on Friday, Aug. 14, and was scheduled to continue through February before the news came down yesterday. Per an article from Playbill:

Producers Jean Cheever and Tom Polum said in a Nov. 10 statement, "We've been blessed with a talented creative team, phenomenal cast, highly skilled crew, smokin' hot band, dedicated behind-the-scenes support group and loyal theatre audiences."

Toxic transferred to New World Stages, its Off-Broadway home, on March 18. It will have had 300 performances before closing its doors. Planning for a national tour is now underway.

Diana to participate in "Rockers on Broadway" special Nov. 2

2009-10-18T21:05:00.003-04:00

Diana will star alongside famed artists and fellow Broadway actors in the Rockers on Broadway special on Mon., Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. at B.B. King Blues Club in New York City. Others slated to appear include Alice Ripley, John Lloyd Young, Lou Christie, Lesley Gore and Micky Dolenz (The Monkees).
Below is information on the back story behind the charitable event and where proceeds go courtesy of TheaterMania.com:

The event, presented by The PATH Fund, Inc. (Performing Artists That Help), is now in its 16th year. It was founded in 1993 by Donnie Kehr while appearing in the Broadway run of The Who's Tommy. All proceeds will go to support Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Broadway Dreams Foundation.

Tickets are now available ranging from $35-1,000 and can be purchased at RockersOnBroadway.com.

'Toxic Avenger' celebrates 200th show

2009-10-02T22:16:00.005-04:00

The Toxic Avenger held its 200th show on Thursday since opening off-Broadway at New World Stages on April 6, 2009. Diana's involvement in the show was noted by wrestling news site PWInsider.com:

While this has nothing to do with pro wrestling, congratulations to the cast of Toxic Avenger the Musical on their 200th performance tonight. Diana DeGarmo of American Idol plays the female lead, and she was on Stern with TNA's Jeremy Borash and Kurt Angle, so, um, I guess it does have something to do with wrestling. Hmm...probably not. Either way, a fun show at NYC's New World Stages so check it out!

The cast celebrated the monumental achievement by appearing at The After Party at 10:30 p.m. at the West Bank Cafe in the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Others in attendance include Barb Jungr and cast members of from Broadway South Africa.

Diana to star in 'Liberty' one night only at NYMF

2009-09-26T17:31:00.003-04:00

Diana will play the title role of the upcoming musical Liberty: A New Musical at the New York Music Theater Festival at the Acorn Theatre for one night only on Tues., Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. Information about the plot, courtesy of BroadwayWorld.com, is as follows:

Directed by Igor Goldin (Yank!), LIBERTY features a book and lyrics by Dana Leslie Goldstein and music by Jonathan Goldstein. Currently preparing for an expanded run in the summer of 2010, LIBERTY tells the story of America's most famous immigrant (DeGarmo) who arrives from France in 1884 amid anti-foreigner fervor. With powerful political forces working against her and only a precious few on her side, Liberty ultimately wins over the people of the United States and takes her rightful place on the pedestal. LIBERTY serves as a theatrical reminder not only of what this country was meant to become, but how we have, in recent years, lost sight of the "Golden Door."

According to Playbill.com, other cast members include Ryan Duncan (Altar Boyz, Shrek) as James Goodleaf, Leah Horowitz (Les Miserables) as Emma Lazarus and Destan Owens (Chicago, Rent) as Samuel Ferguson. Tickets can be purchased at NYMF.org.

EW.com reviews 'Toxic Avenger'

2009-09-12T16:31:00.002-04:00

Entertainment Weekly's Clark Collis recently reviewed Diana's role in The Toxic Avenger in a piece that was posted on the publication's Web site, EW.com. The review was fairly favorable to Diana, as evident below:

The busty DeGarmo is the object of Ferd's affection, a blind librarian named Sarah who falls in love with the post-gooed-up Melvin and, at times, almost out of her skimpy wardrobe. The singer, who previously appeared in the Broadway version of Hairspray and joined Toxic Avenger last month, exudes an enthusiastic and essential gameness that was singularly lacking in fellow Idol-er Clay Aiken's performance in Spamalot. Where Aiken retreated into the background, DeGarmo hurls herself unselfconsciously into the mayhemic proceedings as she duets with Cordero on the up-tempo ''Hot Toxic Love'' or croons about her beau in ''My Big French Boyfriend.'' (The sightless, and somewhat dim, Sarah believes her pungent new partner hails from the land of Belmondo and, more relevantly, brie.)

Collis gave the Off-Broadway hit musical a "B," and said Diana "is actually rather good" in it. (Photo courtesy of Carol Rosegg).

Diana does Playbill's "Cue & A"

2009-09-08T15:38:00.004-04:00

Continuing on her press extravaganza since joining the cast of the Off-Broadway musical The Toxic Avenger, Diana participated in Playbill.com's "Cue & A" feature, which was published earlier today. In the write-up, Diana answered some pressing questions that fans everywhere were dying to know, including what her current Web obsession is ("Foodnetwork.com — gotta get good recipes to make for my Toxic family!") and what the last book she read was ("Yeah, right...."). Below are some of the more interesting answers:

Pop culture guilty pleasure: perezhilton.com...... I know, I know..... I have to make sure he isn't talking about me! Oh, and also keep up on the Hollywood gossip. You know you do it, too!

Worst costume ever: The dang orange jumpers I have now been put in for two shows! My hell is made out of orange jumpers.....

TV or commercial gig you most enjoyed: When I was about 6, I did a "Zataran's Red Beans & Rice" commercial. I ate like a pig all day and then the commercial ran until I was 13! Oh, I also did a "Sonic" commercial and when the director told us to be "super" excited that we had gotten there, I proceeded to say, "Praise Jesus, we made it to Sonic!" Really loudly..... I then remember the crew and everyone laughing for at least 20 minutes. I thought I was right on!

Diana of course ended on a funny note when it came to a question relating to her American Idol past. When asked which other "American Idol" star would you love to see try Broadway?, she wittily retorted with the suggestion that the judges should give it a try and we could "see how they do... shall we?!?"

Diana and crew create "Hot Toxic Love Sundae" at Serendipity 3

2009-09-05T11:27:00.004-04:00

Diana and her fellow cast mates from The Toxic Avenger took time out of their busy schedule this past Thursday to sample the brand new "Hot Toxic Love Sundae" at Serendipity 3 (225 East 60th Street) that reportedly turns people who eat it "green with envy." Peter James Zielinski of BroadwayWorld.com was there to cover it and wrote an article that was published on the site yesterday. In part, the write-up said:

Serendipity 3, the landmark NYC dessert emporium teamed with the Off-Broadway hit, The Toxic Avenger, to create a sundae "so toxically delicious it will turn you green with envy - The Hot Toxic Love Sundae!"

There were also many photos taken of the cast at the event, in which the four of them showed their mystique over the creation.

Diana talks with The Broadway Channel

2009-09-03T16:46:00.003-04:00

Diana has been speaking to many media outlets in the theatrical arena lately about her new role in the Off Broadway production of The Toxic Avenger, with the latest outlet being The Broadway Channel. Below is a snippet of an interview from a fall 2010 preview package of Off Broadway productions, which was uploaded onto The Broadway Channel's official YouTube account yesterday:

In the interview, Diana talks about how difficult it is to play a blind character and how the show is consistently funny yet there is an "intertwining love story" and an underlying theme to "protect mother earth."

Diana talks 'Toxic' with Broadway Magazine

2009-09-01T16:25:00.000-04:00

Diana spoke Leora Kanner of Broadway Magazine about her experiences starring in The Toxic Avenger in addition to other topics like her "bipolar life" commuting between Nashville and New York. Watch excerpts from the interview posted on Broadway.tv.

Bonus footage from the interview was also posted featuring Diana speaking about her days on American Idol and addressing the controversy surrounding the departure of Paula Abdul from the series, which can be viewed here.

Diana listed the top three reasons to see the show as being the following:

1) "you can bring your own alcoholic beverages into the theater"
2) she guarantees "you will laugh silly"
3) "you will get to see some of the craziest talented people in the world."

Cast of 'Toxic Avenger' rings opening bell at NYSE

2009-08-31T15:59:00.005-04:00

Diana joined the cast of The Toxic Avenger this morning to participate in the ceremonial ringing of the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to commence the beginning of the day's trading session at 9:30 a.m. ET. Watch the video below courtesy of Toxiefans.com:

Diana tweeted about the experience, saying:

we are now in the BOND room @ the NYSE sitting @ the biggest table i have ever seen in my life!! about 8 hours ago from mobile web

the NYSE was AWESOME!!! and they are all such nice people!!! about 5 hours ago from mobile web

Diana also posted a photo of herself on the ride back from the event.

Playbill's "Diva Talk" interviews Diana

2009-08-29T11:02:00.001-04:00

Diana took time out of her busy schedule with The Toxic Avenger to chat with Andrew Gans, author of Playbill's "Diva Talk" feature that highlights "the multi-talented women of the musical theatre and the concert/cabaret stage."

In the lengthy Q&A, which was published yesterday on Playbill.com, Diana touches on many topics including how she has been adjusting to starring in an Off-Broadway show and what she thinks of the experience thus far. Diana said the following about her debut in Toxic Avenger:

Question: How did your first performance go?

DeGarmo: Great! It was so wonderful. The put-in [rehearsal] was earlier that [same] day, and I thought my head was going to explode, to be honest, because of the rehearsal process. [Laughs.] . . . It was just mainly Nicholas Rodriguez and I, and Keith [Coughlin], our assistant choreographer, and Kelly [Hance], our [production] stage manager. They're trying to play seven different people, and run around, and you can't really get the full feel of everything. And in the first put-in, it was [the addition of] hair, make-up, costume, sound, people! In my head, I literally thought, "Oh my gosh. I'm not going to make it." But I went home, took a nap, didn't stress about it, and just trusted myself, and went back to the theatre a couple hours later, and had a wonderful show. It was a great weekend, and I'm excited to restart this next week, all fresh faced and bushy-tailed! [Laughs.]

Diana also compared her life now to what it was back when she was 17 years-old, and addressed the question of whether she still keeps in touch with her American Idol peers from Season 3, to which she said:

Not really [from] my season anymore. It's just like doing a show. You bond with these people, you become connected, but after a while you just slowly float apart. It stinks, and people change numbers, but life goes on. But thanks to the show, all of us from other seasons automatically have something very unique in common, we've all bonded in different ways. Like Anthony Fedorov and I became buddies. Kimberley Locke and I are really close, from season three. Ironically, I live in Nashville most of the time, and it's become my home base now, and [also living there are] Melinda Doolittle, and Bo Bice, Bucky Covington, Carrie Underwood and Kellie Pickler. It's just a whole long list of Idols that live there, and we keep running into one another. It's fun, and it's a good common thread for us.

She also said Idol will "not be the same" without Paula Abdul as a judge and she spoke of her disappointment over the cancellation of the Broadway revival of Godspell last year.

Diana to host first round of "Next Broadway Sensation"

2009-08-28T13:53:00.004-04:00

It was announced on Tuesday that Diana host the first round of the New York Music Theater Festival's "Next Broadway Sensation" competition on Sun., Sept. 13, at New World Stages, which is where Diana is currently starring in the Off-Broadway production of The Toxic Avenger. Per an article published on Playbill.com:

Diana DeGarmo, the "American Idol" contestant and current star of Toxic Avenger, will host the first round of performances on Sept. 13. Guest judges for the competition include Groff (Spring Awakening), Sheik and Case, as well as Orfeh (Legally Blonde), composer Paul Scott Goodman (Bright Lights, Big City, Rooms), Bailey Hanks (Legally Blonde) and Noah Cornman of Sh-K-Boom Records.

Auditions for the contest will be held tomorrow at the Roy Arias Theatre Center and is open to performers 18 years-old and over, and callbacks will take place on Sun., Aug. 30. Rounds two and three will be held on Sun., Sept. 20 and Sun., Oct. 4, respectively.

Diana promotes 'Toxic Avenger' on 'Good Day NY'

2009-08-24T16:52:00.005-04:00

In her first week of starring in the Off-Broadway show The Toxic Avenger, Diana stopped by Good Day New York, the local FOX affiliate's morning program, to briefly discuss the show. Diana appeared on Thurs., Aug. 20, and the chat can be viewed below:

In the interview, Diana spoke with the GDNY's co-hosts about the basic plot of Toxic Avenger and also quickly got in a word about how much she will miss Paula Abdul on American Idol.

Diana opens in 'The Toxic Avenger'

2009-08-16T11:01:00.005-04:00

Diana made her Off-Broadway debut Friday night with her role as Sarah, the blind librarian, in the production of The Toxic Avenger in New York City. The role is much different than anything Diana has taken on to date, as she recently told TheaterMania:

It's funny because the more I get into this show, the more I think Sarah is a lot like Penny -- minus the blind part, which is completely new and a little terrifying. But she is different! One reason I wanted to do this show is because it's the first female lead role I've had where I'm not playing a young girl or someone super-duper sweet, which is what everybody expects from me. I call Sarah the lady on the street but a freak in the bedroom -- she's that kind of girl and I like it.

A photo of Diana taken during the finale courtesy of BackseatCuddler is up on the right. Diana will star in Toxic until February 2010.

Diana talks "Toxic" with TheaterMania

2009-08-11T12:35:00.003-04:00

Ahead of her debut Friday in the Off-Broadway production of The Toxic Avenger, Diana spoke with TheaterMania.com about the role and how it compares with musicals she has starred in in the past. The interview, which was conducted by Brian Scott Lipton, touched on topics such as how she landed the role of Sarah the blind librarian and whether or not she considered dyeing her hair blonde for the role.

When it came to her take on the different responses different audiences have had depending on where a musical was held, Diana compared the audiences of New York, Los Angeles and Oklahoma City:

In L.A, I think the audiences weren't always as responsive as we expected, but we got great reviews and great feedback, especially from Mr. Bacharach and Mr. David, who came to see the show. Oklahoma was great because people were so appreciative. They just loved every second of us being there. And New York's always cool, because people come to the theater all the time and it's a part of life here.

To close out the interview, Diana was asked whether she would rather win a Tony or Grammy award. After first stating it would be like asking "which kid you like best," she said:

But when you are out on stage, there's no auto-tune; there's no let's do it one more time, there's no second chance - it's what you see is what you get. Only God knows how many times a recording might have been tweaked. But just give me one nomination -- for either award -- and I would be like "yes!"

Diana's three-month engagement in The Toxic Avenger begins Fri., Aug. 14 at 8 p.m. at the New World Stages, and special discounted tickets are available for those who become a fan of the show by visiting its web site.

Diana and Anthony interviewed on NewsOK webisode

2009-07-24T14:37:00.006-04:00

Diana and Anthony Fedorov appeared on NewsOK.com's "The Oklahoman" program earlier this week to promote the Okalhoma City production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which wraps up with two performances tomorrow. On the program, Diana and Anthony talked about opening night and their time on American Idol, while scenes from the show are shown interspersed. Watch the eight-minute segment below:

Rick Rogers of NewsOK.com also reveiwed opening night of the production, saying the following about Diana and Anthony:

In the role of the narrator, DeGarmo has a nice pop-inflected voice that works well for this type of show. But each time she sang with any intensity, her lyrics were all but incomprehensible. Fedorov’s attractive voice also lends itself to this music, most impressively in "Close Every Door,” one of the musical’s few calm moments. The pair’s success on "Idol” helped pave the way for musical theater opportunities. Talent and perseverance will see that their efforts continue to get noticed.

In a preview piece on the show also written by Rogers published Sun., July 19, Diana was quoted as saying:

"My character is the gel that glues the audience to the stage,” DeGarmo said of her role as narrator. "I love being the show’s storyteller, but I also like that she often gets to say what the audience is thinking. And since there’s no spoken dialogue, you have to learn how to tell the story through song.”

In his review, Rogers stated that there were sound issues during the show's opening, but the talent of the cast was able to overcome any setbacks on the technical side.

"Joseph" promotional tour continues

2009-07-16T21:26:00.000-04:00

Diana and her Joseph co-star, Anthony Fedorov, continued their press tour in promotion of the musical, which kicks off its five-day run at the theatre on Tues., July 21. Earlier today, they appeared on two local radio stations' morning shows: Wild 104.9's in addition to sitting down with Jack and Ron of KISS 98.9 for an in-studio interview.

In the interview with KISS 98.9, Diana talked about the local performers they have been working with and she also talked a bit about her time on American Idol in "the dark ages."

She also went into detail about the specifics of the show in terms of the actors in it and the diversity of the music found in the show.

For tickets, visit LyricTheatreOKC.com.

Diana to star in 'The Toxic Avenger' beginning Aug. 14

2009-07-16T18:15:00.005-04:00

Diana announced via a MySpace bulletin that she will join the cast of the off-Broadway musical The Toxic Avenger in mid-August. The bulletin read in part:

I am sooooo excited to be a part of such a zany, outrageous, AWESOME show! As of right now, I am only a part of the show for three months; so I hope you all can make it out!

An article alerting the news that appeared on Playbill.com spelled out the specifics, saying Diana will play the role of a "sexy, blind librarian" named Sarah. In the article, Diana was quoted as saying:

"I am so excited to be coming back to New York to join the cast of The Toxic Avenger. When I saw the show, I laughed my head off. I can’t wait to start rehearsal – and to be blonde again!"

The article describes the show as being a "campy and gory rock musical" that centers around the lives of a "hero," his girlfriend, a corrupt New Jersey mayor and other zany characters. It runs at New World Stages in New York City.

Other cast members include Nick Cordero, Demond Green, Jonathan Root and Nancy Opel. The musical is based on the 1985 cult favorite film of the same name. Diana's engagement begins Fri., Aug. 14 and will last at least through November.

To purchase tickets to the show, see here.

More press on "Joseph"

2009-07-12T11:19:00.007-04:00

The coverage being generated by Diana's starring role alongside Anthony Fedorov in the upcoming Oklahoma City production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is widespread, as Playbill.com and BroadwayWorld.com each posted articles on the show this past week.

In the articles, more details are revealed on what the show will include. Per Playbill:

The production will also feature music direction by Keith Levenson, costume design by Jeffrey Meek, set design by Amanda Foust, lighting design by Helena Kuukka and sound design by George Ryan.

And BroadwayWorld.com included details on the show semantics in its coverage:

Tickets to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat start at only $28. Show times are Tuesday through Saturday at 8:00pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2:00pm. All performances take place at the Civic Center Music Hall, located at 201 N. Walker in downtown Oklahoma City. For more information regarding tickets and show times, visit www.LyricTheatreOKC.com or call (405) 524-9312.

The article also states that Diana was approached to play the narrator after Anthony accepted the role of Joseph.

Diana to star in Oklahoma production of "Joseph"

2009-07-05T17:33:00.005-04:00

Diana's next foray into musical theatre will be in the Oklahoma City production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's and Tim Rice's classic musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The show, which will run from Tues., July 21-25, at the Lyric Theatre. She will play the role of the narrator, while Anthony Fedorov (fourth place, American Idol Season 4) will star as Joseph.

Diana has been prepping for the show and a move out to Oklahoma, as evidenced by recent tweets from her official Twitter account:

just sat thru my "joseph" album... GO GO GO JOSEPH YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAAAA-YA (the extra ya was for you Mr. Bill! I'll never 4get!)2:10 AM Jun 24th from web

oh my goodness i have so many brothers and colors to memorize!!! reuben, israel, simion, naphtali, isachar, asher, dan, zublan, gad, etc!!!!4:37 PM Jun 30th from mobile web

Before she begins her five-show stint in "Joseph," Diana will perform at the Jim Parker Songwriter's Showcase at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala., on Fri., July 10.

Diana to perform at 2009 CMA Music Fest

2009-06-14T12:49:00.004-04:00

Diana will perform at the 2009 CMA Music Festival tonight after being a late addition to the annual four-day country music concert event. She will take to the stage at Limelight in Nashville, Tenn., for the "Girls of Country" show, which runs from 3-8 p.m.

Diana will begin her set at 7 p.m. and will sing with a full band. Other female country artists set to perform at the show include Stacy Donahue, Emily Kent and Ally Wilcox.

'Good Day Atlanta' talks with Diana about BDF

2009-06-04T22:47:00.005-04:00

Diana today appeared on FOX 5 Atlanta's morning show, Good Day Atlanta, to promote her efforts with the Broadway Dreams Foundation alongside Paul Canaan of Legally Blonde fame. Watch the segment below:

Canaan said he and Diana have been working with kids this week and will perform with them in the production of Let the Sunshine In at the Centennial Theatre tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Diana's stalker sentenced to 26 months

2009-05-29T09:48:00.003-04:00

Diana's cyber-stalker from Australia, Tanya Maree Quattrocchi, was today sentenced to 26 months in jail for her actions. Earlier this month, she pleaded guilty to four charges of cyber-stalking. From an article by The Associated Press:

Judge Lisa Hannan described Quattrocchi's offenses as serious, especially considering they began only six months after she was convicted on similar charges....She has been in custody since January when she was arrested as she sat a computer typing an e-mail pretending to be DeGarmo's mother. The new convictions are for offenses since November 2007.

This is the second time around Quattrocchi has been held accountable for her actions, following a sentence of 150 hours of community service that was handed down to her in 2007.

FOX News profiles Diana for her USO tour activities

2009-05-28T16:35:00.000-04:00

Diana was recognized for her charitable contributions to the USO tour in an article that was published on FOXNews.com on Wednesday. In the article, Diana spoke of her time on the tour back in 2006-07 that took her to the Middle East, including Iraq. She talked about visiting with the troops and the inspiration it gave her for her song "Thank You" among other things. Below is an excerpt from the article:

"We spent NYE in Saddam Hussein’s palace in Baghdad, then not even eight hours after we left there was a mortar attack, so as we were going through Germany they asked us if we’d mind going to the hospital and seeing the men, some that were hurt in the mortar attack were already there," DeGarmo reminisced to Pop Tarts in an exclusive interview. "I went through and sat with them and prayed with them. But there was this one young man - he was so young, they kept saying he was so excited to meet us but by the time we got to him he had already fallen asleep and the doctor told us that we had to let him rest because he’d been through a lot. There he was, this young man lying in this hospital bed -- all beaten up, cuts and everything. On his chest he had this huge tattoo of the U.S. Army, he was so proud to be there. It was so humbling; my job is so insignificant compared to what they do on a daily basis. That memory will always stick in my mind."

She also spoke a little to her country music career, informing readers that she began singing country music prior to Idol:

"But most people don’t know I grew up singing country music, that’s what I sang right up until I did ‘Idol.’ Life brings you back full circle, my mom jokes that I came back from the dark side of pop music but I finally came to my senses and knew I had to go back to what I just naturally do."

And Diana also gave her two cents on the trial surrounding her Australian cyber-stalker, Tanya Maree Quattrocchi:

"The only season of 'American Idol' to be aired in Australia and I got a stalker from it," DeGarmo said. "They caught her and she’s in jail. But it was really scary; I had my identity stolen and everything."

Diana stated that she has been looking into the possibility of doing another USO tour.

Diana attends the 'Idol' finale

2009-05-23T23:21:00.000-04:00

Before heading back to Nashville following her stint in the Los Angeles production of Back to Bacharach and David, Diana attended the finale of the eighth season of American Idol at the Nokia Theater on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 19-20.

Following the performance episode of the finale, Diana was interviewed by Mike Galanos of HLN's Prime News about the dual roles of amateurs vs. professionals on the show. On the topic, she said:

I think people now realize that "American Idol" is such a launching spot for anyone's career. People that maybe would have not done it a few years ago, saying, "Oh, I'm too professional," maybe take a little bit of a second glance at the show because they realize it's such a launching pad. But I do think it's a little harder for the everyday Joe to get in it.

As for her activities on the red carpet, Diana spoke with many media personnel, including Denise Martin of the LA Times' "Idol Tracker" blog:

3:06 p.m.: Third season runner-up Diana DeGarmo, who's wearing ankle boots along with her part leopard-print, part-bedazzled dress tells us she's been sporting her fluorescent purple locks since November. Her inspiration? Boredom! -- DM

Yahoo! Music's Lyndsey Parker chatted with Diana on the red carpet Wednesday about her hair color and her Unplugged In Nashville EP that's out on iTunes:

She also talked to MTV News about working with Kara DioGuardi in the past and possibly working with her in the future, and Entertainment Weekly caught her dueling "mic lightsabers" with Blake Lewis.

And finally, Diana gave her two cents about the "American Idol Experience" attraction at Walt Disney World.

Diana says farewell to Danny in 'Idol' recap for OK!

2009-05-14T23:47:00.008-04:00

Last night's American Idol Top 3 results show was definitely considered to be an exciting one by most viewers, and Diana agreed in her recap for OK! Magazine. She said:

Last night's result show was a high impact, full energy evening that ended with another inevitable sad goodbye.

Diana also picked up on the amount of product placement featured on the show such as Alicia Keys' "Keep a Child Alive" charitable organization and the Ben Stiller summer tent pole blockbuster Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian, and how all the guest performers were squeezed into an hour-long show.

She also reminisced on her days on Idol when she returned home to Snellville, Ga., during the hometown visits Top 3 week, as she wrote:

I remember when I landed back in Atlanta, even though it was kind of muggy and rainy, just like it should be in May in the South, I was soooooo excited just to see trees! I love me some L.A., but y'all can't beat those Georgia pine! :) I think it's great that the show goes back home with each of the contestants in the final three. Not only does that trip give the contestant an extra confidence boost but it also shows them just how much life has changed within three quick months! Ahhhhh... the bittersweet memories.

To finish off her blog, Diana called Danny "full of class" and "a sweet spirit" and said she loved watching his goodbye video.

Diana comments on Top 3 performances for OK!

2009-05-13T18:04:00.005-04:00

After watching last night's American Idol Top 3 performance show with fans via a chat on Fancast.com, Diana once again put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and spilled her thoughts on the performances OK! Magazine. Expectantly, Diana did not have one negative thing to say about Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey nor Kris Allen, and instead focused on highlighting all the characteristics that differentiate the three.

Between reminiscing on her time on the show back in its third season and adding tidbits of information on the side, like the fact that she flew from Milwaukee to Nashville with Danny's family, Diana had plenty of comments on not only the performers, but the judges themselves. Of the little spat that took place between judges Simon Cowell and Kara DioGuardi following Kris' performance of "Apologize" by OneRepublic, Diana said:

Kara picked on him a little too much, but hey, the judges are open to their own opinions — even if we don't like them! BUT! I also think the judges need to be reminded on occasion that the show isn't about their quarrels; it's about the contestants!

Although she seemed to enjoy all six performances, Diana saved her most enthusiastic compliments for Adam's final performance of "Cryin'" by Aerosmith. She said:

The last, but certainly not least, performance of the night was the big, the bad, Adam Lambert, who sang Aerosmith's "Cryin" and took us just close enough to the edge that he pretty much sealed his fate into the finals. We all know that Adam has been a huge contender throughout the competition, but Simon is right that YOU HAVE TO VOTE!!

In her latest prediction of who she thinks will vie for the title of Idol winner next week, Diana said she thought up until this point it was going to be Adam/Danny but after Kris' performance of "Heartless" by Kanye West, she said it was a possibility that he could sneak in the Top 2.

Diana performs "Crazy" at Bluebird Cafe

2009-05-11T23:29:00.004-04:00

Diana performed at the Bluebird Cafe back home in Nashville on Saturday for the Forget-Me-Not benefit concert series, which raised money for the Alzheimer’s Association. Watch Diana sing "Crazy" by Patsy Cline courtesy of Steve Moore:

Other artists that performed in the round include Natasha Borzilova, Linda Davis and Michael Peterson. Following the set, Diana rushed back to Los Angeles to be back in time for the next show for Back to Bacharach and David.

Diana ready to perform set at LIFE on Wilshire

2009-05-10T12:46:00.000-04:00

Diana will perform a 20-30 minute acoustic set with the guitar player from Back to Bacharach and David at LIFE on Wilshire tomorrow beginning at 9:30 p.m.

The concert is free to the public and will feature songs from her upcoming country release. The venue is located at 6311 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, Calif.

Diana and Tom Lowe interviewed on 90.7 FM KPFK

2009-05-09T12:01:00.003-04:00

In the midst of promoting the Los Angeles production of the musical Back to Bacharach and David, Diana and co-star Tom Lowe sat down with Julio Martinez of 90.7 FM KPFK's "Arts In Review" program Thursday for an hour of discussion of the show and other topics.

The program, which is available for download as a podcast on the station's Web site, covered topics including how the two actors originally got involved with the production, what their thoughts were on the 30 songs featured in the show and even a few questions on the two artists' time on American Idol. Audio clips of Diana and her cast mates were interspersed throughout the duration of the interview.

Back2BD's director, Kathy Najimy, also called in for a few minutes to share her thoughts on how the show was going and mentioned that "Diana is 21 years old and she sings these songs like Dionne Warwick" and that she "couldn't even tell you how much she wanted to get Diana" for the part.

The show will close Sun., May 17.

Diana dishes on the Top 4 results for OK!

2009-05-08T21:56:00.001-04:00

After attending the previous night's Top 4 performance show and writing up her thoughts for OK! Magazine, Diana commented on this week's results show on Thursday.

Diana thought highly of the final four contestants, so when the results came in that 17-year-old Allison Iraheta was eliminated, it was a little sad for her to go. Diana wrote:

I think that the top 4 for this season has been really great, but I think that Allison deserved to make it at least one more week. Since being on the show, I have kind of figured out how the show tends to "work" and honestly, I thought it would have come down between Allison and Adam Lambert in the finale. I have been wrong before so — believe it or not — this was not the first time! ;)

She also talked up Paula Abdul's performance - her first ever on the show - and No Doubt's performance because she is a big fan. Regarding Paula, Diana said:

Paula's still got the moves and her dancers were lovin' her! The whole performance was over the top, but in a good way. I tend to like that kind of thing. :) Paula was always so nice to me during my Idol days — and still is now — so I will always support her.

She also stated that she thinks it's anyone's game from here on in.

Diana recaps "Rock Night" for OK! Magazine

2009-05-06T19:46:00.004-04:00

For the second week, Diana recapped the performances for the eighth season of American Idol. With only four finalists left in the competition, things heated up when they sang songs from the rock catalog and a few pre-show mishaps provided for a scare that caused the audience to evacuate the studio temporarily.

This week, Diana attended the show and was a member of the live studio audience, sitting behind Slash, who served as the contestants' mentor for the week. Below is an excerpt of what was on Diana's mind this week:

For the first time in Idol history, the contestants had to sing duets and, honestly, I don't think it was Idol's brightest idea.

Danny Gokey and Kris Allen sang Styx's "Renegade" — a kick-butt song — and sounded fabulous together, but how in the world were the judges supposed to judge THAT?? Songs for the show can barely be a minute and a half and then when you have to divide that again with another contestant — huh, what, why??

The arrangement done for Kris and Danny didn't give enough "personal shine time" for either of them. That was just plain unfair. The judges gave the guys a hard time, but I was jamming out with them the whole song!

Diana seemed happy with her trip back to the Idol studio, even mentioning that she received a wave from judge Simon Cowell. She had positive things to say about each contestants' performances, commenting that Adam Lambert's "confidence was very obvious from the moment he stepped out on that stage" and how Allison Iraheta "picked a perfect song for her voice."

Cast of Back2BD to sing Anthem at Dodgers game

2009-05-02T20:56:00.003-04:00

Diana and her fellow cast mates from Back to Bacharach and David will sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Los Angeles Dodgers game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Mon., May 4 at 7:10 p.m. Per a press release issued Wednesday:

The cast of "Back to Bacharach and David," an off-Broadway musical review that gives tribute to the music of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, will sing the National Anthem. Stars include Diana DeGarmo and Tom Lowe of "American Idol" and Susan Mosher of "Hairspray."

Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor of Slumdog Millionaire fame will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the same game.

Diana blogs about 'Idol' for OK! Magazine

2009-04-30T05:21:00.001-04:00

For the second year in a row, Diana wrote up a review of a performance episode of American Idol for OK! Magazine. Now in its eighth season, Idol is still very much a part of Diana's life, as evident in her recap of the performances of songs from the Rat Pack era. Below is a snippet from the recap:

Just as Allison Iraheta did, I sang "Someone To Watch Over Me," but back then we got to sing two songs for Big Band Night. That is only one of the many changes the show has made since MY Idol days!

(Wow, I kinda sounded like my grandmother for a moment there.... So, yeah, back to THIS season!)

I truly believe that Idol has got a very strong top 5 this year. Every season has its "front-runners," "favorites," and "black horses," but based on last night's show I feel strongly that it just could be anyone's game.

Diana was sure to inject her signature candid commentary throughout her piece, and she went on to compare Danny Gokey to Taylor Hicks and that Adam Lambert's performance of "Feeling Good" reminded her of how a band like The White Stripes would cover it.

She also said this is the first full episode of the show she has watched "in a very, very long time."

Diana interviewed by OK! Magazine's Jennifer Birn

2009-04-30T00:43:00.002-04:00

Diana spoke with Jennifer Birn of OK! Magazine's blog "Simply Jen" on Monday about her current goings on. The conversation addressed various topics that ranged from Diana's starring role in the Los Angeles production of Back to Bacharach and David to her life back in Nashville (or as Diana likes to call it: "Nashvegas"). Below is a snippet from the interview:

You think of yourself as more of a country star than a pop star?
Correct. Life makes you go full circle for a reason and I grew up listening to country music of course living in the south and at the time when I was first singing, country was the only kind of clean music that a kid can sing. Then pop music flew off of the chart with Nsync, the Backstreet Boys, and Christina Aguilera. That's when I was in middle school, which is a huge melting point for your life and I just thought that pop was where I wanted to be and of course, I did it on Idol and I enjoyed it. I just wasn't happy in the end and everyone said my writing was more country. Life just takes you back to where you want to be and I feel blessed that I can still do country music. I also used to have a wonderful career in musical theatre so it's kind of funny that both of those things are in the same human being. I can go home and my accent comes back and I feel more natural, but as a theater actor I can turn it off and play Maria from Westside story. It's a great life I'm living, I wouldn't want it any other way.

And you're working on John Rich now?
I am. He's a great guy. He's kind of funny, but he's a great guy.

Diana went on to say that of all her friends from the third season of Idol, she keeps in contact the most with Matt Rogers. She also said Kimberley Locke and Bo Bice have become friends from the Idol circle and that she thinks it will come down to Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta for the finale of the current season of the series.

Diana does promo for "60 Seconds of Fame"

2009-04-22T05:09:00.001-04:00

Diana yesterday flew to New York City to do promotion for GetScouted.com's "60 Seconds of Fame" talent search, which began accepting entrants on Monday. Diana will play a major role in the contest, which gives those who enter a shot at starring in a nationally-televised commercial in addition to meeting with Diana and Broadway executive producer and director Richard Jay-Alexander.

Before a winner is crowned, however, the finale five hopefuls will perform before Diana and other celebrity judges including Kimberley Locke and Bailey Hanks of MTV's Legally Blonde reality series at the Hard Rock Cafe in NYC's Times Square on Mon., June 8.

LA Times reviews Back2BD

2009-04-21T23:45:00.005-04:00

The Los Angeles production of Back to Bacharach and David saw its maiden voyage take off on a strong note Sunday night according to a review that appeared in yesterday's edition of The Los Angeles Times. Of the show's opening night, Charles McNulty wrote:

Pulsating with an onstage band led by musical director Ben Toth and genially choreographed by Javier Velasco, the show is less a jukebox musical than a goosey cabaret. A talented foursome approaches the music in a whimsical vein, never allowing reverence to grow even remotely clammy — always a risk for material in which romance is the alpha and the omega.

Diana DeGarmo, a runner-up on the third season of “American Idol,” maintains a loopy go-go air as she sings her heart out. Tressa Thomas, who possesses the juiciest voice in the group, seems content to snatch spotlighted moments without milking anything. Tom Lowe, another “American Idol” alum, and Susan Mosher, who was part of the show’s original off-Broadway company, are content to hit all the right notes while playing the cut-ups.

As for the kind of crowd that showed up to the musical's premiere, TheWrap.com's Jenny Sundel noted that Nia Vardalos, Helen Hunt, Marisa Tomei, Camryn Manheim, Ricki Lake, Steve Martin and Sheryl Crow.

Diana joins Twitter

2009-04-19T13:10:00.000-04:00

Diana has joined another sector of the social networking revolution when she opened her very own Twitter account, which she will use to connect with fans on an entirely new level. Diana's first tweet came at 3:49 p.m. on Tues., April 14, which looks to be the first of many.

So far Diana has used the microblogging site to raise awareness of the musical she's currently starring in, Back to Bacharach and David, by documenting her experiences at rehearsal and her pre-show preparations. Diana has also tweeted about other random musings she felt like sharing with the rest of the world such as how she ate oreos for breakfast one day.

To follow Diana on Twitter, see here.

Benefit concert at Bluebird Cafe set for May 9

2009-04-18T10:52:00.001-04:00

Diana is one of nine acts set to perform at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Tenn., on Sat., May 9, at a benefit concert in support of the fight against Alzheimer's Disease in the memory of Charles E. Majors.

The night will be divided into two concerts, with Diana scheduled to perform during the late concert from 9:30-11:30 p.m. The cover is $12 for the late show, whereas the early show is free to all. Other artists scheduled to take the stage in the second show include Natasha Borzilova, Linda Davis and Michael Peterson. The show is part of the "Forget-Me-Not" benefit music series..

Although they are not required, reservations are suggested for this event, which is being billed as "an unforgettable night."

Back2BD running through May 17

2009-04-17T19:48:00.005-04:00

Diana is currently starring in the musical Back to Bacharach and David, which officially premieres Sunday following three previews that kicked off with a dress rehearsal on Wed., April 15, and will run through May 17. The musical's 23 performances are being held at Los Angeles' The Music Box @ Fonda.

Back2BD is the brainchild of its director, Kathy Najimy, and Steve Gunderson and stars Tom Lowe, Susan Mosher and Tress Thomas in addition to Diana and features the music of songwriting greats Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Some of the songs that are tackled by the cast include past hits like "Walk On By," "I Just Have to Breathe" and "Anyone Who Had a Heart."

In an article published last Friday in The OC Register, Najimy said the following of Diana:

"That's what I like about Diana. As a character, she's memorable. She's got such a personality. She's this brilliant singer and she's not afraid of doing the edgy, crazy sexy stuff. It takes on a life of its own – and she sells it."

In the same article, Diana spoke of the challenges she had in learning the musical's song set:

"I had to step out of my comfort zone. Country music is a little more straightforward than Burt's songs. But I love the challenge of singing something that's not that easy. His songs throw curveballs at you while you're singing and while you're listening. Good music is timeless, whether it's a country song, rock, or R&B."

Tickets, which range anywhere from $25-100, can be purchased online at Etix.com (Cast photo courtesy of Armando Brown).

Diana's stalker denied bail

2009-04-10T23:52:00.004-04:00

Diana's Australian stalker of three years, 23-year-old Tanya Maree Quattrocchi, was denied bail on Thursday. According to an article from The Associated Press:

Senior Sergeant Graham Banks said Quattrocchi's victims felt they had endured a nonstop, three-year attack. He told the Melbourne Magistrates' Court that the suspect was at risk of committing further offenses and interfering with witnesses if she were granted bail.

Quattrocchi's mother offered to quit her job and stay with her daughter 24 hours a day to ensure she did not have access to the Internet if she were released.

She now must await another hearing on Mon., May 11. According to EOnline, a new trial is set for October.

Diana's Birmingham workshops set for April 4 canceled

2009-03-22T15:12:00.004-04:00

According to Mary Colurso of The Birmingham News, Diana's all-day workshop and concert event at the Virginia Samford Theatre in Alabama's capitol city billed as "An Intimate Evening with Diana DeGarmo," has been canceled. Below is an excerpt from an article on the publication's Web site:

Showstoppers Promotions has canceled Diana DeGarmo's April 4 appearances in Birmingham.

The "American Idol" singer had been scheduled to lead two audition workshops and perform a concert at the Virginia Samford Theatre.

Organizer Steve Pennington said "illness within the Showstoppers Promotions' family" was to blame. Refunds for those who bought tickets are available at the Virginia Samford box office, 1116 26th St. South, he said.

There has been no comment made from Diana's camp regarding the cancellation as of yet.

Diana featured on WFLX's 'Idol Insider'

2009-03-21T12:03:00.001-04:00

Diana was featured in a news segment called "Idol Insider" on the FOX affiliate WFLX in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Tues., March 17. Watch the interview with Eric Roby below:

In the interview, which was taped a few weeks ago at the grand opening of the "American Idol: The Experience" attraction at Disney World, Diana sang a bit of "Like I'm Not Even Here" and talked about her starring role as Dorothy in the Texas production of Oz the Musical. She also reflected on her time on Idol and how she only managed to sell one CD at a show on the Idol Christmas tour at the Kravis Center:

After Idol, her experience was a little different. During an American Idol finalist tour stop at the Kravis Center, she saw the frugal side of our area. "I sold one CD. Ch[i]keeze sold one picture, and, I said, 'Now, I know why this is the richest part of the nation - they don't spend any of it. I get it now.'"

Amid a sea of Idol stock footage included in the package, Diana also mentioned that she was invited to perform at Donald Trump's private estate, Mar-A-Lago, when she was 12 years-old.

Diana to star in "Back to Bacharach and David"

2009-03-15T13:07:00.005-04:00

Continuing to hone her skills on stage, it was announced Friday that Diana would star in the musical revue Back to Bacharach and David, which will run from Wed., April 15 to Sun., May 17, at the Music Box @ Fonda on Hollywood Blvd.

The musical spectacle, which is to be directed by Kathy Najimy, will chronicle the music of icons Burt Bacharach and Hal David from the 1960s. As stated by Najimy:

These songs defined 'cool' then and define 'cool' now. Every generation since this music was created, has found relevance in it, been drawn to it, and recreated it. This show is a blast to work on — sexy, moving and funny — with brilliant arrangements.

Starring alongside Diana in the musical are Mary Birdsong, Tressa Thomas and Tom Lowe, the latter being an Idol hopeful on the series' sixth season. A full schedule for the show will be released soon, but opening night is currently set for Sun., April 19.

"An Intimate Evening with Diana DeGarmo" set for April 4

2009-03-14T16:53:00.000-04:00

Diana has signed on to host an all-day workshop and concert at the Virginia Samford Theatre at Caldwell Park in Birmingham, Ala., on Sat., April 4. The event, which is being billed as "An Intimate Evening with Diana DeGarmo," will consist of the following schedule:

9 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Workshops/Q&A on Broadway Auditioning

1 p.m. - 4 p.m. - Workshops/Q&A on American Idol Auditioning & Critiques

7:30 p.m. - Concert in the VST's Martha Moore Sykes Studio (Opening act will be Nicholas Chambler)

Registration is necessary for all attendees, with each workshop costing $40 individually or $70 for both. Tickets for the concert are $30 or $25 for workshop attendees. Tickets can be ordered by visiting VirginiaSamfordTheatre.org or by calling (205) 251-1206.

'Unplugged in Nashville' available on CD Baby

2009-03-09T01:34:00.004-04:00

Diana's acoustic EP titled Diana DeGarmo: Unplugged In Nashville is now available to purchase on the online independent music retailer CDBaby.com.

Below is the description of the EP per its page on the site:

Diana has written and recorded four new Country songs in Nashville that reveal the true strength of her vocals in an unplugged acoustic format. The vocals and musicianship on this project are absolutely stunning.

The EP includes acoustic renditions of four original songs: "Kiss Me," "Like I'm Not Even There," "Thank You" and "Find Me." The physical version of the EP is on sale for $5.97, while the MP3 price is $4.99.

Diana interviewed by Baylor's 'The Lariat'

2009-02-19T21:12:00.003-05:00

Diana was interviewed by Baylor University's student newspaper, The Lariat, ahead of Oz the Musical's stop in Waco on Saturday. Of her role as Dorothy in the production, Diana said:

"I'm a little more of a spunkier Dorothy," DeGarmo said. "I have a lot of my own personality in there where I am sweet and all, but don't mess with Dorothy because she will bite back."

The show's writer, director and choreographer, Todrick Hall, added that in this production, Dorothy is "a rebellious teenager" and "she learns more than anything else that there really is no place like home."

Oz will be at the Hippodrome Theatre on Sat., Feb. 21 at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

NY1 interviews Diana at Disney

2009-02-17T19:20:00.003-05:00

Diana was interviewed amongst a bunch of other former idols by New York City's Channel 1 News on the blue carpet at last Thursday's premiere of the "American Idol: The Experience" attraction at Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Fla. Her take on whether or not the point of the attraction would make a difference when it comes to having an actual shot at advancing on the show was:

"It's a very good chance that somebody coming from the Disney park getting that special golden ticket will definitely have a great chance at getting somewhere further along."

Other former finalists that were interviewed in the package include Phil Stacey, Jason Castro and Carrie Underwood.

Diana blogs about Oz

2009-02-16T23:43:00.003-05:00

Diana took time this morning to blog about her current tour with Oz the Musical in Texas. She posted the following (and more) on her MySpace:

In each city we get a group of talented youngsters who play our Munchkins. They are all ADORABLE! There are definitely some stars that will come from those kids!! They are all so precious and talented. If you have any kids who might be interested, then please have them come audition!

And for those of you curious about my record, don't fret...... I am still working and writing. I have actually been pitching some of my songs to other artists from the road. It's kinda fun actually! I am also in the works to do some of MY OWN shows out on the road after this tour is over. BUT there is a possibility of OZ to be extended, so I am trying to work BOTH my shows and the musical's shows into the schedule. We shall see.....

Diana also said to check OztheMusical.com and Ticketmaster.com for show dates and more. The tour will be in Beaumont, Tex., until tomorrow.

Beaumont Enterprise previews 'Oz the Musical'

2009-02-14T16:09:00.003-05:00

Humberto Martinez of The Beaumont Enterprise spoke with Diana on Thursday about her starring role in Oz the Musical. The show will hit the Jefferson Theater in Beaumont, Tex., or Mon., Feb. 16 and Tues., Feb. 17. Below is a snippet from the preview article:

DeGarmo said her character deviates somewhat from the original Dorothy because of "a modern attitude."

"She has a little spunk to her," DeGarmo said in a phone interview with The Enterprise on Friday. "A little bit feisty at times but still has a heart of gold."

But in this version, Dorothy faces a new foe, the Wicked Witch from the West Side - a man dressed as a woman. A potentially controversial change from the original film, but DeGarmo said it's a fun character that always receives a big laugh from the audience.

The show still is for families, she said, wholesome fun with some humor only adults will understand or appreciate.

"We still tell the story of the Wizard of Oz," DeGarmo said, "With the Scarecrow, Tin Man the Lion and, of course, the Wicked Witch."

Tickets to the show range from $20 to $36 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com.

Diana attends the premiere of "American Idol: The Experience"

2009-02-14T14:46:00.005-05:00

Diana was one of more than 20 former American Idol stars to walk the blue carpet at Thursday's unveiling of the brand new "American Idol: The Experience" attraction at Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios theme park in Orlando, Fla.

As for getting the glitz and glamor treatment, Diana was able to meet fans and soak up the excitement, taking part in a parade in which she was driven in her own car down a pathway surrounded by many spectators. She talked with many media outlets, including Orlando Attractions magazine, which can be viewed below:

Diana also took a series of group photos with the rest of the Idol attendees, including every winner from all seven seasons: Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks and David Cook.

There are also plenty of photos of Diana from the event that can be found on Orlando Attractions' blog.

Diana performs "Someday" on CBS 11

2009-02-10T21:46:00.006-05:00

Diana woke up early this morning to perform "Someday" from the show she's currently starring in, Oz the Musical, on the morning show of Dallas/Ft. Worth's CBS affiliate. Watch her interview and performance below:

In the interview, Diana talked about why she had purple hair and how the show is something that is geared toward kids but also features elements that will keep adults interested. She was very excited about discussing the production.

The tour will next stop in Beaumont, Tex., at the Jefferson Theater on Mon., Feb. 16.

'Oz the Musical' premieres in Dallas

2009-02-08T10:58:00.003-05:00

Diana and the entire cast of Oz the Musical unveiled their hard work last night at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas, Tex. Playbill did a story announcing more of the cast on Friday. Read an excerpt from the article below:

Joining DeGarmo onstage will be Tomasso Antico as the Scarecrow, Bradley D. Gale as the Tinman, Michael Bojtos as the Lion, Katie Pfrogner as Glinda, Michael Brown as Milton, Topher Nuccio as the Wizard, Brandon Singleton as Brenda, Lauren Lucksavage as Martha, Brenda Salas as Doo-Wop Girl #1/Melody, Natalie McKnight as Doo-Wop Girl #2/Cadence and Kandace Nunn as Doo-Wop Girl #3/Harmonique with Trisha Kelly, Calli Freyschlag, Elizabeth Jones, Jessalyn Gliebe and Molly Money.

The venue will get a second show tonight before moving on to Will Rogers Memorial Auditorium in Fort Worth, Tex., on Tuesday.

'Oz the Musical' tour dates updated

2009-02-01T23:22:00.004-05:00

The official schedule for the Texas tour of Oz the Musical was posted on the production's Web site. A few cities have been eliminated altogether. Full schedule can be found below:

Fri., Feb. 7
Oz the Musical
Majestic Theatre (Dallas, TX)

Sat., Feb. 8
Oz the Musical
Majestic Theatre (Dallas, TX)

Fri. Feb. 13
Oz the Musical
Will Rogers Memorial Auditorium (Ft. Worth, TX)

Sat., Feb. 14
Oz the Musical
Will Rogers Memorial Auditorium (Ft. Worth, TX)

Tues., Feb. 17
Oz the Musical
Jefferson Theatre (Beaumont, TX)

Sat., Feb. 21
Oz the Musical
Hippodrome Theatre (Waco, TX)

Sat., Feb. 28
Oz the Musical
Selena Auditorium (Corpus Christi, TX)

Diana's biography has also been posted on the site along with the bios of the rest of the cast. In it she says she hopes to have an album out sometime this year.

Diana appears on POPTUB

2009-01-28T21:29:00.005-05:00

Diana was featured in a video uploaded on Jan. 26 on the POPTUB channel on YouTube. Watch the video below:

POPTUB is presented by Pepsi and describes itself as:

The cream of YouTube's crop, the apple of YouTube's eye, the sunshine of YouTube's life.

The video currently has more than 17,000 views.

Diana to join Spring Break tour

2009-01-27T22:38:00.005-05:00

Diana will reunite with Chikezie, David Hernandez and Kimberley Locke for another "American Stars in Concert" series tour, this time for spring break instead of Christmas.

Only two dates have been made public as of now, including Wed., April 15 at the Hanover Theater in Worcester, Mass., and Sat., April 18 at the Keswick Theater in Glenside, Pa. It will again be orchestrated by Idol music director Michael Orland.

Per the Hanover's Web site, this is the basis of the tour:

American Stars in Concert, featuring American Idol Stars Diana DeGarmo, Chikezie Eze, Kimberly Locke, and David Hernandez come together for The Spring Break Tour!

This brand new production, with musical direction by American Idol’s own Michael Orland, is a great way to see and hear the brightest Idol stars from seasons past, up close and personal in an intimate theatrical setting.

Relive your favorite Idol moments as these talented young artists perform the songs that catapulted them into national stardom, as well as a new selection of all-time hits. This is one reunion not to be missed - IDOLS IN CONCERT!

Tickets range from $25-38. A full schedule should become available in the next few weeks.

Listen live to 3rd & Lindsley (9 p.m. ET)

2009-01-25T16:30:00.003-05:00

Diana's show with The Gourds tonight at 3rd & Lindsley will be streamed live via Lighting 100, an independent radio station based in Nashville. To listen to the show, visit the station's "Nashville Sunday Night" page beginning at 9 p.m. ET.

Diana to star in Texas production of 'Oz the Musical'

2009-01-15T19:23:00.004-05:00

According to an article today published by Playbill.com, Diana will star as Dorothy in the Texas tour of Oz the Musical beginning Thurs., Feb. 5 at the Abilene Civic Center in Abilene. The show will be directed by Todrick D. Hall, whose previous credentials include Oprah's Broadway production of The Color Purple.

A full schedule of the tour can be found below:

Thurs., Feb. 5 - Abilene Civic Center (Abilene)
Sat.-Sun., Feb. 8-9 - Majestic Theatre (Dallas)
Tues.-Wed., Feb. 10-11 - Will Rogers Memorial Auditorium (Ft. Worth)
Sat., Feb. 14 - TBD (Waco)
Tues., Feb. 17 - TBD (Beaumont)
Sat., Feb. 21 - TBD (Austin)
Tues., Feb. 24 - TBD (McAllen)
Sat., Feb. 28 - TBD (Corpus Christi)

Ticket information and a full schedule will be available in the near future. For more information, visit OztheMusical.com.

Josie's "Birthday Bash for a Cure" set for Jan. 26

2009-01-12T20:12:00.004-05:00

Diana is slated to take the stage at Josie's "Birthday Bash for a Cure" on Mon., Jan. 26, amongst a host of other Nashville country musicians. The event, which will take place at The Rutledge on 410 4th Ave. South at 6 p.m. in Nashville, Tenn. All proceeds from the event, which costs $10 per admission (restricted to patrons 18 and older), will benefit The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Other artists that are set to appear include Blake Davis, Ty Herndon and Glen Mitchell.

Diana to perform at Music City Bowl band duel

2008-12-30T14:38:00.004-05:00

Diana will emcee and perform at the battle of the bands today between the two school competing in Nashville's Music City Bowl tomorrow. Boston College and Vanderbilt University will see their marching bands and cheerleading squads face off for The Tennessean Spirit award at 6 p.m., which will be followed by performances by Diana and the Carter Twins at the intersection between Second Avenue and Commerce Street.

As many as 10,000 fans are expected to show up in anticipation of tomorrow's bowl game. The CMT-sponsored event is free to the public.

'American Stars' tour finished

2008-12-22T15:24:00.003-05:00

Diana's month-long journey with Chikezie, David Hernandez and Kimberley Locke on Michael Orland's "American Stars in Concert for the Holidays" wrapped up last night at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, Ill. Revisit the tour by watching Diana's version of Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" from the tour's stop in West Palm Beach, Fla., below:

Diana will next appear at The Listening Room Cafe in Nashville for a "writer's session" on Mon., Dec. 29, at 6:30 p.m.

Acoustic version of "Thank You"

2008-12-17T21:33:00.000-05:00

Diana today posted the acoustic version of "Thank You" on her official music MySpace page. The song will be one of four included on her upcoming EP, Unplugged In Nashville, which should be due out on iTunes in the near future.

Diana has been selling a hard copy of the EP at the "American Stars" shows beginning with the two in Athens, Ga.

"American Stars" tour visits 'The Morning Show'

2008-12-13T11:47:00.001-05:00

Diana and her fellow "American Stars in Concert for the Holidays" cast mates paid Mike Jerrick and Juliet Huddy on FOX's The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet yesterday to perform a host of Christmas songs from their tour. Watch the performance below:

Diana, Chikezie, David and Kimberley performed a medley of songs that included "Walking in a Winter Wonderland," "The Christmas Song," "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow," "A Wonderful Christmastime" and "Sleigh Ride."

'American Stars' tour hits Washington

2008-12-11T23:30:00.000-05:00

The "American Stars in Concert for the Holidays" tour rolled into the Toyota Center on Tues., Dec. 9, in Kennewick, Wash. Despite an audience that was few in numbers, Jeremy Dutton of Tri-CityHerald.com had a few nice things to say about Diana. Of her performance of "Grown-Up Christmas List," he said:

DeGarmo then came out in what would be several outfit changes during the night to sing a truly beautiful version of "My Grown-up Christmas List," which was dented by microphone problems she admittedly suffered with most of the night.

He also said her performance of "Thank You" was a "stirring tribute to the troops that elicited the lone standing ovation of the show" and said she "sang the pants off" of David Hernandez on their duet of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

"Thank You" (Athens, Ga.)

2008-12-07T10:04:00.001-05:00

Diana performed "Thank You" for her home crowd when the "American Stars in Concert for the Holidays" tour stopped in Athens, Ga., on Fri., Dec. 5. There are no words to describe the performance, it takes just one viewing:

The EP, Unplugged in Nashville, is scheduled for a digital release this coming week.

Rodney Ho chats with Diana

2008-12-06T00:21:00.004-05:00

Rodney Ho of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "American Idol Buzz" was able to chat with Diana prior to her concert in Athens, Ga., last night for the "American Stars in Concert for the Holidays" tour. Below are a few highlights from the interview, which were posted in a blog entry:

>Diana's EP will be released to iTunes next week. It will include her original song "Thank You," which she has been performing on the tour.

>She will be in Atlanta for Christmas and has not had time to decorate her home in Nashville for the holiday.

>She has been auditioning for more roles on Broadway in addition to working on her country album.

>In addition to writing songs for herself, Diana has been writing material for others (Melissa Lawson, perhaps?)

>She also recalls voting for Chikezie during the seventh season of American Idol.

Ho was not able to make it to either show but he may be receiving media from people attending.