What are pop stars and musicians doing when they’re not touring or cranking out smash hits? The answer is, a lot of things. But more often than you might think, they’re experimenting with pushing their career in new directions. Some of them have even made it to Broadway! You might not know that these six stars are also official Broadway veterans.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. Sting
The Police frontman wrote the music for the Broadway production The Last Ship, and later played Jackie White in the show’s national touring production. The play is based on Sting’s experiences as the child of a shipwright (a.k.a. shipbuilder) during a time when the shipyards in Britain were closing. The Last Ship struggled on Broadway, though—probably, according to critics, because American audiences didn’t connect to the story. Nevertheless, it earned two Tony nominations for the music.
2. Usher
An award-winning R&B singer on Broadway? Usher made it happen back in 2006, when he played Billy Flynn in Chicago. Flynn is one of the most coveted musical roles of all time, an unscrupulous but smooth-talking lawyer who defends the play’s antiheroine. Usher appeared with another pop star, Ashlee Simpson, in the role of Roxie Hart. His performance was a smash, but the rapper looked at it more as an experience than a permanent career change. After a six-week tour, he returned to recording music and has stayed there ever since.
3. Mel B
Mel B might have become world-famous as the Spice Girls‘ Scary Spice, but in more recent years, she’s had huge success on Broadway. She debuted in the 2004 production of Rent, in which she played exotic dancer Mimi. More than a decade later, she returned to the stage as Roxie Hart in Chicago. In between, Mel B has spent her time as a judge on shows such as America’s Got Talent and The X Factor.
4. Joey Fatone
After he had already become a star with the boy band *NSYNC, Joey Fatone turned to acting. He made his Broadway debut in 2002 in a production of Rent, in which he played Mark. In between appearing in films such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding and The Cooler, he returned to Broadway several times. In the following years, he would appear in Little Shop of Horrors on Broadway and in productions of The Producers and 42nd Street at the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera. His performance as Mark in Rent was widely praised, proving Fatone’s knack for live theater performance.
5. David Bowie
The 1970s were a busy time for David Bowie. During that time, he released a whopping 11 studio albums and introduced his alter ego Ziggy Stardust. But the next decade also started off with a bang as Bowie made his Broadway debut. In 1980, he appeared as the title character in The Elephant Man. Interestingly, the role was not a musical one, leaving the singer relying solely on his acting chops. To the surprise of some who weren’t aware of the flamboyant rock superstar’s diverse talents, he nailed the role to rave reviews.
6. Jordin Sparks
Jordin Sparks earned her fame when she won the 2007 season of American Idol. The world was blown away by her talent—especially because she was only 17 at the time. Three years later, Sparks broke onto Broadway playing Nina Rosario in In the Heights. Throughout the 2010s, she continued both her music and acting career in film and television. In 2019, Sparks made a comeback to Broadway in the lead role in Waitress—previously played by another pop singer, Sara Bareilles.
Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images
