NEWSJordin Sparks to Make Her Mark on Broadway
July 20 2010, Published 4:25 a.m. ET
Jordin Sparks is joining the cast of Broadway's In the Heights, and not only is she excited to appear on the big stage, she's looking forward to living on her own in the Big Apple.
OK! GALLERY: STARS RAVISH IN RED WITH THEIR HEARTS ON THEIR SLEEVES
The 19-year-old American Idol winner is up for the Broadway challenge.
“I’m really excited,” Jordin told Access Hollywood of joining the multiple-Tony-winning musical beginning Aug. 19. “It’s going to be intense because I have rehearsals every single day. I think I have to watch the show every night and get used to it… It’s definitely going to be intense and I want to make sure I take care of my voice because I’ve never done as many shows as Broadway’s gonna have all in one time.”
OK! NEWS: STARS PICK TEAM EDWARD OR TEAM JACOB
Jordin will star as Nina Rosario, a 19-year-old who returns to her family's neighborhood in Washington Heights, in New York City, after losing her college scholarship.
“The first time you see her is her getting home off the plane and she’s really nervous,” Jordin said. “She’s got this anxiety that she has to tell her parents and she’s really sad because she didn’t make it. She wanted to make her parents proud.”
OK! GALLERY: JORDIN SPARKS STILL GIDDY & GLAM
And Jordin's own parents couldn't be prouder of her for making it on Broadway.
“Both of my parents and my grandparents were pretty much freaking out,” she explained. “Nana sent us all a picture from when I was 4 years old and I was in New York. We all went and saw the Rockettes… I’m in this red coat and my mom and Nana told this story of how I literally ran up to the stage after the show was over, I stood on the stairs and said, ‘Look, Nana! Look, Mom! I’m gonna be up here one day.’”
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
OK! NEWS: JORDIN SPARKS DILEMMA — VACATION, OR TOUR WITH BRITNEY SPEARS?
Not only will Jordin be fulfilling her Broadway dream, but she'll also be living on her own for the first time.
“It’ll actually be my first time living on my own,” Jordin admitted. “Now it’s going to be… not only am I living in my apartment, but I’ll be living in New York City. So I’m really excited.”
“I’ve never been to the Statue of Liberty, I’ve always wanted to see that,” she said. “This theatre business is so close-knit, I’m hoping I make some really good friends and they’ll be able to show me around. It’s going to be fun — since I’m going to be in the one spot — I’ll actually have a normal schedule for the first time in a very long time.
“I’m excited to be able to be like, ‘Okay, I’m going to get up in the morning, make coffee, take the dogs out for a walk,’ just do ‘normal things’ that I haven’t been able to do for the past three years,” Jordin added. “So I am just so ecstatic to be able to do this.”
