The Idol Broadway Takeover Continues...

But look on the brightside, at least the Weissler's aren't casting Taylor Hicks as Billy Flynn.

Former American Idol winner, Jordin Sparks, has been announced as the newest cast member of In The Heights, a show that is still bringing in big houses by putting teen stars on the marquee. She will takeover the role of Nina in August.

Those of us who have seen Jordin in person are not so much surprised that she's reinventing herself on Broadway as much as we were shocked it wasn't as the star of "Precious: The Musical based on the novel PUSH by Sapphire".

She's put on a few pounds since Idol... just saying.

Will this move translate to big box office?? The "American Idol" alumni have an uneven record of moving tickets. Fantasia Barrino' s run in The Color Purple was a huge success, even if she missed a lot of shows. Constantine Maroulis' has been winning audiences over in Rock of Ages, although it's doubtful that people are paying to see him as much as they are the show itself. However, attendance at Hair has fallen through the floor since Diana Degarmo and Ace Young took over the starring roles. Taylor Hicks' run as the Teen Angel didn't translate into an extended run for Grease, and then there was Clay Aiken in Spamalot, which was just wrong on every level.

We'll see how the Jordin Sparks play works out. Until then, now that his solo career is going well, we can start the countdown to Adam Lambert's Broadway debut.