Constantine Maroulis - Early Years

Early Years

Maroulis was born in Brooklyn, New York to Greek American parents, James Constantine and Constance P. Maroulis (born 1938). Both his maternal and his paternal grandparents immigrated to the United States from Greece in the 1920s. He was brought up in the Greek Orthodox religion and he can speak Greek. His older brother, Athan Maroulis (born 1964), is a record producer and his sister, Anastacia P. Maroulis (born 1968), is a school principal.

When Maroulis was five years old his family moved to Wyckoff, New Jersey, an affluent suburb of New York City, where he grew up. At that time he developed an interest in music, following the lead of his older brother. By age eleven he was studying the trumpet at Eisenhower Middle School.

He later sang in high school garage bands, including Lady Rain and Milkbone. Maroulis graduated from Ramapo High School in 1993. He attended The Boston Conservatory, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater. He was in the cast recording of the 2000 musical, Suburban Dreams, which was produced by composer Stephen Thompson, Richard Kenner, and Jesse Merz. Some years before appearing on American Idol, Maroulis competed on the dating show Elimidate and was an extra in NBC's Law and Order: SVU as well as performing as a voice-over artist on the Kids WB series Astro Boy.

He has appeared in a number of off-Broadway roles from the Conservatory, along with a series of independent films. After graduating the Conservatory, Maroulis trained as an acting apprentice at the prestigious Williamstown Theatre Festival in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts and toured in the Broadway international touring company of Rent performing the lead role of Roger Davis. His role as Roger was non-equity. Since he had no agent representing him at that time, he was allowed to appear on American Idol.