Theater News

Backstreet Boy AJ McLean Hopes to Follow in the Broadway Footsteps of Fellow '90s Stars

McLean plans to hit the Great White Way within the next few years.

Backstreet Boy AJ McLean has his sights set on Broadway.
Backstreet Boy AJ McLean has his sights set on Broadway.
(© David Gordon)

Several pieces of Broadway news emerged at this past weekend's '90s Con, held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford and hosted by Broadway veteran Christy Carlson Romano (Parade, Beauty and the Beast).

In attendance was famed Backstreet Boy AJ McLean, who, during a panel conversation expressed plans to move to New York within the next few years with hopes of making it to a Broadway stage. According to a report by People, McLean said, "That is like number one on my bucket list: to do Broadway…Within the next two years, my family and I — I'm not going to tell you where — we're going to move to New York for one year and hopefully [it will happen]."

McLean claimed he was inspired by fellow '90s stars including Joey Lawrence and Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson, who took on the role of Billy Flynn in Chicago on Broadway. He also commented to former *NSYNC member Joey Fatone (who was also on the '90s Con panel) that Fatone performed on Broadway in his all-time favorite show, Little Shop of Horrors (Fatone replaced Hunter Foster as Seymour in the 2003 Broadway revival).

As McLean proclaimed his Broadway intentions, TLC's Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins announced theatrical plans of their own. As quoted in People, "We're actually going to Broadway. We're doing TLC," said T-Boz. The girl group claims to still be in the writing process, but if they have it their way, they will not be sticking to the rivers and lakes that they're used to.

Hang on to your bomber jackets and scrunchies, theater people. The '90s are barreling toward Broadway.