Public figure spotlight

Anthony Gargiula

Anthony Gargiula is confirmed for his Broadway debut as François in & Juliet, with the role, dates, and the career behind the countertop videos.

Anthony Gargiula is a singer-songwriter from Albany, New York, now based in Los Angeles, known for the national anthem video he sang at age seven at a Siena College basketball game and for the countertop performance videos he later built into Counter-Melodies.

His casting as François in & Juliet on Broadway was confirmed on August 5, 2026, the day Playbill and other theatre outlets reported the news alongside the production's own cast page. He is set to perform at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, with the show running September 15 through December 6.

Editorially reviewedLast verified August 23, 2026See all sources

What’s new with Anthony Gargiula

Playbill reported on August 5, 2026, that Anthony Gargiula will make his Broadway debut as François in & Juliet at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, with performances running September 15 through December 6, 2026. Gargiula confirmed the news in a statement quoted by Playbill, and the casting is corroborated by TheaterMania, New York Theatre Guide, BroadwayWorld, Broadway.com, the Times Union, and PEOPLE (via Yahoo), all reporting the same dated announcement.

The production's own cast page lists Gargiula under the François role starting September 15, and Playbill describes the engagement as his Broadway debut. Theatrical Index, an independent theatre-credit registry, shows this as his only Broadway credit on record. He takes over a role currently played by Nathan Levy.

Before this announcement, most searches for his name tied back to a March 2026 appearance on American Idol, where he served as one of several industry tastemakers helping choose a contestant for the show's new Ohana round platinum ticket, according to Yahoo Entertainment and Gold Derby. The Broadway news is the newer and more consequential development.

What's publicly known

Gargiula's public profile rests on two decades of dated, verifiable moments rather than one viral clip.

Childhood anthem and Ellen appearances. He first drew national attention at age seven singing the national anthem at a Siena College basketball game, a video that led to appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, according to the Times Union. The same report notes that by 2012, when he was 13, he had sung the anthem nearly 100 times at events ranging from NFL games to the Belmont Stakes.

Counter-Melodies. With co-host Jonathan Tilkin, Gargiula built Counter-Melodies (also called the Kitchen Singing Series), performed from his kitchen counters, plus a companion podcast where the pair talk with their singing guests, according to Apple Podcasts and Yahoo Entertainment. Named collaborators across these sources include Kristen Bell, Lady A, Goo Goo Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger, Reba McEntire, Jeff Goldblum, Teddy Swims, and Leslie Odom Jr., with the series topping three billion combined views per Broadway.com's artist biography.

Television and music credits. He appeared as a final challenger on Season 2 of The Four in 2018, per BroadwayWorld, and returned to network TV in 2024 as a guest vocalist on FOX's I Can See Your Voice, according to Broadway.com. His 2022 cover of "Crazy" sparked TikTok's Crazy Riff Challenge, which drew a duet response from CeeLo Green. In November 2024 he co-wrote and recorded the gospel single "Constant" with Maverick City Music and Jordin Sparks, which reached No. 1 on Billboard's Gospel Streaming and Gospel Airplay charts.

American Idol. In March 2026, American Idol added him as one of several industry tastemakers voting during the show's new Ohana round, a segment where family members and industry voices help decide which Top 30 contestant receives a platinum ticket into the Top 20, according to Yahoo Entertainment, Gold Derby, and Country Music Family.

Timeline of public updates

2012: The Times Union reports he had sung the national anthem nearly 100 times by age 13, including NFL games and the Belmont Stakes.
2018: Appears as a final challenger on Season 2 of The Four, per BroadwayWorld.
2024: Appears as a guest vocalist on FOX's I Can See Your Voice.
November 2024: Co-writes and records "Constant" with Maverick City Music and Jordin Sparks; the single reaches No. 1 on Billboard's Gospel Streaming and Gospel Airplay charts, per Broadway.com.
March 9, 2026: Joins American Idol as an industry tastemaker for the debut Ohana round episode, per Yahoo Entertainment and Gold Derby.
August 5, 2026: Playbill, TheaterMania, and other theatre outlets report his Broadway debut as François in & Juliet, September 15 through December 6.

Latest update (August 5, 2026)

The newest confirmed development is the Broadway casting itself, announced August 5, 2026. Gargiula steps into the François role starting September 15, 2026.

In his statement to Playbill, Gargiula tied the role back to childhood: "Seeing my first Broadway show at seven years old sparked a dream that never left me. I remember thinking, 'How do I get up there one day?'" He added that stepping into & Juliet "feels like the most unreal full-circle moment."

A report from TheTeaReport pulls together public profiles, work history, and other available records about someone you're getting to know, with the source behind each detail.

What people are discussing

Community gossip: Commenters across the Ne-Yo "So Sick" and Chlöe "Have Mercy" cover threads praise the vocals enough to want repeat listens, calling one version a "wonderful rendition" and saying they could "listen...all day," in the Ne-Yo thread and the Chlöe thread.
Community gossip: Other recurring comments weigh whether the arrangement keeps a soulful sound, with listeners comparing vocal quality to the original before deciding if a cover earns repeat plays, a debate that runs through the Ne-Yo thread and the Chlöe thread.

Sources behind the Broadway casting and career details

The dated reporting and first-party pages behind the claims in this spotlight.

01
playbill.comPlaybill: Anthony Gargiula Will Make Broadway Debut in & Juliet (opens in a new tab)
Reports the August 5, 2026 casting news and quotes Gargiula's own statement about joining the show.
02
andjulietbroadway.com& Juliet official cast and creative page (opens in a new tab)
The production's own site lists Gargiula as François starting September 15.
03
theatricalindex.comTheatrical Index performer record for Anthony Gargiula (opens in a new tab)
Independent Broadway credit registry showing this engagement as his only listed Broadway credit.
04
timesunion.comTimes Union: Kitchen Singing star joins Broadway's & Juliet (opens in a new tab)
Dated, named reporting corroborating the casting with additional quotes from Gargiula.
05
broadway.comBroadway.com artist biography (opens in a new tab)
Covers his Counter-Melodies collaborators, 'Constant' single, and other career milestones.
06
nz.news.yahoo.comPEOPLE via Yahoo: Anthony Gargiula sets Broadway debut (opens in a new tab)
Exclusive report with his statement, plus background on his Ellen DeGeneres Show appearances and American Idol role.
07
music.apple.comAnthony Gargiula on Apple Music (opens in a new tab)
His official artist page for streaming songs like 'Constant,' 'Empty Chair,' and other released tracks.
08
podcasts.apple.comCounter-Melodies on Apple Podcasts (opens in a new tab)
The companion podcast Gargiula hosts with Jonathan Tilkin, with episodes featuring the guest artists who join their kitchen performances.

Sources and methodology Request a correction

Common questions about Anthony Gargiula

How did Anthony Gargiula become famous?

He first went viral at age seven singing the national anthem at a Siena College basketball game, a video that led to appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, according to the Times Union. He kept performing anthems at NFL games, the Belmont Stakes, and other events through his teens before building a second wave of attention with countertop singing videos as an adult.

Who are the two guys singing together in the kitchen videos?

That's Counter-Melodies (also called the Kitchen Singing Series), which Gargiula creates with co-host Jonathan Tilkin. The pair sing a cappella arrangements with guest artists from Gargiula's kitchen counters and run a companion podcast, with reported collaborators including Kristen Bell, Reba McEntire, Jeff Goldblum, and Leslie Odom Jr., per Broadway.com and PEOPLE.

Is Anthony Gargiula really joining & Juliet on Broadway?

Yes, this is confirmed as of August 5, 2026. The production's own cast page lists him as François starting September 15, and Gargiula gave a statement to Playbill about the role, corroborated the same day by TheaterMania, New York Theatre Guide, BroadwayWorld, Broadway.com, the Times Union, and PEOPLE.

What should I listen to or watch first?

"Constant," his November 2024 gospel single with Maverick City Music and Jordin Sparks, is a solid starting point since it hit No. 1 on Billboard's Gospel Streaming and Gospel Airplay charts. For the countertop performances, look for any Counter-Melodies episode with a guest artist you already know.

Was Anthony Gargiula on American Idol?

Yes. He joined Season 24 as one of several industry tastemakers voting during the show's debut Ohana round episode on March 9, 2026, helping decide which Top 30 contestant received a Platinum Ticket into the Top 20, according to Yahoo Entertainment and Gold Derby.

Is Anthony Gargiula married or dating anyone?

No dated statement cited on this page establishes a spouse or partner as of August 23, 2026. Naming one would be speculation, so his relationship status stays unaddressed rather than confirmed either way.

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