Speaking of reality TV contestants, which we were in our last post about Jason Epperson, there’s news about Derek Keeling, the University of
Kentucky theatre graduate who was one of the major competitors on Grease: You’re the One That I Want earlier this year.

On the blog on his myspace page, Derek reports that he has been cast as Charles Darnay in the new musical version of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. The music, lyrics and book were written by Jill Santoriello, an Ohio University journalism school graduate and self-taught musician who, according to her biography on the show’s website, has been crafting music based on Tale since high school. The show will open at Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Fla., in October, with hopes to transfer to Broadway in 2008. Playbill described the show as a serious-minded pop epic in the tradition of Les Misérables.

Keeling was the second to last person eliminated on You’re the One that I Want in which contestants were competing for the roles of Danny and Sandy in the Broadway revival of Grease. Max Crumm and Laura Osnes were the winners and star in the show which opens Sunday on Broadway. In an interview with the Herald-Leader in April, Keeling said being on the show had opened a lot of doors for him. Looks like he stepped through one.