Amy Adams’ journey to stardom

COSTA MESA ? It was a scene out of group homes and continuation schools everywhere. A young woman stood before a group of teenagers, describing her hardscrabble childhood and urging the audience to strive for excellence. Each of the youths wore a bright yellow T-shirt, some embellished with drawings and slogans.

This was no ordinary lecture, however. The kids sitting on the hardwood floor were members of the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s “Summer at the Center” program, in which at-risk youths spend two weeks preparing for a live theater piece. And the speaker was Amy Adams, a former contestant on “American Idol” and a cast member of the center’s current production.

On Monday, 36 high school students from around Orange County kicked off this year’s summer program, learning a few songs and basic dance moves. For the second day, the center provided them with a rare glimpse into the professional entertainment world. At 1:30 p.m. in the rehearsal room, Adams spoke to the teens about her bumpy road to the top.

“I always wanted to be a singer,” said the 26-year-old, who grew up poor in Bakersfield with a single mother. “I wanted it, and I had no idea what to do.”

In 2004, Adams gained national fame when she competed on the third season of “American Idol.” Although she only placed 10th before being voted off, Adams still gained a following; at one point, Jay Leno even invited her on his show after judge Simon Cowell humorously declared that the two looked alike.

Now a wife and mother, she is working on a country album and touring as the narrator of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

A decade or so ago, though, she wasn’t far removed from many of the kids in “Summer in the Center.” Not very confident of her vocal abilities, Adams said, she did most of her singing at parties and friends’ homes.

At the age of 10, she auditioned unsuccessfully for the show “Star Search.”

“I wore this dress I got from a thrift store for, like, a dollar,” she remembered. “It just didn’t work.”

After her speech, Adams took questions and comments from the audience. When asked for advice on being a professional entertainer, she suggested making as few enemies as possible in the business. One girl announced that she had voted for Adams during “American Idol.”

“Thanks,” Adams replied. “You made me have money in my bank account.”

Eventually the star got around to singing, but she wasn’t the only one. Before Adams arrived, musical directors Bill Brawley and Roxanna Ward had guided the students through a song ? “Seasons of Love,” from the musical “Rent” ? and now the group formed a circle around their guest, serenading her with lyrics, fittingly, about being young and striving:

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee,

In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife,

In five-hundred-twenty-fivethousand-six-hundred minutes,

How do you measure a year in the life?

That evening, many of the students planned to see Adams in the center’s production of “Joseph.” Still, the afternoon meeting was a rare chance to view the celebrity life up close.

“She seemed like a really good person, not affected by how much money she’s making,” said Sam Salazar, 17. “Where she grew up, how she was really poor in the beginning and the way she was able to start singing and putting her heart into everything she does, it was pretty cool. I grew up in a pretty poor neighborhood and poor family myself.”dpt.19-adams-1-CPhotoInfoOL1T2LPL20060719j2mjdbncCredit: DON LEACH / DAILY PILOT Caption: (LA)Amy Adams of “American Idol” joins students in applause during the “Summer at the Center” program.