David Hernandez

When local singing standout Amy Davis of Cedar Lake competed as one of the top 24 finalists on the FOX reality television smash hit "American Idol: Season 7" in 2008, she won a fellow finalist friend for life.

"I still see Amy and talk with her when I'm at home in LA," said David Hernandez, who made it a stretch further during the same "Idol" season before becoming the first elimination of the final 12.

"We both learned a lot together, especially getting used to being someone undiscovered as a singing talent and then facing millions of viewers each week and what comes with suddenly being someone in the public eye."

Today, Hernandez, who like Davis, is also 29, is happy in the public eye.

He's headlining a new show tour that opened in Chicago last night at the Windy City's newest performance stage space called Riverfront Theater.

Hernandez is the star of "Dancing Queen," playing through June 24, which is billed to "give audiences the time of their life" with a Broadway-style production featuring the hits of the ’70s including the best of ABBA, with choreographed and costumed numbers like "Dancing Queen," "Waterloo," and other musical chart-topping songs from the decade, such as a salute to Donna Summer, the "Queen of Disco" and a song and dance compilation highlighting the signature ’70s film "Saturday Night Fever."

Hernandez said he just arrived in Chicago a week ago to join the large touring cast of singers and dancers.

"It's a show that's perfect for all ages, because it's so much fun to see and hear, because it's music that leaves the audience feeling good," he said.

"Even the costumes make the audience smile. We have lots of shiny spandex and glowing colors."

He said he was always eager to see Chicago's new entertainment space summer destination.

In 2011, the Riverfront Theater attracted more than 110,000 attendees to its 16-week engagement of "Peter Pan," plus a number of corporate and social events.

This summer, the producers are bringing touring productions to headline the 70-foot tall, 22,000-square-foot temperature-controlled tent space along the scenic Chicago River. In addition to the main performance tent, located downtown at 650 West Chicago Ave., at the corner of Halsted and Chicago streets, is the River's Edge, a pavilion tent and promenade area where patrons can enjoy refreshments at a garden oasis before or after each performance.

Excited about his time this month in Chicago, Hernandez said he's enjoying a versatile career that includes singing, acting and songwriting. He began acting and singing at age 6, starring in musicals and performing with various theater companies throughout Arizona. By the time he was a teenager, he was already writing original music and recording his material.

A Phoenix native, Hernandez said moving to LA was important for recording studio options and pursuing his passion for acting. He has already completed his first feature film as the lead in the movie "Synthetic Truth" and like Davis, has participated in "Idol" finalist reunion tours.

"I'm not heading on to the next city date for the 'Dancing Queen' tour because I'm also in the middle of another project with Printz Board of The Black Eyed Peas, working on my first single due this year," said Hernandez, who keeps fans updated on his web page at davidhernandezofficial.com.

"So I consider this string of shows in Chicago part of my summer vacation fun." - Phillip Potempa, NWI Times