James​ Snyder

James Snyder grew up in Rancho Murieta, a small town outside Sacremento, CA, a self proclaimed "band geek" he played piano, clarinet and trumpet growing up.  Once high school hit, he needed to something to do in the off-season from soccer and found Musical theater.  His first role was Stephen in Godspell his freshman year.  By his senior year he was ready to make the leap into acting and attended the University of Southern California's BFA acting program.  At USC he continued his musical tradition as well as maintained his "geek" status by playing guitar and singing in the "SoCal VoCals", USC's premiere A capella group, not to mention working on the hit stage adaptation "Patrick Gorman's Star Wars Trilogy in 30 minutes".  Shortly after school he found himself dry humping Kristen Bell's leg as a french poodle in the show "Sneaux!" which while a questionable post college gig, it did introduce him to Andy Fickman who cast him in his first studio film as the cuddly Malcolm Festes in "She's the Man" with Amanda Bynes.  He continued to work in LA as a TV and film actor as well as starred as Drew in Rock of Ages with Laura Bell Bundy in it's first incarnation in Hollywood.  While working on a workshop of Rock of Ages in NY at new world stages he booked the title role in the Broadway show, Cry-baby.  In the interval between the La Jolla and Broadway productions he recorded the concept album for "bare: a pop opera" as well as got his own record deal with Lionsgate records and released his solo rock album LA Curse.  After Cry-Baby he returned to Los Angeles and continued to work in film and television.  Until the big stage pulled him back for Encores! "Fanny" at New York City Center.  Recently he starred as Billy Bigelow in Goodspeed opera houses' production of "Carousel" and as the title character in "Johnny Baseball" at the Williamstown Theater Festival.  He is now starring opposite Idina Menzel in the soon to be Broadway production of If/Then.  It is currently playing at the National Theater in Washington DC.  He loves his wife and his new son Oliver.