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James Conrad Smith

  For a full list of performance credits, you can click the Download Full Resume button or scroll below for a select list.

EDUCATION

   James holds two degrees in vocal performance: a B.M. from Montclair State University (Montclair, NJ) and an M.M. from the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University (Bloomintgton, IN).

THEATRE

MUSICAL THEATRE

     James has performed with White Plains Performing Arts Center, Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, Sierra Repertory Theatre, The Princeton Festival, Downtown Cabaret Theater and appeared in presentations of new musicals at Feinstein's 54/Below, Alvin Ailey. He is an Equity Member Candidate (EMC) as well as a member of AGMA.   

OPERA

     James has appeared with the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, the Light Opera of New Jersey, Opera Theatre of Montclair, and in productions of his own company, the Young Artists' Initiative.

STAGE DIRECTING

     He started directing when he founded the Young Artists' Initiative in 2013 producing The Pirates of Penzance and Don Giovanni (2014). In 2016, he began mentoring and directing youth theater for elementary age children in NJ and UT. In 2019, he became the resident stage director for the New Jersey Vocal Arts Collaborative (N.J.V.A.C.) and helmed the company's inaugural production of Le nozze di Figaro. In 2022, he concluded his tenure as resident stage director with NJVAC with his staging of Die Zauberflote.

 

VIDEO EDITOR

     During the pandemic, James assumed a new role with Chicago's Transgressive Theatre-Opera as their video designer for its virtual staging of Handel's Beauty's Truth (2020) utilizing Adobe's Creative Suite to bring together artists from across the country.

TEACHING

     James is a private voice teacher (currently there is no formal studio) and offers acting coaching to opera singers.

     He is also a NJ certified substitute teacher (K-12).

MAKING ART AWAY FROM THE STAGE

     Church Cantor - 18+ years (Pequannock, Montclair, Clifton)

     Calligrapher - holiday cards, wedding invitations, and other miscellaneous projects.

     Composer / Orchestrator - In 2013, his piece "Reflection: Innocent Thoughts About Peace" won the inaugural Cali Choral Composition Competition at Montclair State University adjudicated by Morten Lauridsen. "Reflection" premiered at Carnegie Hall in March 2014 with MSU's Vocal Accord under the baton of Heather J. Buchanan. More recently, James has been at work on two projects: a requiem mass and the Hogwarts Song Anthology - information for both of these can be found here.

FUN FACTS ABOUT JAMES

     James' hobbies and interests include: the history of the RMS TITANIC, the Harry Potter book series, decorating for Christmas, biking, and hiking.

     He is also a huge fan of Downton Abbey and The Great British Bake Off. James also enjoys reading Stephen King or Clive Cussler, and listening to his favorite radio station WQXR

SmithJames_Headshot7_edited.jpg

Location: NJ / NYC

Union Status: EMC, AGMA

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 180 lbs.

Eye Color: Hazel

Hair Color: Brown

Vocal Range:

  G2-A4

Falsetto:

  extends up to C6

Audio from the premier performance of "Reflection: Innocent Thoughts About Peace" at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall in March 2014. MSU Vocal Accord, Heather J. Buchanan conductor, Steven Ryan piano

The 2021 gingerbread house from scratch.

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Standing atop Oregon's dormant stratovolcano Mt. McLoughlin in September 2019 - elevation 9,495'

Musical Theatre
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NEWSIES (2019-20) at the White Plains Performing Arts Center

From L-R: James Conrad Smith, Mark Bradley Miller, Jamie Zeidman, Chris McHugh

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LEGALLY BLONDE (2018) at the Downtown Cabaret Theatre

Also featured: Monica Brown as Elle Woods

Sierra Repertory Theatre | CAMELOT

Sir Dinadan

White Plains Performing Arts Center | NEWSIES

Seitz / Pulitzer Understudy

Oregon Cabaret Theatre | SWEEENEY TODD

Adolpho Pirelli

The Princeton Festival | SHE LOVES ME

Steven Kodaly

Alvin Ailey CitiGroup Theatre | MY PRINCESS DIANA: A NEW MUSICAL

Prince Charles -- Benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Downtown Cabaret Theatre | LEGALLY BLONDE

Warner Huntington III

Feinstein's 54/Below | WHAT DO CRITICS KNOW?

Shakespeare

.

staged reading, new musical

White Plains Performing Arts Center | THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

Fr. Dupin / Official

Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre | THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

Jehan Frollo

Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre | The USIC MAN

Charlie Cowell

Rhino Theatre | BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Beast

Opera
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THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT (2018) with the

LIGHT OPERA OF NEW JERSEY

Also featured: Hanne Ladefoged-Dollase, Marquise de Berkenfield

Light Opera of New Jersey | DAUGHTER OF THE REGIRMENT

Hortensius

Light Opera of New Jersey | PATTERMANIA!

Patter Soloist, Gilbert & Sullivan musical revue

Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre | THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE

Major-General Stanley (Cover)

Young Artists' Initiative | DON GIOVANNI

Don Giovanni

Young Artists' Initiative | THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE

Major-General Stanley

Blooming Voce Summer Workshop | COSI FAN TUTTE

Guglielmo

Children's Outreach

Opera Theatre of Montclair | DIE ZAUBERFLOTE

Papageno

Re-Imagining Opera for Kids (R.O.K.) | THE MAGIC FLUTE

Papageno / Sarastro

Indiana University

Education &
Teachers

M.M. Vocal Performance | Indiana University | Tim Noble, Terea Kubiak​

B.M. Vocal Performance | Montclair State University | Peter R. Gillis

VOICE: Peter van Derick (current)

Special Skills

Licensed (NJ) Driver

Music: sight reading, composing, orchestration, piano

Falsetto (countertenor / soprano / Tiny Tim) - up to C6

Accents: British RP, French, German, Italian, Scottish, Russian

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