James Barbour (singer) explained

James Barbour
Birth Date:25 April 1966
Birth Place:Cherry Hill, New Jersey, U.S.
Education:Hofstra University
Occupation:Actor, singer
Years Active:1993–present
Criminal Charges:Two counts of endangering the welfare of a child
Criminal Penalty:36 days in prison (2008); three years of probation
Spouse:Dana Stackpole
Children:2

James Barbour (born April 25, 1966)[1] is an American singer and theatre actor who played the title role in the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera from February 2015 until December 2017. Among his other credits are the Beast in Beauty and the Beast and Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities, for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.

In 2008, Barbour pleaded guilty to two counts of endangering the welfare of a child,[2] and he admitted to engaging in sexual activities with a 15-year-old on more than one occasion.[3]

Early life and education

Barbour was born April 25, 1966, in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He graduated from Hofstra University,[4] where he majored in English and Theatre with a minor in Philosophy and Physics.[5]

Career

Barbour made his Broadway debut in 1993, in the production of .[6] He also played Billy Bigelow in Carousel in 1994[7] and the Beast in Beauty and the Beast in 1998.[8] He was nominated for a Drama League Award in the Outstanding Actor In A Musical category for his role as Edward Rochester in Jane Eyre. He played Leon Czolgosz in Assassins. He also appeared in the Broadway production of Urinetown, and in the national tours of The Secret Garden and Camelot. He also co-founded Laughing Dog Entertainment with the theatre director Steve Binder.[9]

He played Lancelot in the 2005 Hollywood Bowl production of Camelot.[10] In late 2007, he performed the role of Sydney Carton in a pre-Broadway musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities at the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida.[11] In 2008, Barbour reprised his role in the Broadway production of A Tale of Two Cities, which closed after 60 performances.[12] In the New York Times, critic Ben Brantley wrote that he disliked both the production and Barbour's performance in it.[13] Barbour was nominated for the Drama League, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards in the Best Actor in a Musical category for his role in A Tale of Two Cities.[14]

In 2011, it was announced that he would play the supporting role of Jack Favel in the Broadway musical adaptation of Rebecca. The production was plagued with legal and financial problems, and the production has been indefinitely postponed after multiple delays.[15] [16] In the summer of 2014, he starred as Jean Valjean in the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts production of Les Misérables opposite Anthony Fedorov as Enjolras.[17] Barbour then played the title role in the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera for nearly three years, from February 2015 until December 2017.[18]

He launched a holiday concert series at New York's Sardi's Restaurant in 2008.[19] Each performance featured a guest performer, including Brandi Burkhardt, Natalie Toro, Deborah Gibson, Marla Schaffel, Marc Kudisch, and Kevin Earley.[20] He repeated the holidays concerts in 2009 in both New York and Los Angeles.[21] In 2010, he expanded these concerts to six cities.[22] He followed this with a second Sardi's concert series, "Love Songs", featuring numerous Broadway classics.[23] The annual holiday concert series has since moved to Birdland, a Manhattan jazz club.[24]

In March 2017, Barbour's likeness was immortalized in a caricature portrait on the wall at Sardi's.[25] [26] The same year, he finished writing The Ghosts of the Majestic, a solo show about John Raitt, Robert Goulet, and Ezio Pinza, three notable actors that performed at the Majestic Theatre.

Personal life

Barbour is married to fellow performer Dana Stackpole, with whom he has two daughters.

He has been an Artist Committee Board member of The Actors Fund of America for since 2000[27] during which time he has performed many charitable fundraisers in support of the Fund and Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS.[28] In 2014, he gave a fundraising performance for Scientology.[29] He has given benefit concerts for his alma mater, Hofstra University.[30]

Arrest

In April 2006, Barbour was arrested and charged with five counts of sexual abuse and sodomy, after a woman accused him of committing statutory rape against her in 2001, when she was 15 years old.[31] [32] [33] In December 2006 he was indicted by a grand jury in New York for said crime.[34] [35] [36] [37] [38]

In January 2008, Barbour pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a minor in exchange for a lesser sentence in jail and three years' probation. Also, in accordance with his plea bargain, Barbour made a public allocution to these misdemeanors.[3] [39] He served his sentence at Rikers Island, which lasted for 36 days beginning on February 29, 2008.[40] [41]

Broadway appearances

Filmography

A Concert on Ice (1996) (TV)

Discography

Awards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: James Barbour – Broadway Cast & Staff. Internet Broadway Database. January 15, 2015.
  2. News: Hartocollis. Anemona. January 4, 2008. Broadway Actor Pleads Guilty to Backstage Sex Act With Girl, 15, in 2001. en-US. The New York Times. June 1, 2020. 0362-4331.
  3. Web site: Beast: I Pawed Gal, 15. Italiano. Laura. January 4, 2008. New York Post. en. June 1, 2020.
  4. Web site: James Barbour to Star in Hofstra Benefit Concert June 27 – TheaterMania. www.theatermania.com. May 22, 2009 .
  5. Web site: PLAYBILL ON-LINE'S BRIEF ENCOUNTER with James Barbour. David. Lefkowitz. January 2, 2001. Playbill.
  6. Web site: Blank. Matthew. April 30, 2015. Photo Call: First Look! James Barbour Delivers the Music of the Night in Broadway's Phantom of the Opera. December 7, 2020. Playbill. en.
  7. News: McNeil. Donald G. Jr. December 26, 1994. Egos and Charity Both Get a Lift In Role Auctions (Published 1994). en-US. The New York Times. December 7, 2020. 0362-4331.
  8. News: Beckerman. Jim. September 20, 1998. Braxton is singing a different tune. 10D. Tallahassee Democrat. December 7, 2020. Newspapers.com.
  9. Web site: 2014. Steve Binder Bio. https://web.archive.org/web/20190812222806/http://www.caucus.org/members/Binder.html. August 12, 2019. December 7, 2020. The Caucus.
  10. https://playbill.com/article/casting-complete-for-hollywood-bowl-camelot-creative-team-announced-com-127160 Casting Complete for Hollywood Bowl Camelot; Creative Team Announced
  11. Web site: Handelman. Jay. October 29, 2007. A Tale of Two Cities. December 7, 2020. Variety. en-US.
  12. Web site: A Tale of Two Cities. December 7, 2020. Internet Broadway Database.
  13. News: Brantley. Ben. November 14, 2008. Revolution (and Love) on Their Minds. en-US. The New York Times. June 1, 2020. 0362-4331.
  14. Web site: Viagas. Robert. March 6, 2017. James Barbour Penning a Solo Show About 3 Great Broadway Stars. December 7, 2020. Playbill. en.
  15. Web site: November 15, 2011. James Barbour Joins Broadway's Rebecca & Announces Holiday Concerts. April 19, 2020. Broadway.com. en.
  16. Web site: Boroff. Philip. May 30, 2019. Escape from Manderley: 'Rebecca' Producer Settles with Press Agent. June 1, 2020. Broadway Journal. en-US.
  17. https://playbill.com/article/james-barbour-and-anthony-fedorov-head-cast-of-la-mirada-les-miserables-beginning-tonight-com-218865 James Barbour and Anthony Fedorov Head Cast of La Mirada Les Miserables Beginning Tonight
  18. Web site: He's Here! James Barbour Will Replace Norm Lewis in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Broadway.com.
  19. Web site: James Barbour's Sardi's Holiday Concert Series Begins Festive Run 12/20. BWW News Desk. BroadwayWorld.com.
  20. Web site: James Barbour. jamesbarbour.blogspot.com.
  21. Web site: JAMES BARBOUR'S HOLIDAY CONCERT 2009 Comes To NYC And LA. BWW News Desk. BroadwayWorld.com.
  22. Web site: James Barbour Launches Six-City Holiday Concert Tour. BWW News Desk. BroadwayWorld.com.
  23. Web site: James Barbour. jamesbarbour.blogspot.com.
  24. Web site: Keddy. Genevieve Rafter. December 11, 2017. Photo Coverage: James Barbour Brings 9th Annual Holiday Concert to Birdland. December 7, 2020. Broadway World. en.
  25. Web site: McBride. Walter. March 11, 2017. Photo Coverage: James Barbour Celebrates Sardi's Portrait Unveiling. December 7, 2020. Broadway World. en.
  26. Web site: Gordon. David. March 13, 2017. Phantom of the Opera James Barbour Gets a Sardi's Caricature. December 7, 2020. TheaterMania. en-US.
  27. Web site: The Artists' Committee. The Actor's Fund . https://web.archive.org/web/20101205051250/http://www.actorsfund.org/about/board-committees/artists-committee. December 5, 2010.
  28. Web site: The Actor's Fund Performance. Feinstein's at Loews Regency.
  29. Web site: Ideal Org Event Recap. Scientology Flyer on Tony Ortega's Blog.
  30. Web site: Hofstra Entertainment Presents James Barbour: Broadway in Concert. Hofstra University. https://web.archive.org/web/20101203165728/http://www.hofstra.edu/home/News/PressReleases/Archive/061809_jamesbarbour.html. December 3, 2010.
  31. News: Murray Weiss. April 6, 2006. Actor in Sex Arrest. New York Post. archive. https://web.archive.org/web/20071001000728/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/nypost/access/1016611591.html?dids=1016611591:1016611591&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Apr+6,+2006&author=MURRAY+WEISS&pub=New+York+Post&edition=&startpage=009&desc=ACTOR+IN+SEX+ARREST. dead. October 1, 2007.
  32. News: Nicole Kristal. April 6, 2006. Broadway Actor Arrested for Abuse. Backstage.com.
  33. https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70F16FB3F540C768CDDA80894DF404482 Remain Silent? Some in Custody Spell It All Out
  34. News: Laura Italiano. December 6, 2006. Sexy 'beast' busted as perv. New York Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20061208081328/http://www.nypost.com/seven/12062006/news/regionalnews/sexy_beast_busted_as_perv_regionalnews_laura_italiano.htm. December 8, 2006.
  35. News: Laura Italiano. December 7, 2006. 'Beast' had even younger prey. New York Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20070929125200/http://www.nypost.com/seven/12072006/news/regionalnews/beast_had_even_younger_prey__da_regionalnews_laura_italiano.htm?page=0. September 29, 2007.
  36. News: December 6, 2006. 'Beauty and the Beast' Actor Pleads Not Guilty to Charges of Sexual Abuse of a 15-Year-Old Girl. Fox News. Associated Press. December 7, 2020.
  37. http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2006/12/21/1800_gross_idea.php Gross Idea in Broadway Actor's Sex Abuse Case
  38. News: Maull. Samuel. July 20, 2007. Court Gags Broadway Beast Actor's Lawyer. The Washington Post. December 7, 2020.
  39. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/01/03/2008-01-03_type_casting_broadway_beast_james_barbou.html Type casting: Broadway 'Beast' pleads guilty to molestation
  40. News: Laura Italiano. March 1, 2008. BROADWAY BEAST CAGED. New York Post.
  41. Web site: Kragen. Pam. October 6, 2011. Felder, Barbour collaborate on soul-baring musical. December 7, 2020. San Diego Union-Tribune. en-US.

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