I was recently in the Broadway cast of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW revival, portraying a phantom, Eddie/Dr.Scott, the Narrator, and most recently, Frank 'n' Furter! After 18 years of Broadway shows, and many great roles, my experiences with THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW have been phenomenal and fun! I was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Ella (my mom passed away five years ago), and James Stovall, Sr. I was blessed with incredible parents that acknowledged my need to be an artist at an early age, therefore I studied piano and voice at the Peabody Conservatory.

At age thirteen, I joined the Urban Musical Theater. The company was based at Morgan State University, and trained young actors, singers, and dancers with well noted teachers like Harry Poe and Thomasina Allen (from Howard University), Joseph Eubanks (from Morgan State). Andy Torres and Debbie Allen, who was a student at Howard University, were my first dance teachers.

My first productions with the company were, BILLY NONAME, and, THE ME NOBODY KNOWS. Meanwhile I attended The Gilman School (Prep), and after graduation went to Morehouse College (with Spike Lee, befriended Samuel Jackson) in Atlanta. I got my equity card during my sophomore year at The Alliance Theater, and performed on their mainstage, toured with their resident company (The Umbrella Players), and studied directing at the Alliance Theater School. I made many lifetime friends while at the Alliance including director, Charles (Chuck) Abbott, and Bernard Havard (now head of the Walnut Street Theater).

I then took commercial theater jobs with Chris Manos' Theater of the Stars, and toured with artists like Dick Van Dyke and Donny Most, doing summer stock. Atlanta's Just Us Theater Company gave me terrific opportunities as an actor (performing works by great black writers), and opportunities to direct. BLACK NATIVITY, by Langston Hughes, was my first major directing job. It became an annual Christmas season hit in Atlanta, and I was highly honored. While in Atlanta, I was cast in two feature films, and two movies for television. Moving to New York eighteen years ago, miraculous things happened to me: I contracted an agent, Carole Russo, right away; was cast in a new musical called, THE DREAM TEAM at The Goodspeed, and met Bob Fosse. I had traveled to Atlanta to check on one of the BLACK NATIVITY companies, and my agent rushed me back to New York to audition for Bob Fosse's new show, BIG DEAL.

The experience was amazing, we connected like old friends, and he cast me on the spot to cover two principal roles (Sunnyboy -Mel Johnson and Band Leader - Bernard Marsh). I gave up my job at Bear Sterns, and spent the next three years of my life with Fosse. He allowed me to sit with him while he mounted BIG DEAL, over many meals and cocktails. This genius became my buddy, mentor, and support. I invited him to a reading of THE DREAM TEAM (then trying to move beyond Goodspeed), and he came to a little dusty studio on a Saturday morning, and loved the piece. He invited the stunned writing team to his apartment, and passed on his advice and knowledge.

We brought in Cleavant Derricks (another good friend and star of BIG DEAL) to join the project. I loved Bob (Fosse), and could not believe that this gift of a relationship would lead him to call me at midnight to meet and talk in his hangout where he was usually joined by Peter Stone and Cy Coleman. I learned a tremendous amount of information about every facet of the entertainment business, and hung onto his every word.

When BIG DEAL closed on Broadway, Bob was distraught, he really cared for our cast. He immediately introduced me to Gwen Verdon and Cy Coleman, and put me into his revival of SWEET CHARITY, starring none other than my first dance teacher, Debbie Allen! I replaced Irving Lee as Big Daddy in my second Broadway show, and had an extraordinary time from the first night on (with Fosse cheering from the wings), to his untimely death on our first night at the National Theater - on tour with SWEET CHARITY.

Donna Mackechnie was our wonderful touring Charity, and had press engagements on the day of our D.C. opening, so Bob said, "Jimmy, let's work on Rhythm of Life (Big Daddy's number from the second act)" Anyone from that cast (Stephanie Pope, Ken Land) will tell you, he said things to us that day that we had never heard before. He ended the rehearsal by telling us to dance as if we were in "jazz heaven." He was excited that the tour was going so well, and he again, loved his company. After that night's standing ovation, we were called back to the stage to be told by teary-eyed producers, that Bobby had died just before our performance. We screamed out in pain, a moment that I will never forget.

Our only slight comfort came in being told that Gwen was with him when he collapsed on the corner, heading to his hotel, and so as God would have it, he died with Gwen comforting him. I grieved losing Bobby for quite a while. He was simply my very good friend and teacher. I still miss him, and could see him in the audience when I recently went on as Frank 'n' Furter.

Since that time, I have been blessed to know and work with some of the most gifted artists, directors, and creators of our time. I met the composer, William Finn (Billy), at an audition for his musical, ROMANCE IN HARD TIMES. I ended up playing many roles (including Boris, the male lead) in many incarnations of this incredible musical at The Public Theater. Joseph Papp, whom I had met through Fosse, was a major supporter of this glorious work which featured (in several workshops and two full productions), Loretta Divine, Victor Cook, Alix Korey, Cleavant Derricks, Lillias White, Lawrence Clayton, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Billy Porter, Rufus Bonds, and so many more. Some version of this piece must be revived!

A brilliant director, Graciela Daniele, invited me to join the Broadway cast of, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, as Ton-Ton, and I did. It was another marvelous experience, and I requested the role of Agwe for the first national tour, and had a very fulfilling time with a great cast, and a classic small musical. As a producer/writer, I revisited BLACK NATIVITY, and it inspired me to write an adaptation, which I co-directed and co-produced with Hattie Winston (currently seen on BECKER) in 1990-1991, at what was once known as The Equity Library Theater (The Artists' Perspective). Hattie's award winning orchestrator/conductor husband, Harold Wheeler, coordinated the music with me, and Phylicia Rashad (a dear friend) came on board as another producer.

BLACK NATIVITY was a hit, and it won five Audelco Awards (awards for African American theater in NY), including best direction, and best musical for the 1990 - 1991 season. Since then, I have written, NATIVITY: A LIFE STORY, which has been produced as the annual Christmas classic at the Schomburg Center in NY. This year is the seventy-fifth anniversary for the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and this year's NATIVITY will feature Stephanie Mills, Lillias White, Ebony Jo-Ann, and Billy Porter at the Riverside Church in December 2001!

Besides musicals, I have had terrific roles in several straight plays. My favorite ones include, BULLPEN at the Howard Clurman Theater, and THE GOOD TIMES ARE KILLING ME at the Ford's Theater. ABYSSINIA and REUNION are my two favorite regional musicals (Goodspeed, Cleveland Playhouse, Ford's). Garth Drabinsky, founder of now defunct LIVENT, bought me out of my THE GOOD TIMES ARE KILLING ME contract to join his company of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (with Donny Osmond) in Toronto, as Judah. This was the beginning of a rewarding friendship with Garth, three years with JOSEPH, Donny, a great touring cast, and enough money to buy an apartment in Harlem. Garth nurtured me a great deal. After JOSEPH, I played Jake in the terrific workshop of, SIDE SHOW with Alice Ripley (currently in my ROCKY HORROR cast), Emily Skinner, and the amazing composer, Henry (DREAMGIRLS) Krieger.

What an experience, Zoe Caldwell sent a congratulatory note to me! My buddy, Norm Lewis, left a message on my voice mail saying: "great job, James, I really like your role." Cy Coleman, Marty Richards, and Michael Blakemore offered THE LIFE to me, and Norm became Jake in SIDE SHOW (very proud of him). THE LIFE was a delightful reunion for me with soulmates like Lillias White and Kevin Ramsey, my teacher/friend Cy Coleman, and it gave me a chance to portray wonderfully written dark characters - Memphis and Fleetwood. Again Garth Drabinsky called me to join the RAGTIME company in LA as Booker T. Washington, and to learn the Coalhouse role.

After LA and Vancouver, I took over as Coalhouse in RAGTIME at the Ford Center in Chicago (playing opposite LaChanze, and then Stephanie Mills, as my Sarahs). I also had the opportunity to join the Broadway company as Coalhouse Walker, Jr., one of the best leading man roles written for musical theater. I was honored to receive astounding reviews. Thank you, Garth. I am currently having a blast in the cast of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, and it has been epitomized in getting the recent opportunities to play Frank 'n' Furter, with this exceptional cast. I am learning a great deal from our producer, Jordan Roth (Broadway debut), Jerry Mitchell, and Chris Ashley. What a project!

Meanwhile, I have been directing, performing, and now raising the money to produce, THE PRINCESS AND THE BLACK-EYED PEA, a brilliant new musical by Karole Foreman and Andy Chukerman. On September 24, 2001, I portrayed Marty in the twentieth anniversary concert of DREAMGIRLS, a benefit for the Actors' Fund of America (founding member of the New Leadership Committee). This was one of the most spectacular evenings that Broadway has experienced in many years, and once again, my miraculous journey has brought me an honored opportunity to share my passion for a classic piece of American theater. I have had some fine television (ANOTHER WORLD), and film experiences, but my soul has been taught, nurtured, and tested by live theater. I am having a blessed life, and all of the credit goes to the Creator.