James Leo Ryan is an LA-based actor with extensive feature film, television, and Broadway credits. He is currently filming Death Row with Jake Busey and Stacy Keach, and recently completed the made-for-TV movie Though None Go With Me, directed by Armand Mastroianni and starring Cheryl Ladd. Other film includes in Species III, playing the role of Yosef. His TV guest appearances include Numb3rs, Love Inc., The Shield, ER, CSI, and Charmed. Broadway credits include Rooster in Annie, Claquesous in Les Miserables; Pete in Show Boat, and Reuben in Joseph in the Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat. He performed in Jubilee at Carnegie Hall, and has done the workshops of Finding Nemo directed by Kristen and Bobby Lopez; Sweet Smell of Success directed by Nicholas Hytner; Finian's Rainbow directed by Lonny Price, and Snow White directed by Eric Schaeffer.

Interviewed by Joanna Parson

You were a high school English teacher in New York City before you decided to pursue acting professionally. How did that happen? Did you always know you wanted to act, or did it sneak up on you?
When Mrs. Brenner cast me as the 2nd Little Pig in the 1st grade play, I cried -- not because I didn't get to play the big, bad wolf (I was very small for my age and knew my playing one of the little pigs was good casting), but because I wasn't asked to play the more dramatic role of the 3rd Little Pig. I got over it quickly, however, and realized that being an actor was exactly what I wanted to be. I continued to do school plays (Mrs. Miller cast me as the Pied Piper in my 2nd grade play) and community theatre in Michigan through high school.

Most of my early training came from working at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, whose alumni also include current Broadway folks Jerry Mitchell, Jerry Dixon, Greg Reuter, and Barbara Marineau. I had all intentions of being a Theatre major when I first enrolled at Denison University, but once I discovered that Theatre majors spent most of their evenings and weekends working either onstage or backstage, I decided to become an English Literature major. I was able to join a fraternity, read great plays and study wonderful playwrights, take all of the acting classes Denison had to offer, and still perform in 2 or 3 shows per year. My first play at Denison was BUTLEY, starring Steve Carrell. Other Denison University alumni include Hal Halbrook, John Schuck, John Davidson, and Jennifer Garner. My summers during college were spent performing in stock theatres.

When I moved to Manhattan after Denison, I taught American Literature at an Upper East Side prep school by day, and I juggled lesson plans and grading papers while doing theatre at night and during my summers. After 3 years of this, I decided that it was time for me to devote ALL of my efforts on my acting. During spring break of my final year of teaching, I auditioned for the Depot Theatre, who gave me my Equity card playing Tom Sawyer in BIG RIVER.

You worked as an actor in New York for years, on and off-Broadway, and then moved to Los Angeles. Why did you make that decision?
I knew that I wanted to pursue television/film at some point. I also knew that I'd need to move to Los Angeles to make that dream come true. In 1995, I was doing the Broadway National Tour of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT with Sam Harris. We came to Los Angeles and played the Pantages Theatre. While I was in town, I met a few agents. I signed with a terrific theatrical agent, Josh Schiowitz (who is now in NYC), gave JOSEPH my notice, and 4 weeks later I was living in Los Angeles. From 1995 until 2002, I spent time between LA, NYC, and being on tour. Although I will always consider NYC home as well, I really "committed" to living in Los Angeles in 2002.

You had done a lot of theatre by that time-including playing Rooster in Annie on Broadway. But how did you learn to get comfortable in front of the camera? Did you find you had to learn a different style of acting?
Whether I'm acting on stage or in television/film, I just try my best to keep my performance honest. I think what I really needed to learn was "scale" -- scaling my performance for whatever medium I was doing. I think most theatre-trained actors are able to do that because we do it each time we audition. For example, we would give a different performance if we were auditioning on the Gershwin Theatre stage as opposed to auditioning in a small rehearsal studio. When I first began getting "put on tape"(filmed auditions) for tv/film, I was self-conscious having a camera aiming at me. Now, thankfully, I'm used to it.

How do you prepare for film and television auditions? Do you take acting classes, do you coach, are there any specific techniques that you use? What is your day like when you have an audition?
When I first moved to Los Angeles in 1995, I got into an acting class. I studied for about 1/2 year, but when I used the "techniques" I was learning in class for auditions, I didn't do too well. When I stopped going to class and just kind of went with my gut, I began booking. I understand that my "gut" is all of my past theatre training. I've also learned so much from working with great directors and other actors. Maybe one day I'll try another class.

When I have an audition, I try as best I can do be "off the page" (off book). I normally don't clutter my head with radio or television before I audition. Once I get to the audition, I prefer to remain focused. I normally sign in and then step out into the hallway, listening for my name to be called. I'm not one of those actors who can be chatting and laughing in the waiting room before an audition and then do some intense scene when I get inside. I need prep time. Once my audition is over, I'm able to relax.

You’ve done a lot of intensely dramatic movies and TV shows-like Species III, The Shield, and CSI. What have you found the most challenging or surprising about auditioning and shooting those kinds of characters and scripts?
Television/Film casting directors in LA see me so differently than the theatre casting directors in NYC. In NYC, I was almost always cast as the comic character guy. I innately have kind of a frenetic, silly energy. I think the most "intense" or "dramatic" it ever got in NYC was playing Pete in SHOW BOAT. I knew I was capable, but no one ever allowed me to tap into my darker side until I began auditioning for television and film.

Once I moved to LA, I started getting called in for bad guys, white trash, and lunatics. I've played a psychotic mental patient who tries to blow up the hospital in a stolen tank on an episode of ER; I've played a suicidal junkie on an episode of THE SHIELD; I've played a demon on an episode of CHARMED and a half-breed alien in the MGM film, SPECIES lll. I'm currently filming a feature film called DEATH ROW with Jake Busey and Stacy Keach. I play a jewelry thief who...well, since it hasn't been released, I don't want to give away the ending, but trust me, I'm scary and dark. It's just so interesting how I'm perceived by casting people. It's wonderful to have the opportunity to do both.

And now for something completely different! You just did the “Finding Nemo” workshop in LA-a scaled-down production of the stage musical in its early development phase. It’s the kind of work people usually associate with New York. Is there a musical theatre scene in Los Angeles?
There is a musical theatre scene in LA. FINDING NEMO was written and directed by Bobby and Kristen Lopez, who created AVENUE Q. Jason Robert Brown and his wife, Georgia Stitt, have moved out here and Georgia was musical director on FINDING NEMO. Two weeks ago, I auditioned for Alan Menken's workshop of SISTER ACT. La Jolla Playhouse is doing DR. ZHIVAGO and preparing for the revival of THE WIZ. The LaMirada Theatre is producer of the current PETER PAN tour and they are also mounting the upcoming CAMELOT tour with Michael York as King Arthur.

There are a lot of really talented musical theatre performers on the west coast. When I've gone to see shows at Universal, Disneyland, and the El Capitan Theatre (a movie theatre in Hollywood that has pre-show entertainment), I've been blown away by the talent. There is also a big Civic Light Opera scene out here.

Do you think the perception of being a “musical theatre actor” means certain things to LA casting directors? How do you navigate that, and make sure people audition you for ALL of the work you’re capable of doing?
I was nervous about that when I first came out here, but I've found that LA casting directors really seem to like NYC musical theatre performers. Most of them know that we are trained, prepared actors who know how to make strong choices and understand how to make adjustments. Since so many of the LA casting directors make trips to see Broadway shows throughout the year, it's a great way to "break the ice" if you are new to a casting director and he or she has brought you in for a "general" meeting.

Do you still keep training your musical theatre skills-dance classes, voice lessons, audition songs-now that you the majority of your auditions are for on-camera jobs?
I'm not doing any formal training out here regarding musical theatre, but I do have my audition songs in my car's tape deck and I sing almost everyday. I keep in touch with my wonderful vocal coach in NYC, Steve Cirillo, and he advises me whenever I have musical theatre auditions out here. He's the best.

How would you compare the two cities in terms of lifestyle for the working actor?
There's nothing like being a working actor, whether it's rehearsing for a show in NYC or shooting a film in LA. When I was working in NYC, my schedule was much more "set" which allowed me to plan dinners, trips, auditions, etc. When you're working on a film or in television out here, things just aren't "set" (unless you're a "name" and your agent has been able to negotiate specific working hours).

You have three different agencies listed on your resume-walk us through that. Who ARE these people?
I have a theatrical agent (which is what they call a television/film agent out here -- confusing to us NYC folks, I know), a manager, and a commercial agent. My manager really keeps my career in check and makes sure that I'm being seen by casting people. If I have conflicts with appointments or receiving scripts/sides, my manager deals with that and he speaks with my agent and/or the production people. My agent submits me for television/film/theatre projects and negotiates the contracts. My manager and agent really work hand in hand. Having both provides me with added coverage to make sure I'm getting out there. I also have a separate commercial agent. She submits me for on camera and voiceover work.

A lot of people think that if you want to have success in Hollywood, you’ve got to be at all the right parties. What’s your take on schmoozing in Los Angeles?
Unfortunately, I've discovered that sometimes that is true. Since the people out here spend so much time in their cars between work and home, people meet one another at parties. In NYC, you run into people at the theatre; at Ariba! Ariba! [Actors Life note-- Mexican food in Hell’s Kitchen]; on the subway platform; just walking around the City. Here, people go to parties. I'm a social person, but I'm not a fan of the whole "schmooze" thing, since it implies having a motive. A lot of people do it and it's very transparent. For some people, it has become a way of life.

You’ve amassed an impressive resume of guest star roles on TV series. Yvette Freeman (Nurse Adams on ER) talked in her Actorslife.com interview about “Guest Star Hell.” Do you find that your resume helps you get seen for roles in pilots? What’s your long term strategy for TV?
Pilot season seems to change every year and right now I'm in kind of an odd place as far as my age and my "look." I don't get seen for a lot of pilots right now, but once they're cast, I get seen for the guest star roles. I love doing guest star roles and welcome them. Naturally, booking a prospective series regular on a pilot would be AMAZING. I'm being patient. I'd love to continue doing films.

Do any of your managers or agents help you look at the total package and long term vision of where you want your career to be in 10, 20 years? Or is that vision something you have to create and work towards on your own?
My agents, managers and I definitely have a vision of where we want my career to be. We're also realistic regarding my "type" and we know that my "type" will change with age. Whenever I get anxious, my terrific agent, Marc Bass, reminds me that our relationship isn't a sprint; it's a marathon. I remain proactive, but also know that with every job/every audition/every person I meet, I'm planting "seeds".

Talented, ambitious and genetically-blessed young men arrive in Hollywood every day, and most of them won’t be able to land the kind of jobs that you have. Can you identify anything that’s different about your working style or approach to the business that helps explain your success?
When I first came out here, I was intimidated by that. I was far from young; far from being genetically blessed. I was, however, ambitious and had confidence in my "experience." I've also found that, like a beautiful voice in NYC, a beautiful face out here is a dime a dozen. You need something MORE. Sometimes it's just about knowing that YOU'VE done (and continue to do) the work.

What do you know now that you wish you knew 10 years ago, when you were newer to the actors life?
I know to stay present. When you've actually got a gig, ENJOY it! Since work can sometimes be far and few between, savor every moment when you have the opportunity to work. Aren't we doing this because we love doing this?

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