James Rich

James Rich grew up in Hartford, Connecticut and started his career in the entertainment industry as a singer-actor-dancer in New York City. However, he did not study performing arts growing up. He instead studied visual arts with an eye towards fashion design and illustration. While studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology, James was discovered by Finis Jung (principle dancer with American Ballet Theater), who offered James a ballet scholarship at his Upper West Side dance studio. Soon after that Joan Peters (an originating member of the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater) invited James to join her modern dance company. James danced as a principle with Joan's company for about nine-months before landing his first musical theater lead in a production of "Finian's Rainbow." When the producers of that show learned of James's ability to design and build costumes, they quickly hired him to design costumes for their upcoming season. More performing work soon came James's way and he went on t