James Monroe Iglehart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Monroe Iglehart
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Iglehart in 2025
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| Born | September 4, 1974 Hayward, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Cal State Hayward (BA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1978–present |
| Known for | Aladdin, Hamilton |
| Spouse(s) |
Dawn Phelps
(m. 2002) |
| Parent(s) | James Iglehart |
James Monroe Iglehart, born on September 4, 1974, is an American actor, singer, and even a comic book writer! He is super famous for playing the Genie in the original Broadway show Aladdin. He even won a special award called a Tony Award for it!
In April 2017, he joined the Broadway cast of Hamilton, playing two important characters: the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. James has also been in other big Broadway shows. He played King Arthur in the 2023 revival of Spamalot. He also created the role of Louis Armstrong in the new musical A Wonderful World. You might also know him as Billy Flynn in Chicago and Lance in & Juliet. He even voices characters in animated shows like Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel. Plus, he has written for Marvel Comics, especially stories about Spider-Man.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Monroe Iglehart was born in Hayward, California, on September 4, 1974. He grew up there with his brother. His mom used to be a high school choir teacher. His dad, James Iglehart, was a baseball player in a minor league and also an actor.
College Years
James went to Cal State Hayward. He studied theatre and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. This helped him get ready for his acting career.
A Star on Stage
James started his acting journey in California. He performed in plays like Bat Boy at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto. He also played Teen Angel in Grease at the American Musical Theatre in San Jose.
Broadway Debut
In 2007, James joined the Broadway show The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He played the role of Mitch Mahoney. Later, in October 2009, he created the role of Bobby in the Broadway musical Memphis.
Playing the Genie in Aladdin
James became very well-known for his role as the Genie in Aladdin on Broadway. His performance was so amazing that he won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in 2014. He also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for this role. When asked about playing such an energetic character, he said it wasn't as tiring as it seemed. He felt like he was just being himself, but with more energy!
Joining Hamilton
After his time as the Genie, James left Aladdin in February 2017. He then joined the Broadway cast of Hamilton. In this popular musical, he took on two important roles: the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. He also performed in Freestyle Love Supreme on Broadway.
Recent Stage Roles
In January 2022, James took over the role of Billy Flynn in the long-running musical Chicago. In May 2023, he starred as King Arthur in Spamalot at the Kennedy Center. The show then moved to Broadway in November 2023, and he continued to play King Arthur.
In October 2023, James began playing the lead role of Louis Armstrong in a new musical called A Wonderful World. This show is about the life of the famous musician. It started with performances in New Orleans and Chicago. In February 2024, it was announced that the show would come to Broadway, with James still in the main role. He also helped direct the show. He received another Tony nomination for his amazing portrayal of Louis Armstrong.
Voice Acting and TV Appearances
Besides his work on stage, James Monroe Iglehart has lent his voice to many animated characters. He voices Vortex and Asmodeus in Helluva Boss. He is also the voice of Lance Strongbow in Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure. You can hear him as Captain James Hook in Cheshire Crossing, Bronzino in Elena of Avalor, Oscar in Vampirina, and Taurus Bulba in DuckTales.
He also appeared in four episodes of the TV show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. He played Coriolanus Burt, who was a rival to one of the main characters, Titus Andromedon.
Personal Life
James met his wife, Dawn Phelps, when they were in the show choir at Mt. Eden High School. They got married in 2002.
Film and Television Roles
James Monroe Iglehart has appeared in various films and television shows.
Film
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | We Are the Hartmans | Eustace | |
| 2015 | Broadway Draft 2015 | Anchor | Short film |
| 2016 | Landed | TSA Agent | |
| Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz | Calvin Carney, Jitterbug | Voice | |
| 2017 | Three Christs | Benny | |
| 2022 | Disenchanted | Weary Businessman | Cameo |
| 2023 | Wish | John | Voice, uncredited |
Television
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | The Good Wife | Geo | Episode: "Doubt" |
| 2012 | Great Performances | Bobby | Episode: "Memphis" |
| Submissions Only | Wilson Jones | Episode: "Woof!" | |
| Smash | Assistant | Episode: "Hell on Earth" | |
| 2015 | Gotham | Ringmaster | Episode: "The Blind Fortune Teller" |
| 2015–2019 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Coriolanus Burt | 4 episodes |
| 2016–2018 | Nature Cat | Michael Bluejay | Voice, 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Shawn Tompkins | Episode: "Intent" |
| 2017–2020 | Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure | Lance Strongbow | Voice, 38 episodes |
| 2018 | Cady Did | Orrin Hackett | |
| Elementary | Detective Mason | Episode: "Pushing Buttons" | |
| Maniac | Carl | Miniseries, 8 episodes | |
| 2018–2019 | Our Cartoon President | Vocalist | Voice, 12 episodes |
| 2019 | At Home with Amy Sedaris | Darius Von Hassock | Episode: "Makeover" |
| Anthem: Homunculus | Ronnie Castro | Episode: "The End of Love" | |
| Hazbin Hotel | Bar Patron | Voice, episode: "Pilot" | |
| 2020 | Perfect Harmony | Keith | Episode: "Regionals" |
| Elena of Avalor | Bronzino | Voice, 2 episodes | |
| The Disney Family Singalong | Himself | Television special | |
| Vampirina | Oscar | Voice, episode: "Bust Friends" | |
| DuckTales | Taurus Bulba | Voice, episode: "Let's Get Dangerous!" | |
| Biggest Little Christmas Showdown | Himself | Host | |
| 2021 | Solos | Technician | Episode: "Jenny" |
| 2021–present | Helluva Boss | Vortex/Asmodeus | Voice, 7 episodes |
| 2022 | The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo: Game Edition | Himself | Episode: "Isaiah Russell-Bailey & James Monroe Iglehart" |
| The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Charlie | 3 episodes | |
| Girls5eva | Nathan Reasel | Episode: "Album Mode" | |
| Santiago of the Seas | Martín/Chief/Engineer | Voice, 2 episodes | |
| Alice's Wonderland Bakery | Oliver | Voice, episode: "A Special Blend" | |
| Bubble Guppies | Cy the Cyclops | Voice, episode: "Bubble Medics to the Rescue!" | |
| Blue's Clues & You! | Jack O' Lantern | Voice, episode: "The Legend of the Jack O' Lantern" | |
| 2022–2024 | Firebuds | Captain Kapow | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2023 | Alma's Way | James King | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2023–2024 | Not Quite Narwhal | Chief Jinglehooves | Voice, 12 episodes |
| 2023–present | SuperKitties | Mr. Puppypaws | Voice, 29 episodes |
| Kiff | Martin Chatterley | Voice, 18 episodes | |
| 2024 | Hazbin Hotel | Zestial | Voice, episode: "Scrambled Eggs" |
| 2025 | Krapopolis | Hector | Voice, episode: "One Eye One Heart She's Stupe" |
Video Games
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Virtua Cop 3 | Chief Inspector | |
| Silent Line: Armored Core | Additional voices |
Stage Performances
| Year(s) | Production | Role | Location | Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Show Boat | Ensemble | - | US Tour | |
| 2002 | Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | Simeon | San Jose Center for the Performing Arts | Regional | |
| Big River | Jim | Willows Theatre Company | |||
| 2003 | Ragtime | Coalhouse Walker Jr. | Diablo Light Opera Company | ||
| A Little Night Music | Mr. Lindquist | TheatreWorksUSA | |||
| 2004 | Children of Eden | Father | Willows Theatre Company | ||
| Ragtime | Coalhouse Walker Jr. | Foothill Music Theatre | |||
| 2005 | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Sweeney Todd | |||
| 2005-2006 | Into the Woods | The Wolf | TheatreWorksUSA | ||
| 2006 | The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee | Mitch Mahoney | Wilbur Theatre | ||
| 2007–2008 | Circle in the Square Theatre | Broadway | |||
| 2009 | The Wiz | The Lion | New York City Center | Off-Broadway | Encores! |
| 2009–2011 | Memphis | Bobby | Shubert Theatre | Broadway | |
| 2011 | Aladdin | The Genie | 5th Avenue Theatre | Regional | |
| 2013–2014 | Ed Mirvish Theatre | ||||
| 2014–2017 | New Amsterdam Theatre | Broadway | |||
| 2017–2019 | Hamilton | Marquis de Lafayette / Thomas Jefferson | Richard Rodgers Theatre | ||
| 2019 | Hercules | Phil | Delacorte Theater | Central Park | |
| 2019-2020 | Hamilton | Marquis de Lafayette / Thomas Jefferson | Richard Rodgers Theatre | Broadway | |
| 2020 | The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert | Oogie Boogie | - | Virtual concert | |
| 2021 | Hamilton | Marquis de Lafayette / Thomas Jefferson | Richard Rodgers Theatre | Broadway | |
| 2022 | Chicago | Billy Flynn | Ambassador Theatre | ||
| Guys and Dolls | Nathan Detroit | Kennedy Center | Regional | ||
| 2023 | Hercules | Phil | Paper Mill Playhouse | ||
| Spamalot | King Arthur | Kennedy Center | |||
| A Wonderful World | Louis Armstrong | Saenger Theatre | |||
| Cadillac Palace Theatre | |||||
| Gutenberg! The Musical! | The Producer | James Earl Jones Theatre | Broadway | One night only cameo | |
| 2023-2024 | Spamalot | King Arthur | St. James Theatre | ||
| 2024 | Aladdin | The Genie | New Amsterdam Theatre | Cameo for anniversary performance | |
| 2024-2025 | A Wonderful World | Louis Armstrong | Studio 54 | Co-Director | |
| 2025 | & Juliet | Lance Du Bois | Stephen Sondheim Theatre |
Awards and Nominations
James Monroe Iglehart has won and been nominated for several awards for his amazing performances.
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Tony Awards | Best Featured Actor in a Musical | Aladdin | Won |
| Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Won | ||
| 2015 | Grammy Awards | Best Musical Theater Album | Nominated | |
| 2023 | Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Outstanding Voice Performance in a Preschool Animated Program | SuperKitties | Nominated |
| 2025 | Tony Awards | Best Actor in a Musical | A Wonderful World | Nominated |
