UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In South Philadelphia in the late 1980s, James T. Lane learned that Robert Guillaume was the first Black actor to play the title role in "The Phantom of the Opera." The groundbreaking role inspired the then-6-year-old Lane to embark on a lifelong journey of artistry and performance.
“I definitely have always been a creative spirit,” Lane said.
Lane recently finished a run of “Chicago” on Broadway and is working on “After Midnight,” a musical that takes the audience straight to the middle of the Harlem Renaissance.
Shortly after coming to Penn State in the late 1990s to study musical theater, Lane immersed himself in the culture of the University. In addition to his coursework, he sang in the Essence of Joy choir and made lasting connections with classmates and faculty members.
“I just love State College and Happy Valley,” Lane said.
He left Penn State at 19 years old for New York City, and although he didn’t finish his degree, Lane attributes much of his success to his time at the University. For Lane, Penn State offered highly focused training that prepared him to make the jump to acting professionally.
His acting journey started on the playground where as a child, Lane said, he would use lollipops to “hire” other kids as actors in his skits. By the time he was in high school, performing was everything.
“How do I sing better? How do I dance better?” Lane said he was constantly asking himself those questions to nurture his talent and passions.
That drive took him to Penn State and shortly after, Broadway. At 22, Lane already had an extensive list of credits and was touring and performing in “Fame” when he tore his Achilles tendon. He said that was the beginning of a downward spiral for him and his career.
“It’s extraordinary to be human, but you are human,” Lane said. “I found out I wasn’t Superman.”
Lane compared the next four years of his life to a specific scene in the 1984 fantasy and adventure film “The Neverending Story.” In the scene, Atreyu, the main character, is sinking in the Swamps of Sadness. Nothing Atreyu tried would free him from the bog, said Lane, but in the nick of time Falkor the luckdragon swoops down to save him.
“Before [my] time was up, I chose to get back to the life I wanted to live,” Lane said.
Lane didn’t let this “valley” in his life define him, he explained. Instead, he reflected on his time out of the spotlight and used it to his advantage. He went back to performing in both on and off-Broadway productions, and wrote and starred in a one-man show about his own life titled “Triple Threat.”
At the beginning of his career, Lane said he noticed that he wasn’t seeing many spaces and roles built for him. In creating “Triple Threat,” he decided to make one.
“I didn’t want to be a cog in the wheel anymore,” Lane said. “I didn’t want to sacrifice my creativity for someone else’s vision and gain; I really wanted to be my own champion. I wanted to have a story out in the world that reflected my experiences as a Black, gay man, in the United States, in the theatre.”
As a creator and performer, Lane said he had to consider what his artistry meant and how it had changed throughout the years.
“It started with I just liked showing off, and then it became embodying a character and now it’s about telling stories,” Lane said. “Telling the story in a way that feels good to me, that conveys the life and experiences of people that I’m connected to culturally.”
He said he has big plans for the future, including moving out West someday to explore television acting. It has also always been a dream of his to star in “Pippin.” But he doesn’t want that to stop him from enjoying what’s in front of him.
“Where’s the time?” he said. “I really want to be present and enjoying the time, showing up with what I’ve got and letting go of all of the stuff that’s in my head that keeps me from being free in the moment.”
Lane continues to be inspired by powerful Black performers before him, and while they have paved the way for success, he said he wouldn’t be where he is without his support system of his partner, his mom, brother and godparents.
“I’m not only winning for the life that I live,” Lane said, “I’m winning for all the people that have poured into me.”
With each production and rehearsal, different experiences and challenges are presented, but Lane said he’s always excited for the next chapter.
“It’s all available to me. It’s all happening,” Lane said. “Step by step by step by step.”