#67 - Jared Grimes: My Gifts Are Not A Distraction

“Being a multi-hyphenate is not a disability – it’s an ability.
It’s an advantage.” Jared Grimes is a Tony Nominated actor
currently starring in Funny Girl on Broadway. His effervescent
energy lights up the stage every night at The August Wilson
Theatre. In this episode, his energy continues into our
conversation as we discuss what being a “bag of tricks” in this
industry actually means.  In this episode, we discover Grimes’
road to Broadway, how he turned his ADD diagnosis into
multi-hyphenation, inspirations, getting people in power to
understand the multi-hyphenate, and we chat about how tap opened up
his eyes to the art of multi-hyphenating.  “At an early age I
began to latch on to the idea that if you’re a tap dancer, that
means you can be many things. It doesn’t mean that you just use
your feet to connect with people or share with people. I’m looking
at all my heroes and they are singing, they are acting, they are
comedians, they’re lindyhoppers, they’re writers, they’re
choreographers, they do camerawork – they are behind the camera, in
front of the camera – all those guys did that and I was just like
wow so that’s what it is to be a tap dancer. My earliest idea of
what a tap dancer was, was a multi-hyphenate.”  Jared Grimes
is a quadruple threat in the world of the arts where he is heavily
making his mark in singing, dancing, acting, and choreographing. He
received a Tony Nomination for his performance in Funny Girl on
Broadway, which he is currently starring in. On numerous occasions,
he has danced alongside legends such as Wynton Marsalis, Gregory
Hines, Ben Vereen, Jerry Lewis and Fayard Nicholas. and also
performed for Barack Obama and Ted Kennedy at the Kennedy Center.
Most recently on Broadway, Jared could be seen in the Tony
Award-winning production of A Soldier’s Play. Grimes has toured
with Musical legend, Mariah Carey, under the choreography of Marty
Kudelka, and danced for artists such as Common, Salt-n-Pepa,
Envogue, Busta Rhymes and the Roots. Jared’s theater credits
include, After Midnight on Broadway directed by Warren Carlyle,
Twist directed by Debbie Allen, Babes in Arms at the Goodspeed
Opera House choreographed by Randy Skinner, Gentlemen Prefer
Blondes directed by John Rando at Encores and Broadway Underground
directed by himself. In the world of acting, Jared is known for his
recurring role of ‘Adrian’ on NBC’s hit show “Manifest.” He
performed the lead role of ‘Jackson’ in the Annapurna feature film
Swing Kids and Sammy Davis Jr.’s “Birth of the Blues” on Michael
Feinstein’s American Songbook for PBS. Other film credits include
Paramount’s, The Marc Pease Experience starring Ben Stiller, New
Line Cinema’s Little Manhattan and Elevation Filmwork’s’ First Born
starring Elizabeth Shue. Grimes has appeared in commercials for
Coca-Cola, Subway, MTV and television shows such as CBS’ “Star
Search,” “Showtime at the Apollo,” ABC Family’s “Dance Fever” and
“The Jerry Lewis Telethon.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
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