J. B. Adams

J. B. Adams is an American actor, director, and singer born on September 29, 1954, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A performer working across stage, film, and television, he built his career primarily in musical theatre, with a Broadway presence spanning from 1979 to 2015. He attended Oklahoma City University, where his studies encompassed voice, piano, opera, and musical theatre, before establishing himself as a New York City-based performer.

Adams accumulated a substantial list of Broadway credits over his career. He portrayed Luther Rosser in Parade, Sir Jasper in Me and My Girl, Grandpa Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Santa in Elf: The Musical. His work in Annie included multiple roles across the production, among them Drake, Bert Healy, and Rooster. He also appeared as Maurice, the father figure, in Beauty and the Beast.

Beyond Broadway, Adams originated the role of Morris Farnsworth in the Off-Broadway musical adaptation of Far from Heaven in 2013, having previously played the character Morris Farnsworth in the film Far from Heaven. His Off-Broadway work also includes Balancing Act.

His screen credits extend to television, where he appeared in guest roles on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and The Michael J. Fox Show. He additionally portrayed Santa Claus in advertising work for Verizon FiOS.