musicals

Music Director, Arranger, Orchestrator, and trusted go-to collaborator for producers, James Olmstead is known for his ability to seamlessly handle orchestrations, arrangements, music supervision, copyist work, and technical integration. His work has been featured in Hugh Jackman: From New York With Love, The Tony Awards, PBS Great Performances, Elton John’s The Devil Wears Prada, Once Upon a One More Time featuring the music of Britney Spears, Tony Bennett: The Official Music Celebration, and numerous symphonic productions worldwide.

As a music director, he recently completed the first year of the national tour of A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, and in New York has performed in the pits of more than a dozen Broadway productions.

He has conducted orchestras internationally for Coraline, The Batman (Vengeance), Batman (1989), Nintendo Live, 4U: The Music of Prince, and Cirque Musica Holiday Spectacular, and on Broadway for On Your Feet! (Gloria Estefan), The Wiz (Charlie Smalls), and A Beautiful Noise. Off-Broadway credits include Smokey Joe’s Cafe.

As a composer and arranger, his music has been heard in Once Upon a One More Time, The Tony Awards, Mambo Italiano: The Musical, Fame (2016 National Tour), Broadway in Taipei, Share the Love (Subaru), and Broadway Swinger.

BROADWAY

• Once Upon a One More Time - Orchestrations, Dance arrangements, Conductor. Marquis Theatre. Music by Britney Spears.

• The Devil Wears Prada - Music Director, Additional orchestrations. Nederlander Theatre Chicago. Music by Elton John, lyrics by Shaina Taub.

• A Beautiful Noise - Conductor, Pianist. Broadhurst Theatre. Music & Lyrics by Neil Diamond.

• The Wiz - Dance Arrangement Audio Editor, Conductor.

• Gatsby - Pianist. Broadway Theatre.

• Paradise Square - Pianist. Barrymore Theatre.

• Beautiful: The Music of Carole King - Pianist. Sondheim Theatre.

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Pianist. Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.

• The Music Man starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster - Pianist. The Winter Garden Theatre.

• On Your Feet! - Conductor, Pianist, Associate Copyist. Marquis Theatre. Music by Gloria Estefan.

• Waitress - Pianist. Brooks-Atkinson Theatre.

• Mean Girls - Pianist. August Wilson Theatre.

• Harmony - Pianist. Barrymore Theatre.

• Anastasia - Assistant Copyist. Broadhurst Theatre.

• New York Summer Spectacular - Pianist. Radio City Music Hall.

• New York Spring Spectacular - Pianist. Radio City Music Hall.

  TOUR/INTERNATIONAL

• A Beautiful Noise (First national) - Music Director.

• Tony Bennett: The Official Music Celebration - Music Supervisor, Additional orchestrations.

• Faithfully: The Music of Journey - Additional orchestrations.

• Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol - Music Supervisor. Additional orchestrations.

• Tokyo Love Story - Additional orchestrations. Music by Jason Howland.

• Cirque Musica: Wonderland - Music Supervisor, Composer, Arranger, Orchestrator.

• Fame the Musical (2016) - Music Supervisor.

• Cirque Musica: Wishes - Music Supervisor, Composer, Orchestrator.

• Broadway in Taipei (2017 & 2020) - Music Supervisor, Arranger, Orchestrator.

• American Girl Live in Concert - Music Producer, Music Supervisor.

• Scooby Doo Live in Saudi Arabia - Music Producer.

  OFF-BROADWAY

• Smokey Joe’s Cafe - Conductor, Pianist. Stage 42 Theatre.

• A Letter To Harvey Milk - Conductor. Acorn Theatre.

• Fun Home (Off-Broadway) - Keyboard Programmer. The Public Theatre.

• Harmony - Keyboard Programmer. National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene. Music by Barry Manilow.

• Mambo Italiano: The Musical - Composer. Westchester Broadway Theatre.

  REGIONAL

• A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder - Music Director. John W. Engeman Theatre.

• Once - Music Director. John W. Engeman Theatre.

• Guys and Dolls - Music Director. Broadway at Sacramento.

• Newsies - Music Director. Broadway at Sacramento.

• West Side Story - Music Director. The Wick Theatre.

• Guys and Dolls - Music Director. The Wick Theatre.

• A Chorus Line - Music Director. John W. Engeman Theatre.

• Thoroughly Modern Millie - Music Director. John W. Engeman Theatre.

• West Side Story - Music Director. John W. Engeman Theatre.

• Mamma Mia - Music Director. John W. Engeman Theatre.

• Memphis - Music Director. John W. Engeman Theatre.

• The Music Man - Music Director. John W. Engeman Theatre.

• Share the Love (Subaru 15-minute Musical) - Composer, Music Producer. Subaru of El Cajon.

• The Producers - Music Director. John W. Engeman Theatre.

• White Christmas - Music Director. John W. Engeman Theatre.

• South Pacific - Music Director. John W. Engeman Theatre.

• Sweet Charity - Music Director. John W. Engeman Theatre.