Biography
Sylvern JD Groomes Jr is a singer, actor, dancer, song writer, performer and all around artist based in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area. Clasically trained as a Baritone with Tenor abilities as well as in dance and in the theatre, Sylvern is versitile musically and theatrically across the board.
Sylvern is currently playing the role of Pigeon in The Kennedy Center's tour production of Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus. He was last seen in the ensemble of Olney Theatre Center's world premiere production of A.D. 16.
Other works of Sylvern include The Music Of Andrew Lloyd Webber at Riverside Center For The Arts under the direction of Patrick A'Hearn, an original cast member of the Concert tour in 1992, his first national tour with Virginia Repertory Theatre's Grand Tour production of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea directed by original tour member, Bruce Miller, 9 to 5 where he performed along side powerhouse television star, Sally Struthers and took direction from well known Broadway choreographer and performer, Patti D'Beck, Tales As Tall As the Sky (Virginia Repertory Theatre) where he took on double duty as an actor as well as road manager of the production, Welcome to Speakeasy (Workhouse Theatre), I Hate the Holidays (LaTiDo), Swing Time the Musical (Burke Theatre) and The Wedding Singer (Riverside Center For The arts).
2010 - present
How it all began
Born July 4th, 1990 in a Takoma Park, MD hospital at 11:45 a.m., Sylvern's great grandmother knew that he was born for greatness. His foundation of the arts came from his hometown church, New Liberation AME. At the age of 6, Sylvern started singing in AME's church choir and things took off from there. He carried his choir singing into middle school, where he was first introducted to the All County and Tri-County Chours'. Sylvern was rewarded the opprotunity to perform solos, duets, trios and sometimes quartets at the All and Tri-County concerts throughout his Junior High years. As he transisioned from Junior High to High school, Sylvern driffed away from the music scene and began playing football and basketball in his then current town and high school teams. It wasnt until a mistake was made by his high school counslor, that would change Sylvern's life forever.
After much auditioning and many heartbreaking no's from his top college choices, Sylvern stopped fighting with faith, reconnected with the college scott he had previously met and soon after called Frostburg State University his away from home. Having to audition for the university and theatre department, Sylvern would end up recieving both talent and academic scholarships that would help him get through college and start working on his career full force. He didnt waste any time auditioning and working on shows on and off stage. He expanded his acting skills beyond musicals, originated roles in works created by students who would later have their works produced around other universities and Off Broadway stages, joined the university's dance company, had his first experience with theatre touring companies traveling around his university's local county, had his first proffesional acting job at a local dinner theatre and was nominated his senior year at the KCACTF (Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival) as Best Actor, playing the role of 'Christan' in Lynn Nottage's pulitzer prize winning drama, Ruined. Although his life didnt go as he planned, After graduating with a Bachalors Of Science in Theatre with a concentration in acting and a minor in dance, Sylvern felt very blessed and grateful that things ended up going the way they went. He also felt more prepared then he had ever expected and was ready to conquer the professional world of the arts.
As Sylvern continues to work hard to establish a house hold name for himself, he looks forward to the later future of becoming a vocal coach, musical theatre teacher and walking into his home where he is greeted by his cute little dog.
Sylvern was originally signed up for all of his classes to begin his first year of high school, which didn't include a single choir class, let alone any class invloving the arts. He soon learned on the first day of school that all of that had changed. Stepping back into a choir room after a year off of singing, Sylvern found himself reconnected with his music roots by faith. From there, he thrived in All and Tri-County Chours' yet again. With a leap of faith and attention drawn from the morning announcements, Sylvern auditioned for his first musical ever in the late year of 10th grade. He landed his first role as an ensemble member in his High School's production of Beauty And The Beast. Because of that opportunity, he knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life and knew it was meant to be. So he worked hard learning from the best choir and theatre teachers his high school could offer, auditioned for all the other high school musicals, particapated in the high school advanced choirs including show and chamber choir, challenged himself into take the AP Music Theory class, directed cabarets, learned and performed in international summer programs, did Solo and Ensemble work, studied with private voice coaches, entered into voice competitions such as NATS with high rating scores and eventually joined the Thesbian Society his senior year, where he would be the scholarship winner in their competition and at the same time meet a college scott/professor that would mold him for his career to come.
