SAG-AFTRA Eligible/Actors' Equity Association
Guest-starred on Law & Order: SVU
Represented by ATB Talent
My headshot, resume, reels and agent contact information can be found at the bottom of this page.
John (he/him) is an actor, singer, musician, writer, director, and voice over artist represented by ATB Talent. With an MFA from the University of Houston School of Theatre, John is a SAG-AFTRA Eligible member of Actors’ Equity Association who has guest starred on Law & Order: SVU.
What I Do...
About John Raymond Barker
John (he/him/his) started doing theatre in grade school. His very first role was as the stage right half of the show curtain in his kindergarten’s school play in Middleton, OH. His nemesis (who he pictures as being Veruca Salt from the first …Chocolate Factory film) played the other half of the curtain. But John is not exactly an Ohioan. He was born and mostly raised in Texas minus his preschool years just outside Cincinnati and his junior high years in Newbury Park, CA just south of Santa Barbara. His first non-school play was as the lead in a summer children’s theatre production of The Invisible Dragon at Alvin Community College in Alvin, TX. His first musical ever was a summer youth theatre production of Oklahoma! in Westlake Village, CA. This production sealed John’s fate. He was going to become an actor. Or a film director. Or an astronaut.
A Master of Fine Arts graduate from the University of Houston School of Theatre, a large part of John’s training includes working on new plays and musicals with Stuart Ostrow, Edward Albee, Jerry Bock, and Jerry Sterner as well as interning with Theatre Under The Stars. John has also studied extensively with the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School and original company member, Karen Kohlhaas. His singing is attributed most to four teachers: Brenda Music from Alvin High School, Ann (Gilbert) Ostrow (wife of Tony-award winning producer, Stuart Ostrow), Andrew Abrams (composer of But I’m a Cheerleader The Musical) and his current, teacher, Mia Gentile (Kinky Boots, Forbidden Broadway).
Regional theatre credits include Theatre Under The Stars (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, Grand Hotel, Funny Girl, Zorro); 5th Avenue Theatre (Grand Hotel); Alley Theatre (Christopher Dudgeon in The Devil’s Disciple, A Flea In Her Ear); Stages Theatre (Shakespeare’s R&J, The Firebird).
New York theatre credits include several new works (including Lee Feldman’s Greene) and appearances throughout the cabaret and nightlife scene, including many at the historic Stonewall Inn. He co-wrote the devised work, Gold Coast, with Stages on the Sound for Metropolitan Playhouse’s Gilded Stage Festival under the guidance of Tectonic Theater Project’s Scott Barrow.
John has also written the original one-man shows, Jerby: Fully Loaded, Jerby With A “Y”, A Very Jerby Christmas, & A Lady Gaga Christmas Spectacular. He has written and directed shorts and music videos ranging from satire and comedy to politics and activism for YouTube, including Broadway Zombie, Fierce iPhone Update, Starbucks is GAY!, The Bigot’s Guide to the Homosexual Lifestyle, Booty Text, and The Worst Christmas Pageant Ever. YouTube was where he wrote and directed one of the first ever web series on the platform, the 8-part The Message Board. A recurring guest on HuffPost Live, he would offer his opinion on a variety of topics from politics to entertainment.
Film work includes the following short films: Outside Hearing In (voice), NSA Interviews, Bigger Than Fiction, and Atramentous. He’s on the following recordings: Show Choir! The Musical Studio Recording, Avarice the Musical Cast Recording, Carols for a Cure Volume 12 with Bernadette Peters and the cast of A Little Night Music, “Vampire Drag Queen”, & Our First Christmas Together.
In January 2019, John made his network television debut guest starring as Karl Patton on Law & Order: SVU on NBC.
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, John, in collaboration with his frequent creative partner and husband, Jared R. Pike, tried to fill the year and a half their survival jobs on Broadway were shut down with as much creativity as possible with work ranging from live broadcasts (often with projections) to comedy and music videos to the massive Snowmatica: The Complete A Lady Gaga Christmas Medley Parody, which can be described as a fantasia of 33 of Lady Gaga’s songs parodied as holiday music in 37 minutes.
He is represented by ATB Talent.
Career Highlights
Law & Order: SVU
My network television debut was guest-starring on this legendary show. It was an incredible experience.
Our First Christmas Together
My first album is 9 original songs and some covers. You can find it on digital platforms around the world.
Click to view project or to learn more
The Devil's Disciple
It was a great honor and joy to be on that Alley Theatre stage acting with some of my heroes from the company in a great part.
A Lady Gaga Christmas Medley Parody
In 2009, I created a medley of 4 Lady Gaga songs parodied as holiday songs. Every new album of hers would add new songs until I had created a medley of 33 of her songs in under 37 minutes. The final medley is a long form music video filmed almost entirely during the pandemic during lockdown.
Vampire Drag Queen
The original song is a fun, campy gimmick that grew into a full length musical thriller. The first musical I ever wrote.
The Message Board
My first web series, which I wrote and directed, is my take on message boards, specifically a theatre message board--the fascinating dynamics and relationships and growing pains of a new form of connecting with others.
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
I played a range of characters in the World Premiere of this musical with Millicent Martin and Leslie Denniston at Houston's Theatre Under The Stars.
Jerby With A "Y"
My first cabaret in NYC was Jerby: Fully Loaded, but this next creation was a glorious one and the first of many utilizing projections.
Click to view project or to learn more
The Girl & the Robot
My muse gives me wild ideas I kept thinking it would be so fun performing Röyksopp & Robyn's "The Girl and the Robot" as Princess Leia at one of my Stonewall Inn gigs. During the pandemic lockdown, I got to take it further by adding interactive projections to be able to perform during online broadcasts.
Shakespeare's R&J
This was a fun piece to create, and it was definitely exciting playing multiple characters. I proved myself as a legitimate actor to some who only saw me as a "musical theatre performer" with this production.
Broadway Zombie
Another gift from the muse, it started as a short film poking fun at the Broadway community and grew into a fun, hilarious, and creepy way to parody various Broadway shows in something like a cross between Broadway Bears and Garbage Pail Kids.
Gold Coast
In 2013-2014, I was a teaching artist under the leadership of Tectonic Theater Project company member, Scott Barrow. Creating this piece of devised theatre using Moment Work from Tectonic was so fun and fulfilling, and I suspect devised theatre is the most democratic and equitable of theatre creation.
The Radiant Gradient Collection
I also enjoy graphic design, and this is part of a range of designs I have for sale on an array of products at Merch By Amazon, Redbubble, and TeePublic.
1040
One of two new musicals I got to originate for Jerry Bock and the reasons I am in the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. This was produced in Stuart Ostrow's musical theatre lab at University of Houston with a book by Jerry Sterner to go with Jerry Bock's score (and first time being lyricist).
Grand Hotel
This was a joy to be in. We created it for proscenium in Seattle at 5th Avenue Theatre, and then brought it to Theatre Under The Stars in Houston where in one week, we restaged it gloriously in the round.
Me, Me, Me...
All STARS HOMECOMING AT STONEWALL
On Monday, September 25, 2023 at 8pm upstairs (in the back), a collection of who’s whos from Stonewall past and present will be performing songs about homecoming. I have chosen “Unchained Melody”, which took on deep resonance during the pandemic. I can vouch for the immense talents that are on
Returning To Live Performing with Christmas in July at Stonewall Inn
On Monday, July 24, 2023 at 8pm, I will be returning to the live stage at the legendary Stonewall Inn upstairs for Christmas In July. I will be performing two original songs from my album, Our First Christmas Together with spectacular projections. The songs are “The Year They Stopped Giving
20 years with Jujamcyn
While I have worked at other places as well, my primary survival job since I moved here 20 years ago has been working with Jujamcyn and their 5 is collage includes Playbills for every show I ushered or was a backstage doorperson for Broadway theatres from a Wednesday matinee of
Marched with Equity in my first NYC Pride March
On Sunday, June 25. 2023, I marched in my first NYC Pride March and as a Group Leader for Actors’ Equity Association on their first time marching as their own entry. And, our marching in the 53rd NYC Pride March was a huge success. We even got to appear on
20 years in NYC
This month, I reach 20 years living in New York City. This image only scratches the surface of 20 years of humans and memories and experiences and creating. 20 years ago Stephanie Kurtzuba generously offered her home and sofa bed to me and Jerome Brent Smith , kicking off one hell
The Year They Stopped Giving Toys – Official Music Video
I’ve been excited about creating a music video for this song from my 2018 album, Our First Christmas Together, ever since I got the idea to craft the song as if I had access to GarageBand during my obsession with John Williams’s score for Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi as a little
Professional Associations
My Career Through January 2019
What People Are Saying...
Actor Materials
Headshots
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Reels
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For ProfessionaL Inquiries
I am represented by ATB Talent for all work in
Film, Television, and Theatre.
Please contact my agents if you are interested in auditioning or booking me for any of these types of work.
Email by clicking the applicable name or department.
917-397-0282 | 323-761-0282
