Paul James Lang is an actor, teaching artist, and red-bearded baritone who believes in leading with vulnerability, humor, and a deep love for characters who are searching—for connection, for belonging, and for the courage to be seen.

Born in Bermuda to an American dad and an English mom, Paul spent his early years moving across the U.S., before landing in Connecticut (shoutout to Mystic Pizza). He got his first taste of the stage in 3rd grade, playing a walking-stick-wielding narrator on the altar of his Catholic school. The performance was bold. The applause was affirming. The path, eventually, was clear.

Paul earned his BFA in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory, where he deepened his skills as an actor, refined his singing technique, and managed to get through ballet thanks mostly to his enthusiasm and a really great smile. After graduating, he performed in productions across the Northeast and on national tour, including Bent at The Umbrella Stage Company in Concord, MA, a role that deepened his commitment to queer storytelling and still ranks as one of his most meaningful artistic experiences.

Before moving to Illinois, Paul spent nearly a decade between New York and Boston, juggling acting, teaching, and full-time work in HR, where he was, without question, the personality hire. (Nobody hosts a better new hire onboarding Zoom.) During this time, he continued his Meisner training, sharpened his on-camera skills, and became a proud member of AEA.

Currently completing his MFA in Acting at Northern Illinois University, Paul has spent the last three years performing in roles from Shakespeare to Jen Silverman, teaching the fundamentals of acting, and developing original work rooted in movement, queerness, and vulnerability. As a teaching artist, he thrives on helping students find their creative voice, and as an actor, he’s drawn to projects that challenge norms and center stories that aren’t always told.

Soon to be based in Chicago, Paul is excited to bring his voice to projects that champion queer stories with complexity, humor, and heart, ideally playing the witty and sarcastic, but emotionally layered character who steals scenes and feelings.

When not acting or teaching, Paul plays a dangerous amount of tennis, dominates bar trivia nights, and will gladly recount, at length, the time he witnessed Patti LuPone stop the show mid–“Rose’s Turn” (yes, that performance).​

---