Jim Yarnes
Like Johnny Depp in the genre of film, local actor Jim Yarnes has built a reputation for playing off-kilter and larger-than-life characters. Among his acting credits are the world’s second greatest classical composer, Ludwig van Beethoven, in Moises Kaufman’s 33 Variations and Pinchwife (an abusively possessive husband who locks his young bride in a room rather than risk her seduction by a London rascal) in The Country 
Wife.
In The Book of Liz, he played two characters, the first being an arrogant and misogynistic reverend by the name of Tollhouse and the second as a charming gay restaurant manager by the name of Duncan Trask. (Here’s Art Southwest Florida’s review of Yarnes’ performances in these role.) Prior to that, he was in Theatre Conspiracy’s production of Jennifer Haley’s sci-fi crime thriller The Nether, where he played a man named Sims who creates a nostalgic, pseudo-Victorian internet haven called The Hideaway where paying guests 
come to have sex with, murder and dismember the exquisite, eerily identical virtual children who live and play there. He also played Sims’ avatar in The Hideaway, the genial but paternalistic host named Papa, who keeps the virtual children in line and ensures that guests indulge their darkest fantasies.
Other favorite shows include the role of Tony Reilly in Outside Mullingar for Theatre Conspiracy at the Alliance for the Arts, Etienne in Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Phil in Rich Orloff’s Engagement Rules, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and 
Gone (Theatre Conspiracy at the Alliance), Tim Firth’s Calendar Girls (for Lab Theater), Pirates of Penzance, Music Man, Jesus Christ Superstar, Fiddler on the Roof, Evita, Phantom, Barefoot in the Park, Swell Party and A Position of Relative Importance. Jim has also done staged readings at Lab Theater.
Yarnes is enjoying his 43rd year on stage. He started 
with Gulf Coast Opera Company before going on to perform at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater, Cultural Park Theater, Lab Theater and Theatre Conspiracy at the Alliance for the Arts. He next appears in the role of big-hearted Meckle in Theatre Conspiracy at the Alliance’s production of Lauren Yee’s magical surrealistic comedy The Hatmaker’s Wife.
February 17, 2019; revised March 4, 2023.
RELATED POSTS.
Jim Yarnes plays legendary composer Ludwig van Beethoven in ’33 Variations’- Jim Yarnes is Pinchwife in Theatre Conspiracy’s ‘The Country Wife’
- Jim Yarnes is masterful as Sims in Theatre Conspiracy’s production of ‘The Nether’
- Jim Yarnes stars in Theatre Conspiracy’s ‘Book of Liz’
About the Author
Tom Hall is both an amateur artist and aspiring novelist who writes art quest thrillers. He is in the final stages of completing his debut novel titled "Art Detective," a story that fictionalizes the discovery of the fabled billion-dollar Impressionist collection of Parisian art dealer Josse Bernheim-Jeune, thought by many to have perished during World War II when the collection's hiding place, Castle de Rastignac in southern France, was destroyed by the Wehrmacht in reprisal for attacks made by members of the Resistance operating in the area. A former tax attorney, Tom holds a bachelor's degree as well as both a juris doctorate and masters of laws in taxation from the University of Florida. Tom lives in Estero, Florida with his fiancee, Connie, and their four cats.