When 14-year old West New York resident Dylan Riley Snyder got the call from a casting director to play the part of young Tarzan in Disney’s Broadway production of “Tarzan” a few years ago, he was elated – even though he didn’t quite realize the magnitude of his achievement.
“At the time, I didn’t exactly know what Broadway was,” he said last week. “I thought it was like a community theatre show back in Alabama.”
Over four years ago, the Tuscaloosa, Ala. native moved north with his mother to give his acting career “a try” for six months. Within those six months, he had secured an agent, landed a role on Broadway, and has now already banked enough money to pay for his college tuition.
“We keep getting affirmation after affirmation that we’re on the right path,” said Dylan’s mother Ashley Snyder. “I know that he’s good at what he does, and that’s not something we can take away from him.”
“We keep getting affirmation that we’re on the right path.” – Ashley Snyder, Dylan’s mom
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From disaster to destiny
With an older sister also involved in the theatre, Dylan was attending her rehearsals with his mother just four days after his birth. He took his first steps on stage and began his own acting career at 18 months with small roles in local theatre.
His family supported him in acting as long as he enjoyed it, but always encouraged him to explore his other interests as well.
In 2005, Dylan’s family moved to Petal, Miss. Then, Hurricane Katrina hit the city. Dylan’s school was closed and the city was digging out. The family moved back to Alabama to live with his older sister, who attended college there.
Dylan was rehearsing for one of several roles he had played in the University of Alabama’s productions as a child actor when a director suggested that the talented youngster should take some time – since he was being home-schooled anyway – to try for a career in New York.
“This is something we could do as an adventure,” Dylan told his parents at the time. “Let’s try it!”
So the family moved north and he began auditioning, which got him the call about Tarzan within six months.
From stage to screen
Dylan and his mom recently travelled to Puerto Rico for a month to film his first movie, “Life During Wartime” (which also stars Allison Janney, Michael Lerner, and Ally Sheedy).
The film will be released on IFC on demand and at IFC theatres in New York and Los Angeles on July 23.
Dylan also recently wrapped up work on the stage production of the “Orphans Home Cycle,” an off-Broadway trilogy that garnered wide critical acclaim in the 2009-2010 season.
Now that he’s gone beyond Broadway and doing everything from commercials, voiceovers, regional theatre, movies, and television (on the “Wonder Pets” and “Sesame Street”), there is one thing that Dylan says he has left to do – an industrial video. Yes – the type used at businesses for safety awareness. Why?
“It’s the only thing I’ve not done,” he replied with a modest giggle.
Those dreams aside, there is one other serious passion that Dylan would like to pursue. He hopes to one day work as a NASA engineer.
“I’ve always been amazed by NASA,” he said. “Science and math are my two favorite subjects.”
With the money he’s earned as an actor, he would like to send himself to the University of Alabama, the alma mater of nearly all of his family members. But that doesn’t mean he intends to give up the stage just yet.
“I really want to accomplish both,” he said. “Doing two things I love; that would be great.”
Lana Rose Diaz can be reached at ldiaz@hudsonreporter.com.