About Sam
Sam Duncan is a true triple-threat. He has performed as a singer, dancer and actor on professional stages in New York (as the Duke of York in The Public Theater's production of Shakespeare's Richard III, and a member of Fagin's gang (and Dodger u/s) in New York City Center's production of Oliver!) and regionally (as Billy in Billy Elliot at The Paramount Theater in Aurora, IL; John Bechdel in Fun Home with TheaterWorks Hartford; and Tiny Tim in Goodspeed Musicals' A Connecticut Christmas Carol). He has also appeared in numerous commercials and voiced the characters of Boba the Bear and Benny Bunny for CocoMelon. Television appearances include the Child Colin Robinson in season 4 of What We Do in the Shadows, Sesame Street, and numerous spots on SNL. Sam booked strong, supporting roles for his first feature film, The Shade (in theaters September 2024), where he played youngest brother, James Beckman, helping his brothers defeat a family curse; and for the award-winning short film, Not the Same Clarence, where he played a young version of James Naughton's son. Sam has repeatedly been nominated for Young Entertainer's Awards in various categories. When not working, Sam is a title-winning competitive dancer (in all styles), likes to swim and play soccer, enjoys hanging out with his dogs, and is learning to play the piano.
Review: The Shade
“Ryan Beckman (Chris Galust) hasn’t recovered from his father’s suicide. The ripples from that fateful day linger inside Ryan’s skull, causing oozing ruptures and sores. Living with his mother (Laura Benanti), he looks after his younger brother James (Sam Duncan) and shields him from the pain that still throbs inside his ribcage. When Ryan’s older brother Jason (Dylan McTee) returns home from college, Ryan begins seeing a crackling-boned creature crouching inside Jason’s room and following him throughout his everyday life. The creature clearly serves as a metaphor for inherited mental illness — signifying the idea that it just can’t be defeated. As the pale monster inches closer, it becomes clear that it’s up to Ryan to break the generational chain that connects his family. It’s a ticking timebomb whether Ryan can tame the beast within to save his younger brother from suffering a similar fate. ... The dynamic with Duncan and McTee pushes the film even further down an avenue of human compassion and empathy. There’s nary a weak link in the cast — even Benanti shines, particularly in one moment when her veneer cracks and she collapses into a puddle of tears. ... Tyler Chipman shows great promise and demonstrates he has a working knowledge of soul-rattling horror that sticks to the back of the brain.”
Review: The Shade
“Tyler Chipman’s debut is outstanding. It grips you as you witness the nightmarish struggle of mental illness. One of the horror’s of the year. ... A terrific film with some quite impressive performances across the board, The Shade is going to linger with you, much like Relic did. Chipman has delivered a standout horror film in his directorial debut.”
Review: “Fun Home” at TheaterWorks Shows Why It Won the Tony-Award
“Each member of the cast including Cameron Sullivan as Medium Alison’s girlfriend, Joan, and Ali Louis Bourzgui as a variety of Bruce’s “friends” and the two young actors (Sam Duncan and Myles Low) as the brothers are excellent.”
‘Richard III’ Review: Danai Gurira Lights Up
Central Park in Bard’s Game of Thrones
“And the production around Gurira feels fresh without overstatement, adding deft touches from the choreography preceding a conventionally staged scene to the sparkling high-tops on the feet of the young princes (Wyatt Cirbus and Sam Duncan, both excellent) amid a sea of more classic Shakespearean garments...”
