James Thomas Bailey is a multi-faceted theatre artist and educator
Program Titles
- James Thomas Bailey, director, producer, musician and corporate trainer
James Thomas Bailey is a multi-faceted theatre artist, educator and is well-known in both the theatre and educational theatre communities.
Bailey has produced many successful shows, including Los Angeles, west coast and American premieres.
Recent productions include
Kitty Carlisle Hart in her one-woman show,
My Life on the Wicked Stage;
the west coast premiere of Robert Fulghum’s
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten and
Gilda’s Club, a gala comedy improv benefit starring Jason Alexander, Catherine O’Hara, Ed Asner and Dan Castellaneta;
Reunion starring Amy Hill; an enormously successful revival of Equus starring Ian Buchanan (winner of two Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards); the American premiere of The Manchurian Candidate with Carrie Snodgress; the west coast premiere of Gorey Stories directed by Tony Tanner; The Man Who Came to Dinner directed by Chris Hart, son of playwright Moss Hart; the world premiere of Dogs, directed by world-renowned playwright Maria Irene Fornes.
Bailey is currently Artistic Director and Producer, one of the leading improvisational theatre companies, and the longest running show in Los Angeles.
He created a program for teens called The High School League®, where students play improv as varsity sport in more than forty high schools and earn varsity letters.
Bailey also produced the Ticket Takers, a comedy trio performing movie related sketches and improv at Universal Studios CityWalk.
He also recently developed a children’s program (preschool) using improvisation for the Disney Channel.
He also produced and performed with The Impromptones, a four man group which improvised musical comedy in harmony. Critically acclaimed, the Impromptones headlined comedy festivals across the country and played at Cinegrill, Hollywood’s legendary cabaret, where they ran for an unprecedented 20 weeks.
Was Managing Director of West Coast Ensemble, a 250 member company comprised of actors, writers, directors and technicians.
During his tenure, the company experienced tremendous growth and he oversaw production of more than fifty shows.
Bailey was also one of the founders of The Actors’ Company and produced its first production, Just Fine at the Gypsy Playhouse.
He has worked as assistant producer for The Star Theatre and the Theatre of the Stars where he oversaw production of sixteen star-studded musicals.
Bailey has served as creative consultant for DreamWorks Universal Studios CityWalk, Coca-Cola, Walt Disney Feature Animation and many more.
As an actor, he has appeared in more than forty productions across the country. Favorite roles include: Mozart in Amadeus, Puck in the world premiere musical Dreamers and John Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest.
Bailey appeared on The Drew Carey Show and Tuesdays with Morrie, a film starring Jack Lemmon, based on the best selling novel. He was also a regular on the nationally syndicated television show Quick Witz and can be seen in several national commercials.
Bailey has an honors degree in Theatre with a minor in Arts Management, he was awarded the Liberace Scholarship for Creative and Performing Arts.
His productions have won many awards, including top honors from: the Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle, the Los Angeles Weekly, Drama-Logue, The Robbie Awards, the Hollywood Radio and Television Society, Kodak-KLCS Video in the Classroom Awards, the American Film Institute, SONY and the California Education Association.
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