James MacDonald (actor)


James MacDonald is a Canadian theatre director, actor, and the former artistic director of Western Canada Theatre. He was the first artistic director of Edmonton's FreeWill Shakespeare Festival. From 2006–2016, he was the associate artistic director of the Citadel Theatre.

Early years

MacDonald was born in Montreal and raised in Edmonton, Alberta. He was trained at the Banff School of Fine Arts, and graduated from the University of Alberta's Bachelor of Fine Arts acting program in 1989. In 1989, he was a co-founder of the Freewill Shakespeare Festival. In 2002, he directed The Old Ladies by Rodney Ackland and then made his Citadel Theatre directing debut in 2004 with Stones in His Pockets, starring John Ulyatt and John Kirkpatrick.

Career

MacDonald works as a director, actor, educator, and dramaturge for new Canadian stage plays. His work as a director includes productions at the Stratford Festival , the Shaw Festival, the Canadian Stage Company, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and over 15 productions at Edmonton's Citadel Theatre.
As a director, dramaturge, and actor, MacDonald has been involved in the development of over 35 new Canadian plays, including his direction of Vimy, Miss Shakespeare, With a Twist, and Conni Massing's Myth of Summer, and his dramaturgy for Firehall Arts Centre's production of Chelsea Hotel: the Songs of Leonard Cohen—which has toured nationally, most recently to the Belfry Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, Theatre Calgary and the Banff Centre.
As an actor, he has worked for theatres both across Canada and internationally. He created the role of Einstein in Einstein's Gift at the Citadel Theatre. He played the main role of Ebenezer Scrooge in the Citadel Theatre's annual production of A Christmas Carol'' from 2011–2015. He is a regular guest instructor/director for the University of Alberta's BFA Acting Program and teaches workshops in Shakespearean text and the audition process. MacDonald is a former national Councilor for the Canadian Actors' Equity Association, and former Secretary of the Edmonton Performers' Branch of ACTRA.

Awards

Stage productions

Director (select)

Actor