James MacDonald (actor)


James MacDonald is a Canadian theatre director, actor, and the 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, where he also served as Program Director of the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre program.

Early years

MacDonald was born in Montreal and raised in Edmonton, Alberta. He trained at the Banff School of Fine Arts, and graduated from the University of Alberta's Bachelor of Fine Arts acting program, graduating in 1989. In 1989 he was a co-founder of the Freewill Shakespeare Festival, formerly known as the River City Shakespeare Festival, later becoming the company's first Artistic Director, a position he held for six years. In 2001 he was a member of the Shaw Festival's director's project, in 2002 directed The Old Ladies by Rodney Ackland and then made his Citadel Theatre directing debut in 2004, with Marie Jones, Stones in His Pockets starring John Ulyatt and John Kirkpatrick.

Career

MacDonald works as a director, actor, educator, and dramaturge for new Canadian plays. His work as a director includes productions at the Stratford Festival , the Shaw Festival, the Canadian Stage Company, The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. 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 dramaturged the 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 theatre's across Canada and Internationally, and originated the role of Einstein in Einstein’s Gift'' at The Citadel Theatre. He played the title 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 Councillor for the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, and former Secretary of the Edmonton Performers’ Branch of ACTRA.

Awards

Director (select)