James MacDonald (actor)

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,[2] 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.

MacDonald works as a director, actor, educator, and dramaturge for new Canadian plays.[3] His work as a director includes productions at the Stratford Festival (Julius Caesar), the Shaw Festival (The Old Ladies), the Canadian Stage Company (Fire, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It), The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (A Few Good Men, Sherlock Holmes and the case of the Jersey Lily, and over 15 productions at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre (Clybourne Park, Vimy, God of Carnage, Venus in Fur).   As a director, dramaturge, and actor, MacDonald has been involved in the development of over 35 new Canadian plays, including his direction of Vimy (Citadel Theatre), Miss Shakespeare (Musical TheatreWorks), With a Twist (Lunchbox Theatre, Calgary), and Conni Massing's Myth of Summer (Alberta Theatre Projects) 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[4] and teaches workshops in Shakespearean text[5] 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.   

• Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical for Miss Shakespeare for Musical TheatreWorks in Vancouver
• Dora Mavor Moore Award[6] for "Outstanding Direction of a Musical" for Canadian Stage's production of Paul LeDoux's FIRE
• Betty Mitchel Award[7] for Outstanding Direction of a Musical for With a Twist
• Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award[8] for "Outstanding Direction" for the Citadel Theatre's production of the world premiere of Vern Thiessen's VIMY
• Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Nomination[8] for Outstanding Direction of Venus in Fur for The Citadel Theatre
• Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for Outstanding performance by an Actor for Einstein's Gift and Of Mice and Men for the Citadel Theatre
• Ovation Award Nomination for Outstanding Direction of the world premiere of Miss Shakespeare for Musical Theatreworks in Vancouver