About James R. Carey

DIRECTING /PRODUCING - FILM 

As a director and producer, I’ve worked on indie features including Madly (streaming on Amazon) and Alternative Endings, as well as a series of award-winning short films that have been recognized at festivals around the world:

• Come Walk with Me — Nominee, Peachtree Village Film Festival

• Why Are We Here? — Official Selection, Columbus River Film Festival

• Love Potion — Best Mystery/Thriller + 13 individual awards, 2024 Southern Shorts Awards

• A Cost of Freedom — Finalist, Ethos Film Awards (Los Angeles); Best International Short, Ellora Film Festival; Best Dramatic Short, Reale Film Festival (Milan)

• Divorce During Pandemic — Official Selection at 13 international festivals

• Fancy Meeting You Here — Best Independent Short, Independent Filmmakers Showcase (Los Angeles, 2019)

 DIRECTING/PRODUCING - THEATRE

I’ve served as Artistic Director for two of Los Angeles’ most respected theatre companies:

• The ATTIC Theatre Ensemble (1987–2012)

• SkyPilot Theatre Company (2018–2021)

As a stage director, I’ve directed over 100 plays, including:

• The Elephant Man

• All My Sons

• The Cherry Orchard (Oasis Theatre)

• MacBeth (Kingsmen Shakespeare)

• World premieres by Lee Blessing and Jeffrey Hatcher

• Original works such as Coming to Zimbabwe and Come Together: A Beatles Cabaret, which toured the U.S., Africa, and the Middle East. 

In 1992, I co-founded Hollywood Theatre Row and served as its first President, earning both a LA Drama Critics Circle Award and a Hollywood Arts Council “Charlie” Award.Recently, I published my first book, ‘Three Days in Hamburg & Other Stories’, which is now available on Amazon Kindle.    

• Color Purple: The Musical
• Division
• Madly
• Iron Man 3
• Coal Miner’s Daughter

• Collateral Interest
• Sons of Anarchy
• Young and the Restless
• General Hospital

• The Green & The Blue
• Diary of Anne Frank
• Blackbird
• Don Juan in Hell
• The Diviners
• A Streetcar Named Desire
• Three Sisters

EDUCATION & TEACHING 

I hold an MFA in Theatre Management, Cum Laude, from California State University–Long Beach. I’ve taught at:

• New York Film Academy – LA Campus
• California Lutheran University
• Pepperdine University
• American Musical and Dramatic      Academy – LA
• California State University –      Long Beach

In 2012, I founded ATTIC STUDIOS to focus on personal creative projects and international teaching. This work has taken me to:

• Zimbabwe
• Malawi
• South Africa
• Italy
• United Arab Emirates

• Adjudicator, National Drama Festival – Harare, Zimbabwe (2012)
  Judged over 10,000 students across improv, monologues, scenes, speech, and poetry during a month-long festival
• Published author – Three Days in Hamburg & Other Stories (Amazon Kindle)
• Founder & Editor, TripsWithJames.com – Travel and lifestyle blog covering film, travel, and entertainment.

Over the years, I’ve received recognition for creative work, educational leadership, and contributions to the entertainment  community. These honors reflect a range of collaborative efforts across film, stage, and international arts education.
 

• Fulbright Specialist in Theatre for International Projects – U.S. State Department
• Winner, Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award
• Winner, Hollywood Arts Council “Charlie” Award
• Recipient of 50+ Official Selection Laurels and multiple Best of Fest awards (see Film section)
• Critics Choice, Mi Casa Su Casa – PortFringe (2018)
• Outstanding Producer, Intimate Musical Theatre – StageSceneLA
• Winner, 14 Drama-Logue Production Awards – Los Angeles
• Invited Member, Lincoln Center West Directing Lab
• Solo Shows Invited – PortFringe, Atlanta Fringe, Hollywood Fringe, San Diego Fringe
• Invited Debut, Coming to Zimbabwe – Harare International Festival of Arts (2013)
• Travel Grant Recipient, U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe (2014) – Teaching Training Program
• Keynote Speaker, West Coast Theatre Conference
• Examiner in Drama, International Baccalaureate Organization
• Producer, Theatre Tour of Southeastern Africa – Zimbabwe, Malawi, South Africa
• Consultant, Southern California Academy of Arts and Sciences – Theatre Arts Curriculum Development
• Panel Member, Community Project Grant Committee – Arts Council of Long Beach (2014)