James Stanley

James Stanley

Artistic Producer, Theater, Dance & Media
Lecturer in Theater, Dance & Media
James Stanley headshot

James Stanley is a multi-disciplinary theater artist, educator and artistic producer. He was a founder and co-artistic director of the now defunct National Theater of the United States of America (NTUSA) with whom he wrote, directed, designed, performed and produced from roughly 2000 to 2017. The NTUSA created immersive spectacles and material artifacts that mined the history of media and popular culture in America. Their works were presented at The Kitchen, PS122, The Chocolate Factory, The Public Theater/Under the Radar, Abrons Arts, the Walker Art Center (MN), ICA (Boston), Segerstrom Center (CA), among others, and were recognized with an OBIE, a Spalding Gray Award and two Henry Hewes Design Award Nominations. The NTUSA’s final work, an illustrated acting manual called A New Practical Guide to Rhetorical Gesture and Action, was published in 2017 by 53rd State Press. As an actor he originated roles in works by Young Jean Lee, Hal Hartley, Richard Maxwell, Thomas Bradshaw and Phil Soltanoff, among others. Since relocating to New England in 2015, Stanley has continued to create original work with longtime partner Jesse Hawley including House Warming (2017), The Olneyville Expo (with Darcie Dennigan, 2019), and their transmedia piece CVK: Extended Play (2023). Stanley studied Classical Acting at LAMDA, holds a PhD in Media, Culture and Communication (MCC) from NYU and has taught at the intersection of media, theater and performance at NYU, Harvard and MIT. 

Photo Credit: John Fell

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