Direction & Design
Those who can, do. Those who can sometimes do even more.
THE WIZARD OF OZ (2025)
‣ Stage Director & Production Designer
Villa Walsh Academy, Morristown, NJ
James was invited back to Villa Walsh to lead their 2025 musical production of The Wizard of Oz. Thanks to the hiring of a new choir teacher, James was only responsible for the stage direction and design of this production. As before, he led a group of faculty, student, and parent volunteers in bringing his vision for the sepia tone-turned-technicolor world of Oz to life. This production was a return to Villa's tradition of inviting young actor volunteers to participate to flesh out the larger ensemble scenes: for WOZ, this meant an additional thirty or so participants in addition to the core cast of Villa Walsh Academy middle and high school girls. Thanks to the leadership of the new choir teacher, this production also saw the return of a live 13-piece orchestra comprised of professional musicians. In the interest of protecting the identity of the school-aged cast, no photos will be shared here.
HANSEL AND GRETEL (2024)
‣ Scenic Designer
Montclair State University, Alexander Kasser Theatre, Montclair, NJ
The head of Montclair State University's opera program Karen Driscoll asked James for any leads on scenic painters that could assist with her upcoming production of Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel. James said he could do it and during the fall, he labored with foam board and scenic flats to create illusions of a dilapidated domicile which could be converted into the whimsical candy cottage during intermission. He handcrafted life-size gingerbread men, iced roofs, stone fireplaces from foam, paint, and lots of elbow grease while the larger set pieces were designed to fit together like a 3D puzzle contending with spatial and financial limitations.
SEUSSICAL (2024)
‣ Stage Director, Production Designer, and de facto Lighting Designer
Light Opera of New Jersey, Rosen Performing Arts Center, Wayne, NJ
Fresh from directing Seussical with high school students, James tackled the Seussian musical again with a company of non-equity performers ranging in age from middle school to seasoned Metropolitan Opera professionals. James was tasked with both stage direction and production design of this production but due to unforseen complications, he assumed the role of lighting designer during tech week as well. This was a massive undertaking as with any production of Seussical, no set piece or prop can be bought off the shelf given the unique shapes and colors that Dr. Seuss' world is known for. James would labor from the crack of dawn in his garage building, sculpting, and painting and would only pause when it was time to head to rehearsal to direct. The results were worth it, having achieved the Seussian look and seeing the most diverse cast in Light Opera of New Jersey's history bring to fruition these larger than life characters.
"The Circus McGurkus" featuring Mark Uhlemann as Horton and the cast of LONJ's Seussical. Stage Direction, Set/Lighting/Prop Design by James Conrad Smith; Costume Design by Jessica McGovern
Emily Hughes (Jojo) and Mark Uhlemann (Horton)
Niko Lento (Cat) and Rebecca Madeira (Gertrude)
Emily Hughes (Jojo) and Mark Uhlemann (Horton)
Performance Photographs courtesy of Edward Wolf of Blue Crew Productions
SEUSSICAL (2024)
‣ Stage Director & Production Designer
Villa Walsh Academy, Morristown, NJ
Sometimes good things really do just drop out of the blue: January 2nd dawned cold and bright and at that point James didn't have any gigs lined up in the immediate future. Sometime in the morning after a call from his high school choreographer, that changed as he was going to be stage directing and music directing Seussical at Villa Walsh Academy, an all girls Catholic middle and high school in Morristown, NJ. The first rehearsal was 48 hours later. He was thrown headfirst into an unexpected maternity leave with a cast of girls who were very much looking forward to getting to dig into their characters and the score. James ended up as the designer for this production as well spending many long days and nights toiling away to create the unique shapes that Dr. Seuss requires. It was his first time leading parent, student, and faculty volunteers but getting to know the amazing people at Villa Walsh was just one added joy to the job. In the interest of protecting the identity of the school-aged cast, no photos will be shared here.
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE (2022)
‣ Stage Director & Audio SFX Designer
New Jersey Vocal Arts Collaborative (NJVAC), Montclair, NJ
What should have been NJVAC's second production in 2020 was unfortunately delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, two years later artistic director Julia Rolwing was adamant that NJVAC deliver on its promise to serve the aspiring operatic artists a chance to explore Mozart's iconic Die Zauberflöte sung in German. Under the baton of maestro Brent Chancellor, two casts had the opportunity to perform a fully staged production with a new libretto for the spoken dialogue (in English) by James and supplemented with his audio SFX effects to fully realize the more magical elements in the plot.
SWEENEY TODD (2022)
‣ Stage Director
Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
When Bass Baritone Jason Zacher was pursuing an artist's diploma from Montclair State University, he asked James if he could stage direct Jason's role recital: a semi-staged production of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd. James approached this concert with almost guerilla warfare bravado mixed with a touch of Brechtian influence: every and anything in the building was fair game to build the sets of Fleet Street. James also provided his talents to the cast reprising his role of Pirelli and, due to unforseen Covid illness, he ended up singing the role of Judge Turpin, too.
BEAUTY'S TRUTH (2020)
‣ Video Designer
Transgressive Theatre-Opera (TTO), a virtual opera
In the isolation of Covid-19, James responded to an ad on Playbill seeking a video designer for Transgressive Theatre-Opera's production of Beauty's Truth, an adaptation by artistic director Aaron Hunt of Handel's oratorio "The Time of Triumph and Truth." Artists spread out over the US were sent costumes and select props and James provided them with instructions how to tape themselves. Working with Aaron Hunt to develop storyboards, James took the raw footage and with clever editing patched together their disparate performances into a cohesive narrative.
This was James' first time working in Premiere Pro and the Adobe Creative Suite (which he learned on breaks while substitute teaching once schools partially reopened in September 2020). The workload was immense but it all came off after much hard work and the opera was presented online in November 2020. Credit truly must be given to Mr. Hunt for not only daring to attempt such an ambitious feat but also for giving these artists, musicians, and designers a paying opportunity when there was so much uncertainty - both creatively and financially - as a result of the pandemic.
SINGING SUMMIT (2020)
‣ Video Stage Director, Operatic Acting Coach
New Jersey Vocal Arts Collaborative, a virtual month-long academy
2020's planned operatic production of Mozart's Magic Flute was cancelled by the the Covid-19 pandemic, but artistic director Julia Rolwing was determined to keep NJVAC present even in isolation. After conferring with the creative heads, it was decided that a virtual summit would be conducted over Zoom in which the cast of Flute would participate in masterclasses on everything from diction to acting from industry professionals supplementing the creative team. James led two classes on acting in addition to directing opera scenes (through storyboards) so that individual taped performances could be pieced together. The summit culminated in an online gala in which all of the effort and practice of the singers in their lessons and classes from the previous month could be demonstrated for family and friends.
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (2019)
‣ Stage Director
New Jersey Vocal Arts Collaborative (NJVAC), Montclair, NJ
James was thrilled to be asked to join the creative team of NJVAC's inaurual production of Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro (sung in Italian). James served as stage director for two casts (and an alternate understudy roster) of aspiring singers who were either pursuing or had already earned degrees in vocal performance. For this, James leaned heavily on his musical theatre training as an actor to help the singers create the backstories and histories of their characters to help them become fully realized. He also created the supertitles for this production as well as having scripted the narration to streamline the recitative which was performed by an industry professional.
SEUSSICAL JR. (2018)
‣ Stage Director, Camp Counselor
Pequannock Township Summer Musical Theatre Camp, NJ
James returned to the Pequannock Township summer musical theatre camp as stage director in 2018 for their production of Seussical Jr. With over sixty 8-14 year-olds, he certainly had his hands full coordinating the schedule to make sure each camper felt prepared to go on stage in addition to building and painting sets and props.
BROADWAY BOUND (2017)
‣ Scene Director
Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, Logan, UT
While a festival artist with the UFOMT, James applied to be a scene director for both the kids' and teen Broadway Bound intensive that the festival offers as outreach each summer. James selected a scene and was assigned campers whom he taught the music and dialogue to, helped find costumes for, and staged for a concert at the end of their camp. James taught two teen boys the scene and song "The Proposal/The Night Was Alive" from Titanic The Musical and three young actresses "I Know It's Today" from Shrek The Musical. In the interest of protecting the identity of the school-aged cast, no photos will be shared here.
SHREK JR. (2016)
‣ Stage Director, Camp Counselor
Pequannock Township Summer Musical Theatre Camp, NJ
James first became involved with the Pequannock Township summer musical theatre camp (part of the Parks and Recreation Department) during the summer of 2016 when he returned to NJ after having graduated with his masters from Indiana University. Working alongside friends from undergrad, he quickly grew to cherish the enthusiasm these more than sixty 8-14 year-olds had for wanting to put on Shrek Jr. He served as stage director and helped teach the basics of being on the stage, enjoying the growth that so many of the campers demonstrated in the month plus of camp.
DON GIOVANNI (2014)
‣ Stage Director & Producer
The Young Artists' Initiative, Montclair, NJ
After graduating summa cum laude and top of the college of the arts from Montclair State University with a BM in vocal performnce, James led a semi-staged concert production of Mozart's Don Giovanni with fellow graduates and students of MSU under the banner of the company he founded the previous winter, The Young Artists' Initiative. James found both rehearsal and performance venues, pianists for rehearsals and performances, assembled the cast, created props, sourced a fight choreographer, and organized publicity while also singing the title role. Not only an artistic success, the production was financially solvent allowing James to make a donation to the church where the performance took place.
From left to right: Adam Melchor, James Smith as Don Giovanni, Theron Cromer as Don Ottavio, and Michael Joseph Alworth as the Commendatore
From left to right: Michael Joseph Alworth as the Commendatore, Jason Zacher as Leporello, and James Smith as Don Giovanni
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE (2013)
‣ Stage Director & Producer
The Young Artists' Initiative, Montclair, NJ
At the end of his third year of his undergraduate, James had the idea that he wanted to produce a small semi-staged concert production with his friends before graduating... and why not get credit for it, too? After meeting with various department heads, he found a faculty mentor and the music school agreed to not only fund the production but make it a chamber class for which each person enrolled received credit for participation. James had to write a syllabus, coordinate rehearsals, secure the performance venue, and source props while learning the role of Major-General Stanley. As fate would have it, though, James came down with laryngitis days before the performance. He still performed but his faculty mentor, Jeffrey Gall, graciously offered to beef up the sound during scenes when James was playing an ensemble role to help give his voice a break. ...the show must go on!
From left to right: John McLean, Frank Hughes, Jeffrey Gall (seated), James Conrad Smith, Elaine Thoman, Michael Joseph Alworth, Adam Melchor, Karen Levandoski (seated), Gianna Ianuzzi (seated), Sara Kropoth (seated).
