James Thomas Bailey
James Thomas Bailey is Artistic Director of the National Comedy Theatre and ComedySportz Los Angeles, the longest running show in Los Angeles.
In addition to ComedySportz, Mr. Bailey has produced more than fifty shows in Los Angeles, including Kitty Carlisle Hart in her one-woman show, My Life on the Wicked Stage and the west coast premiere of Robert Fulghum's All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. He has appeared on The Drew Carey Show and Tuesdays with Morrie, a film starring Jack Lemmon, based on the best selling novel. He was also a regular on the nationally syndicated television show Quick Witz and can currently be seen on World Cup Comedy on the PAX network. In addition, Mr. Bailey has served as a creative consultant/trainer for Universal Studios, Walt Disney Feature Animation, ABC and Coca-Cola, among others. Bailey also serves as a Cultural Specialist for the U.S. Department of State, and has consulted frequently in Cyprus, in conjunction with the American Embassy and State Theatre of Cyprus (THOC).
He has served on the boards of the Los Angeles Stage Alliance (Theatre LA), the California Educational Theatre Association (CETA), West Coast Ensemble Theatre and the advocacy committee of the California Alliance for Arts Education (CAAE). He also received the professional Artist Award from the California Educational Theatre Association, as well as the CETA Medallion for distinguished service to the organization (highest honor). He was inducted into the California Thespians Hall of Fame. Bailey is currently serving as Director of Theatre for Justin-Siena High School in Napa and his High School League® program is the largest teen improvisational program in the United States. Bailey also served as guest artist for the Donna Reed Foundation for many years.
References
- Fein, G. "Sporting Shots", Pasadena Weekly, September 15, 1989
- Patterson, D. "With honors in humor", Los Angeles Times, June 3, 2004.
- Berkowitz, L. "Improv is their game", Houston Cronicle, January 25, 2005.
- Carson, L.P. "Justin-Siena students, pros team up in ‘ComedySportz’", Napa Valley Register, 2012.