CHAMPIONING CREATIVES: James Dacre Announces The Launch Of His New Production Company LIVING PRODUCTIONS

Following a celebrated decade as Artistic Director at Royal & Derngate, James Dacre today announces the launch of a new production company – LIVING PRODUCTIONS – which will champion exceptional writers, composers, actors and creatives by developing and producing their work…
LIVING THEATRE develops drama and musical theatre for stage production
LIVING MUSIC creates concert and opera performances and festival experiences
LIVING ARTS focuses on podcasts, albums, radio plays, live broadcasts and films
Living Theatre Productions is creating new work for the stage by artists including Anna Zeigler, Bola Agbaje, Anthony McCarten, Roy Williams, Ralph Fiennes, Tanika Gupta, Mike Poulton and Conrad Murray alongside re-imaginations of several classic plays.
Living Music Productions created a concert at Bold Tendencies in September of Derek Jarman’s Modern Nature with spoken word by Tilda Swinton, Giles Terera, Jessie Buckley and Samuel Barnett and music by Valgeir Sigurðsson, Max Richter and Donna McKevitt. It is further developing this work alongside projects with musicians including Jack Peñate, Rianne Walther, Peter Gregson, Jessica Walker and Orlando Gough.
Living Arts Productions is creating work for film, radio, broadcast and podcast, including Alecky Blythe's Family Business with music by Adam Cork on BBC Radio 4 (to be broadcast and launched on BBC Sounds worldwide in March 2024) and acting as Executive and Creative Producer on Sophie Fiennes’ feature film adaptation of Ralph Fiennes’ Four Quartets which recently premiered at Santa Barbara International Film Festival and is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer and in select cinemas worldwide.
About James Dacre
James Dacre is a director and creative producer. For ten years until 2023 he was Artistic Director at Royal & Derngate Theatres, where he produced more than 120 shows of which 60 toured both nationally and internationally and 42 transferred to London and were recognised with Olivier, Evening Standard, WhatsOnStage and The Stage awards. During this time the venue saw a marked development of its artistic activities, its audiences across the UK and standing within the region and sector, welcoming over two and a half million audience members in Northampton and being twice shortlisted for Regional Theatre of the Year by The Stage (2022 and 2016) and chosen as 2020 Outstanding Theatre of the Year by Michael Billington. Meanwhile, its touring productions were seen by a further 1 million audience members nationwide and made over 500 venue visits across the UK and abroad, winning three UK Theatre Awards. Prior to Royal & Derngate, he was Associate Director at the New Vic Theatre, Theatre503 and the National Youth Theatre. He is a Board Director of Spirit of 2012, a Trustee for The Theatres Trust and Talawa Theatre Company and a Franco-British Young Leader.
Previous work includes:
- Four Quartets with Ralph Fiennes which reopened 8 regional theatres after the pandemic, transferred to the West End and was adapted into a feature film that recently premiered at Santa Barbara International Film Festival and is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer and in select cinemas worldwide.
- The Two Popes by Anthony McCarten with Anton Lesser and Nicholas Woodeson, which received its world premiere at Royal & Derngate, toured the UK, transferred to The Rose Theatre and was subsequently adapted into the 2020 Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominated Netflix film.
- The world premiere of Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop with David Harewood and Lorraine Burroughs, which won the 2010 Olivier Award for Best New Play following its West End run and saw its cast nominated for Olivier, Evening Standard and WhatsOnStage awards.
- The 2020 Olivier Award nominated Our Lady of Kibeho by Katori Hall, which premiered at Royal & Derngate and transferred to Theatre Royal Stratford East.
- The Olivier Award winning The Worst Witch, directed by Theresa Heskins, which premiered at Royal & Derngate, toured the UK and played in the West End.
Photos credited to Vicky Michael and Marc Brenner
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