Story by Angela Cowan Photographs by Lia Crowe

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Performing artist, executive producer, publicist, director, fundraiser, writer. Tony James has worn a lot of hats in his nearly lifelong career in the arts, having jumped into performing as a child, and he害羞草研究所檚 never looked back.

害羞草研究所淲hen I was very little, I was an attention seeker. I was the class clown,害羞草研究所� he says with a wry smile. 害羞草研究所淚 remember a teacher telling me, 害羞草研究所榶ou need to tap into your talents.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

And so he dabbled with choir, took part in the small shows available through his school, and quickly decided he much preferred the applause to the odd laugh in the classroom followed by the inevitable detention.

It害羞草研究所檚 a little hard to imagine the serious, focussed man sitting before me as a rambunctious youngster, but the stage presence that simmers below the surface is impossible to deny.

Those first forays into performing led Tony to being involved in more than 50 projects before he moved into television and film as a teenager. And it was in his teens that he says he began taking the arts seriously in a way he hadn害羞草研究所檛 previously.

In high school, he was encouraged by a friend to audition for the lead role of Danny Zuko in a production of Grease, and to his surprise, he got it.

害羞草研究所淚 never took it seriously until then,害羞草研究所� he says.

That experience started a chain reaction. At 15, he began working as a director and producer, and by 19 had received an award of distinction for services in contribution to the arts.

It was also at 19 that fate brought another life-altering event: the birth of his daughter.

Already quietly passionate about his love of the arts, Tony害羞草研究所檚 demeanour takes on an intensity as he talks about her arrival in his life.

害羞草研究所淚t grounded me. She became the centre of my universe,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淓verything I害羞草研究所檝e done is for her.害羞草研究所�

And suddenly, his intensity and drive make perfect sense.

Parenthood brought life and all its priorities into sharp perspective. Already passionate and hard-working, Tony became driven. That same year, he opened a privately held production company named in honour of his daughter, Ocean. (That production company is still running, merged into a partnership in 2017 and renamed Ren茅e James Productions.)

He then spent the next 20-some years travelling North America, producing shows, writing and generally working at a breakneck pace. Every so often he害羞草研究所檇 come back home to Victoria 害羞草研究所� he was born and raised in Esquimalt 害羞草研究所� to centre himself and take advantage of the idyllic West Coast.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 important to me to present here and premiere work,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淚 like the audiences here. I害羞草研究所檓 grateful for the people who support me.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 nothing like the West Coast,害羞草研究所� he adds with a smile. 害羞草研究所淎nd it害羞草研究所檚 a good place to write.害羞草研究所�

Victoria was where he premiered his critically acclaimed and award-nominated 害羞草研究所淟egends Concert Series害羞草研究所� in the 2000s, celebrating the music of some of the most iconic performers of the 20th century, including Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Etta James and many more. And in fact, it害羞草研究所檚 the Legends Series that害羞草研究所檚 brought him back home for awhile.

Tony is the creative director behind Christmas with Sinatra, that played at the Alix Goolden Hall in mid-December.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 great jazz. Holiday favourites in the style of Sinatra,害羞草研究所� says Tony. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not a tribute in the standard sense. [Singer] Dane Warren brings his own style to the music, and he害羞草研究所檚 great. It害羞草研究所檚 a celebration of Frank害羞草研究所檚 music. I wanted something that stepped out of that traditional carol thing.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 sure to be a success, as all the other Legends shows have been, but being the organizing force behind a packed schedule of such shows took a toll on Tony.

About six years ago, he almost left the business. Exhausted, spread thin, bouncing from city to city, he害羞草研究所檇 lost sight of what made it all worth it. A friend encouraged him to remember why he害羞草研究所檇 been drawn to the world of the arts in the first place. And so he stepped completely back, took a year off, and experienced the arts purely as a spectator.

In those darkened theatres, watching story and characters unfold in front of him, he rediscovered his love of theatre, of the way a brilliantly put together show can both bring an audience together in a shared experience, and resonate with each individual at the same time.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 much like reading a book,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淵ou think, I害羞草研究所檓 going to dive into a different story, a different world. When you害羞草研究所檙e watching something powerful or funny, it triggers something inside, in your core. Art gives you an outlet.害羞草研究所�

The respite allowed his passion for his work to once again flourish, and he害羞草研究所檚 been writing, producing and directing with fervour since.

害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 imagine doing anything else,害羞草研究所� he says seriously. 害羞草研究所淚 have to keep going. It害羞草研究所檚 what I害羞草研究所檓 passionate about.害羞草研究所�

The rejuvenation also brought into focus how he can help the next generation of actors and performers as well.

害羞草研究所淲hen you give children or teenagers confidence in the arts, it translates into the rest of their lives,害羞草研究所� he says. Working with kids in his studio, encouraging them, directing them, listening to their ideas, 害羞草研究所渨as the first time I realized I害羞草研究所檇 had an impact. That was very humbling.害羞草研究所�

Above all, it made him all the more determined to do everything he could to support them in their own fledgling careers.

害羞草研究所淚t can take a long time, but sometimes all it takes is that one person to say yes, to show that belief in you,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淣o matter what, I want to help people.害羞草研究所�