James enjoys every aspect of the theatre, from on-stage to behind-the-scenes, but his passion is dance. He was runner up in the Song and Dance section of the New Zealand Dance Awards in 2016 and gained a trip to New York to take part in the 2016 Winter Intensive at Broadway Dance Centre.

He graduated in 2017 from the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art (NASDA) with a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Music Theatre). His performance credits include Cabaret, Julius Caesar, And The World Goes ‘Round and Mad Forest (NASDA); Catch Me If You Can (Blackboard Theatre Collective); and Jesus Christ Superstar (The Court Theatre).

With Showbiz Christchurch James has performed in An Evening of Rodgers and Hammerstein Classics, the New Zealand theatre company premiere of Wicked, and Les Misérables.