Testimonials
“Renita James directed a staged reading of my play Taste Buds: The Adventures of Cake and Broccoli for UTNT, an annual showcase of new works at the University of Texas. She also directed me in our performance of The Materials that Make Us at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, and we co-directed several workshops of Fishing for Stars at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. From my years of experience working with them, I can confidently say that Renita is an actor-centered director with an impressive focus on care in the rehearsal process. She prioritizes the safety, wellbeing, and creative contributions of actors and advocates for them outside of the rehearsal room. With warmth and humor, Renita encourages collaborators to prioritize people over product and creative exploration over frenzied urgency, masterfully building time for both relationship-building and artistic excellence. When Renita directs, actors leave the process feeling heard, understood, and valued, and audiences leave the performance with a sense of wonder and delight.
Claire D.- Playwright— Claire D., Playwright “What stayed with me from the workshop with Renita James was her approachability over everything else. The emphasis Renita put on investigating the different selves we all have within us and in what circumstances those different selves show up as facilitators versus participants. The way she spoke about safety for ourselves as well as others was affirming, acknowledging that safety and care for everyone must be at the forefront, which further solidifies the notion of respecting and honoring all parts of oneself in every situation, and not viewing facilitation as a place where facilitators are meant to serve participants without taking care of themselves first.”
— Emerson Student “James makes Jo a conflicted, three-dimensional character, trying to figure out who she is and how to move forward. In her own way, she is as isolated as John Singer from Heart. The most realistic scenes involve Ms. Delaney and Jo. Bell doesn’t make her character an over-the-top creature — she is matter of fact and personable. The two have a believable student-teacher relationship, especially as they realize they have a lot in common.”
— Former Customer— Jim Farmer- Atlanta Theatre Magazine