Qualifications and Training
B.A. (Hons) Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Oxford, graduated 2016
ABTT Bronze Award for Theatre Technicians (Distinction)
Extensive ETC Eos programming training and experience as part of my employment at Curve Theatre
BASSC Smallsword (Pass)
Technical Experience
LX1, Crossroads Pantomimes – Peter Pan (Southampton Mayflower 2025-26) – Operating lighting for all performances on ETC Eos; maintenance of hired lighting equipment and set practicals; supervising pyrotechnics alongside venue technicians.
LX1, National Theatre Productions – Dear England (UK Tour 2025-26) – Relighting the show on Eos; operating lighting and managing LX2 and LX3; maintenance of toured lighting equipment and set practicals; providing cover for the video track as required.
Head of Lighting and Video, Children’s Theatre Partnership – Pig Heart Boy (UK Tour 2025) – Relighting the show on Eos; operating lighting and video for all performances; maintenance of toured lighting equipment and practical electrics.
Lighting Board Operator, Crossroads Pantomimes – Peter Pan (Birmingham Hippodrome 2024-25) – Operating lighting for all performances on GrandMA3; conducting rig checks and maintaining the lighting rig and set electrics alongside in-house electricians.
LX1, Simon Friend Entertainment – Here You Come Again (UK Tour 2024) – Relighting the show on Eos; operating lighting for each performance; leading the LX get out; maintaining hired lighting equipment and show practicals.
LX1, Adama Entertainment – Bonnie & Clyde (UK & Ireland Tour 2024) – Leading the LX fit up alongside a production electrician; relighting the show on Eos; operating lighting or covering other show LX tracks; managing a combined LX and Video department of four; maintaining hired lighting equipment; leading the LX get out.
LX1, Trafalgar Theatre Productions – The Merchant of Venice 1936 (UK Tour Autumn 2023) – Leading LX fit up alongside a production electrician; relighting the show on Eos; operating lighting for each show; leading the LX and sound get out.
Head of Lighting and Video, DEM Productions – The Book Thief (Coventry Belgrade and Leicester Curve, Autumn 2023) – Supporting the lighting and video designers and programmers alongside production staff in the creation of a new end-on staging of The Book Thief. Running LX fit ups and get outs alongside the production electricians, maintaining show lighting and video equipment, making and maintaining electrics practicals, and operating the show on Eos, firing Qlab via OSC for video.
Head of Lighting and Video, Selladoor Worldwide – The SpongeBob Musical (UK Premiere and UK & Ireland Tour 2023) – Relighting the show on Eos; leading LX and video fit up and get out; operating lighting and video (D3 media servers controlled via Eos) for each performance.
LX1/Relighter, Trafalgar Theatre Productions – Death Drop: Back In The Habit (UK & Ireland Tour 2022-23) – Relighting the show on Eos in each venue; leading LX fit up and get out alongside the Production Electrician; operating lighting for each performance.
Relighter, English Touring Theatre – The Importance Of Being Earnest (UK Tour 2022) – Responsible for negotiating and organising hires; relighting the show on Eos in each venue; leading the LX fit up and get out in each venue.
LX1/Relighter, Kenny Wax Ltd – Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World (UK Tour 2022) – Relighting the show on Eos in each venue; leading LX fit up and get out; operating lighting for most performances; some additional programming work on changes to the show in Theatre Royal Stratford East and for transfer to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
LX Programmer and Relighter, English Touring Theatre and Brixton House – Mugabe, My Dad & Me (UK Tour 2022) – Programming the show on Eos for LD Alex Stafford; relighting the show in each venue. Operating lighting for most performances; conducting the LX fit up and get out in most venues.
LX1, Crossroads Pantomimes – Sleeping Beauty (Bradford Alhambra December 2021 – January 2022) – Operating shows on GrandMA2; management of all LX, atmospherics, and pyro consumables; oversight of pyrotechnics operated by LX2; writing spot cuesheets and running spots during tech; troubleshooting and maintaining LX rig and systems throughout run; leading LX get out.
Cover LX1/Relighter, Magic Goes Wrong, October/November 2021 – Taking over the duties of the LX1/Relighter for the final section of the 2021 UK tour of Magic Goes Wrong. Relighting the show in each venue; calling followspots; operating lighting for each performance; maintaining the lighting and video rig and systems; leading the LX and video get out alongside a production electrician.
Touring Stage Electrician, Welsh National Opera Autumn Season 2021 (The Barber of Seville and Madam Butterfly) – Working within the electrics department of the WNO for the production period at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff and then on tour. Duties include followspotting, stage LX plots, assisting with fit ups, changeovers, and get outs, working on electrics practicals and props.
LX Programmer and Production LX/Relighter, Pulse Stage Productions – By The Waters Of Liverpool (UK Tour March – May 2020, then prep for cancelled autumn 2021 tour) – Responsible for all pre-production work, drawing lighting plans, programming the show on Eos for LD Ian Scott, and relighting in each venue.
Acting Deputy Chief Electrician, Cambridge Arts Theatre (Fixed Term June – August 2021) – Fixed term contract to assist in reopening the venue post-covid, supporting the new technical manager and chief electrician. Assisting in the development of policies and new standard practices for receiving touring productions, taking part in LX fit ups and get outs, lighting board operation and duty technician shifts as required.
Lighting Technician, Curve Theatre, Leicester (Full Time July 2018 – February 2020)– Working across all spaces as a lighting technician and programmer. My primary responsibilities were as duty technician for the studio space, duty electrician for the main space, and as LX programmer for produced work. I also operated numerous produced and visiting shows, participated in and led LX fit ups and get outs, operated followspots, and designed lighting for community shows.
LX3, UK Productions – Legally Blonde The Musical (UK and Ireland Tour, February 2018 – July 2018)– Ran LX get out alongside the LX2; assisted with second day of LX fitup with primary focus on set electrics; called followspots and maintained cuesheets; covered stage LX plot and desk operating as required; assisted with troubleshooting and maintenance of toured lighting equipment.
Technical Operator, Paul Holman Associates – Santa Claus and the Magical Christmas Journey (Epsom Playhouse, December 2017) – Programmed and operated lighting on ETC Nomad, and sound on Qlab; mixed radio mics; on-site stage management responsibilities, including setting call times, tracking props consumables, and sending show reports, supported by an off-site Company Manager.
LX2, All Or Nothing: The Mod Musical (All Or Nothing Ltd) [Autumn Tour 2017] – Assisted LX1 with fit up and get out; ran stage LX plot during shows, and covered board operation as required; assisted with maintenance of toured lighting equipment and electrics props.
Dayman Electrician, Palace Theatre, London (Nimax Theatres) [May 2017 – September 2017] – Assisted with building maintenance, including PAT testing and building installation work; assisted show crew with moving light maintenance and day-to-day cleaning and maintenance of show electrics; ran stage LX plot for both parts of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; acted as duty electrician for the building.
Technical Manager, Underground Venues (Buxton Fringe 2017) – Led design and build of a new fringe venue, Upstairs At The Old Clubhouse; specced and arranged full technical hire; trained and managed a small team of technicians to work across the two spaces managed by UV.
Venue Technician, Hounslow Arts Centre [September 2016 – May 2017] – Managed all technical aspects of the venue, including maintenance of lighting and sound equipment, liasing with visiting companies, and lighting and sound design and operation for in-house productions. Hired and trained casual technicians as required.
Lighting Technician, Pleasance Beyond (Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2016) – Lead lighting technician for the venue; programming and operating lighting as required; assisting with show turnarounds; participating in the strike of the venue at the end of the festival.
James Stokes 