James Napoli
Position: Faculty Member
Classes Taught: RADIO THEATRE WORKSHOP, WRITING CHARACTER
Education: James received his MA from the London Film School, and came to theatre through improvisation, having spent several years performing in nightclubs and colleges with Guilty Children, a successful touring troupe based in his native Boston.
Professional Experience: Since then, he has created a wide variety of characters behind the microphone, as a writer/producer/director of comedy for Premiere Radio Networks and as the Head Writer and founding performing member of New Frequency, the radio drama program which airs nationally on XM/Sirius. James provided almost a hundred original one-acts in every genre for this unique live stage experience.
James is an award-winning writer/director of film, whose short dramatic works The Priests and Nobody Gets Hurt have played festivals worldwide. He has also written and directed original material for the stage, and contributed to such diverse mediums as television animation and the world of books, having just completed his fourth humor title for a major publisher.
As a teacher, James hold Adjunct Faculty positions in Script Analysis and Film History at Columbia College, Hollywood, and is an Adjunct Professor for the Masters Program in Screenwriting at National University.
What the XRT Means To Me…: I’m fairly certain my experience of becoming part of XRTC mirrors that of several (if not all) of the immensely talented people who comprise this company. It was simply this: 1) Hearing about XRT and what it represented. 2) Taking a moment to pinch myself. 3) Meeting with those involved and coming to see that the founding vision of truth in one’s art first and foremost was real. That said, being able to bring one’s particular abilities to the table within the scope of this vision is a real source of creative satisfaction. I look forward to seeing XRT evolve, get everyone engaged and take its place as a fixture in the community of the arts in Los Angeles while it offers its unique programs to people from around the world.
Why I Do What I Do…: Well, it’s not hard to love doing what you’re doing when you are going to be teaching what you love doing. Writing, the storytelling process and the creation of characters has been part of my life since boyhood, and I know the thrill of inviting a living, breathing persona onto the page. With my Creating a Character workshops, I get to pass that thrill onto students, and since I will be teaching actors, my class will involve an on-its-feet performance element that was not part of its original design…just the kind of inspiring jumping-off point that keeps the energy high. My work as a voice artist has also brought me tremendous satisfaction and I know it has made me a better actor, forcing me to find strong choices and convey much with little. It will be great to introduce other actors to the techniques of radio theatre and to see how the unique experience of performing work this way can take people to new and dynamic places.
Did You Know? James loves hummus & bananas (separately), as well as playing baseball and hiking. He has visited France, Sweden & The Yukon and hopes to travel to Australia and Iceland.
