James Ashfield

Born & bred Brummie, occasionally cheating on the Midlands with the North. I’m a working class theatre producer, gig goer, pint drinker, football watcher, coffee fiend. I have produced theatre at the Edinburgh Festival and have taken work up and down the UK, performing in theatres, school halls, libraries and tents.

The theatre that I love to be a part of is work that is raw, relevant and packs a punch. I'm a massive fan of telling untold stories and I'm an even bigger fan of bringing people together to have a brilliant experience. Theatre should and can be for everyone and about everyone and I think every aspect of our sector should reflect that.

I work with some artists and organisations on an on-going basis and others on a project by project one. Every artist is different and therefore, every project you work on is gonna need a differing plan of attack (I like to think i'm good at quickly switching from a 442 to a 451 when needed). One thing that is crucial to me is that the process is just as important as the final product. We want a bangin’ show but what’s the point if the team doesn’t have a good time whilst making it? The rehearsal room should be a safe space for graft, laffs & collaboration. You can count on me to be your project's number one cheerleader.

You can see some of the things I've done and worked on over on my projects page here. These range from co-founding an award winning theatre company out of university to building a fundraising strategy within a National Portfolio Organisation.

I am currently the Assistant Producer at Sheffield Theatres and am a fellow of the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries; a programme that addresses the socio-economic barriers that graduates from working class backgrounds face in the arts.

If you fancy collaborating or you're sat there thinking about my shoddy football analogies, drop me an email or find me on social media.

Preferred pronouns: He/Him

Credits

Assistant Producer, Sheffield Theatres, 2021-Present

Producer, The Palaces of Varieties, Derby Theatre, 2021

Producer, The Places in Between, Audio Project, 2021

Producer, Bonfire by Simon Marshall, In Good Company and Derby Theatre, 2020-2022

Producer, 24 Hour Plays UK, Lawrence Batley Theatre, 2020

Producer, The Search for a Black-browed Albatross, The Backpack Ensemble, UK tour and Edinburgh Fringe, 2017-2019

Fundraiser, Sheffield Theatres, 2018-2019

Young Producer, Lincoln Performing Arts Centre, 2018

Production Assistant, The Moon and Me, Egg Box Theatre, UK tour, 2017-2018