James J. Fenton

  • Production Designer
  • New York, NY

View Resume

James J. Fenton is an award winning and critically acclaimed production and scenic designer for theatre, film, television, live music and events. Since 1997 his design experience has taken him to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Austin, Vancouver, Denver, Coachella Valley, the Berkeshires, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ashland, Portland(Oregon), Arkansas, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Edinburgh (Fringe Festival), Australia, Croatia, Bosnia, Spain and Italy.

James has worked on several television shows as a Production Designer, Art Director and Set Designer. Production companies include NBC, CBS, PBS, WB, HBO, Netflix, Hulu, Apple+, and BadMouth Films.

His most notable theatre design work includes the Obie and Drama Desk nominated, GLAAD Media and Jonathan Larson Award winning production of SOUTHERN COMFORT, THE MUSICAL at the Public Theatre(NY), World Premiere productions at several venues in New York and across the United States and two IRNE Best Scenic Design nominations for SILENT SKY and MISS BENNETT: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY at Merrimack Repertory Theatre in the Boston area. Regionally his design work has been seen at the American Conservatory Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Royal Manitoba Theatre Company, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Theatre Squared, Barrington Stage Company, and Hudson Stage Company.

In James early career he managed the scenic design studio for the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco for two years, assisted on over 20 productions for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival design studio and has served as the Associate Scenic Designer for: Tony Award winner John Arnone, Obie Award winner Donald Eastman, Patrick Fahey of 8 Hands High (Radio City Music Hall), the Juilliard School, and New York City Opera. He also attended and worked the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland with Stage by Stage for the 2003 season.

James is a graduate of Missouri State University with a BS in Theatre and a Minor in Art/Design.

Interview at MRT about Abigail/1702:
https://mrt.org/blog-item/qa-scenic-designer-james-j-fenton