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James is an actor, teacher, and coach. Now based in Pittsburgh, PA, he spent many years in Chicago actively engaged in the theater scene appearing multiple times at Marriott’s Lincolnshire Theatre, and in 16 productions for Chicago Shakespeare Theater, among others. In Chicago he was awarded two Joseph Jefferson Awards as Best Supporting Actor, a Jeff Citation (Best Actor), and earned a Jeff Nomination for Best Actor.

James was also an associate professor of theater at Point Park University teaching graduate and undergraduate classes in Shakespeare, Stage Combat (Armed and Unarmed), Dialects, Voice and Speech, and Period Styles. He has also been a Fight Director and Dialect coach for a number of productions in Pittsburgh.

Since 2009, James has appeared in all the major theaters in Pittsburgh and became a company member of PICT Classic Theatre, receiving the company’s Dagda Award for Artistic Excellence in 2022. He was also named Performer of the Year by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2016.

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  • I had always held David Thewlis’ portrayal of this character — in the 2000 film version directed by Conor McPherson — as the best I’ve ever seen, but FitzGerald achieves a level of insouciant resignation which surpasses that performance and begins to approach the rarified landscape of silent film masters such as Buster Keaton. His repetitions, and there are many written into the play, such as the ladder sequences, are never banal. You see the same action performed again and again, but it always looks organic. Like Keaton, like Chaplin, we watch this character with fascination, even though we know, in the classic definition of “The Clown” he will never advance the action. But we hear his steps like heartbeats which may never amount to anything, but infuse the room with life, even if it has no purpose.
    Pittsburgh Quarterly Magazine - Endgame
  • …the richest performance of the night, the matchmaker with the grand name of Thomasheen Sean Rua, whom James FitzGerald adds to his own pretty remarkable roster of rascals.
    Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Sive
  • … (as) Shylock, James FitzGerald. He is the best thing in the play, His intensity digs deep, revealing the faults in self and society we all must face.
    Post-Gazette – Merchant of Venice
  • As the malcontent, James FitzGerald’s performance is mesmerizing, one of the best I’ve seen on stage this season. While his character may be physically withered, his force of will is powerfully intimidating
    Pittsburgh Owl – Sharon’s Grave
  • Pitiable and contemptible, wheedling and domineering, laughable and demonic, this near-tragic villain is a bravura role that James FitzGerald fills to the brim with seduction and bile. I shouldn’t wonder that PICT chose to do the play primarily because Mr. FitzGerald was available to play it.
    Post-Gazette – Sharon’s Grave