James Dacre

James Charles Dacre (born May 1984) is a British theatre, opera and film director and producer.

James Dacre was born in 1984, the son of Paul Dacre, former editor of the Daily Mail.

He won a King's Scholarship to Eton where he won the Newcastle Scholarship.

He then studied Theology, Religion and Philosophy of Religion at Jesus College, Cambridge where he edited Varsity, the student newspaper and directed at the ADC, taking several productions to the Edinburgh Festival.

On graduating, he won a Fulbright Scholarship and Shubert Fellowship to study Theatre Directing at Columbia University School of the Arts in New York.

Dacre then worked as an assistant director to twelve directors including Anne Bogart, Robert Woodruff and Silviu Purcărete, and trained on the ITV/Channel 4 regional theatre director scheme at the New Vic Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent.

On returning from America, Dacre directed and produced The Mountaintop, which transferred to the West End and went on to become the surprise winner of the 2010 Olivier Award for Best New Play.

Subsequently, he became Associate Director at the New Vic Theatre and Theatre503 and directed in the West End and at Shakespeare's Globe, Royal Exchange Theatre, Royal National Theatre and many regional theatres before taking up his current role at Royal & Derngate.

He held this role for a decade, producing more than 120 shows of which 60 toured both nationally and internationally and 42 transferred to London and were recognised with Olivier, Evening Standard, WhatsOnStage and The Stage awards.

He was artistic director of Royal & Derngate Theatres in Northampton from 2013-2023 and prior to that held Associate Director roles at The New Vic Theatre, Theatre503 and The National Youth Theatre.

In 2015, Royal & Derngate won the UK Theatre Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre, for an ambitious season of productions staged nationwide, including the world premiere of Arthur Miller's The Hook produced to mark the centenary of his birth and Shakespeare's King John staged at Shakespeare's Globe, Salisbury Cathedral, Temple Church and The Holy Sepulchre to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta.

In 2016, Royal & Derngate was shortlisted for The Stage's Regional Theatre of the Year Award, having reached more than half a million audiences across the UK and toured to over 65 theatres that year.

Also in 2016, Dacre's production of The Herbal Bed won Best Touring Production at the UK Theatre Awards.

In 2019/20 the venue was chosen as Outstanding Theatre of the Year by Michael Billington won the Olivier Award for Best Family Entertainment.

Dacre directed the world premiere of The Two Popes by Anthony McCarten with Anton Lesser and Nicholas Woodeson, which was subsequently adapted into the 2020 Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominated film The Two Popes.