James V. Raymond

(Scenic Designer/ Event & Production Designer, Scenic Artist, Carpentry) has been involved with theatre since 1997. James earned an MFA in Scenic Design and Technology as a GTA at West Virginia University and a Bachelors in Theater Technology and Design at DeSales University, in Center Valley, PA.

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 James was the Visiting Assistant Scenic Design Professor and Scenic Charge Artist at DeSales University, for the 2023-2024 academic year. While at DeSales, he designed 2 Mainstage productions: Twelfth Night, and Drowsy Chaperone. He  James was the Associate Scenic Designer for the world premiere of Incendiary at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, designed by Andrew Boyce, directed by Monty Cole and written by Dave Harris.In 2022, he was brought on to set dress and source props for the Broadway production of A Strange Loop, currently at the Lyceum Theatre, NY. He joined the faculty at Shenandoah University’s ersity’s Conservatory in Winchester, VA for the 2021-2022 School year. As an Instructional Assistant Scenic Design Fellow, he designed Bright Star in October 2021, directed by Robert Pieranunzi and Nora: A Doll House, which will be produced in 2022. At the Conservatory, he will also be the Associate Scenic Designer for a Spring Opera production designed by Madeleine Boyd.

In 2022, James designed Bridges of Madison County, produced at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, which  was nominated for Broadwayworld.com 2022 Central Virginia Regional Awards for Best Scenic Design. Some of his past work includes set designing for Monumental Theatre Company, Head Over Heels in March 2020 (featured in Metroweekly, the largest and longest-running LGBTQ publication and website in the Washington, DC region) and Pippin, which was nominated with 4 Helen Hayes Awards. At West Virginia Public Theatre, James designed You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, It’s A Wonderful Life, and  A Charlie Brown Christmas which was produced in December of 2019. He was the scenic artist for the past four seasons at WVPT as well. His set for In The Heights at Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre, received the Broadwayworld.com 2017 Baltimore Regional Awards nomination for Best Scenic Design. In 2016, my production design for a short film Devil’s Grass won the Campus MovieFest - Silver Tripod Award Best Production Design.

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James had the pleasure of collaborating with Broadway’s Associate Lighting Designer Timothy Reed (Funny Girl, Life of Pie, Beetlejuice, etc.). James is the Founder and Owner of JV Raymond Studio, LLC which offers design consultation for live events, such as theatre, production design for special events, weddings, Paint & Sip events, and the like. Some of his favorite clients include BarkBox, Inc., West Virginia University Hospitals, Inc., Children’s Theatre of Southern Maryland, and many more.

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From 2017-2020, James became the official Resident Scenic Designer, Technical Director, Master Carpenter and Scenic Charge for Ovations Theatre of Rockville, MD. He was the coordinator and supervisor for their student technical internship, which was the newest educational program at Ovations. His set design for Ovation’s Cabaret, in 2020, was nominated for Broadway Regional Awards- DC for Set Design of the Decade (Non-equity).

 James had the pleasure of working alongside the late Bob Phillips, who was the Emmy award winning Production Designer of Sesame Street, as well as two time Tony Award Nominated Broadway Designer Dede Ayite, and others. James had the opportunity to design Artscentric's new performance space, which is launching their very first Capital Campaign, raising $250,000 for their state-of-the art facility in the Remington community of Baltimore, MD. He was shortlisted for the Ready to Work Award at SETC 2018. James was a Scenic Artist for Pharrell Williams' Something In The Water Music Festival in Virginia Beach  and Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas with Brok Decor (April 2019). Additionally, He worked at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival in 2012 as the props intern and again in 2013 as the scenic artist intern.  been working under the supervision of Ann Chrismar as an Overhire Scenic Artist for the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at University of Maryland since 2015. James also has done overhire work for Round House Theatre, ARTECHOUSE, Woolly Mammoth and Constellation Theatre Company, just to name a few. Past credits: Les Misérables school edition (Ovations), Little Shop of Horrors (Ovations), Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party (Ovations), Sister Act (Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre *COVID-19), We Are Proud to Present (Artscentric), Gypsy (Ovations), Three Sisters (WVU), The Pirates Of Penzance (WVU) The Trojan Women (WVU), Underground (Perry Mansfield premier), Failure: A Love Story (Perry M.), I Love A Piano (DSU), 39 Steps (scenic artist intern, PSF) starring Steve Burns (Blues Clues) , 45 Seconds From Broadway (LMP), Sweeney Todd (props intern, PSF) starring Dee Roscioli (Wicked) and many others.

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