James Allen (they/them) is a composer for theatre, film, art song, and other media.
Upon earning a BM in Music Composition from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, they quickly became an in-demand composer for theatre. They have also written for film (such as scoring the 2020 Cincinnati Fringe Festival entry m-o-u-s-e, which was a Cincinnati CityBeat Critic’s Pick and 2020 “Artists’ Pick of the Fringe” winner) and art song (finalist for Cincinnati songSLAM in both 2020 and 2021).
Most recently, James composed music for Arthur Schnitzler’s La Ronde, produced by The Meat Machine in August 2024. Up next, they will be composing music for Blank Theatre Company’s production of Tony Kushner’s A Bright Room Called Day, which will be performed in December 2024.
“Speaking as a performer, I think James is the ideal composer for collaboration. They are someone who writes music that is simultaneously complex and inviting. I love to play their music, and audiences are moved by it as well.”
—Dr. Brianna Matzke
Pianist
“As a playwright, James flat out makes my plays better. They have collaborated with me on multiple projects, and have a gift of making magic from the shreds of disjointed ideas and hopes I give them. They are an amazing listener, collaborator, and artist, and every project I get to work on with them is a gift.
—Maggie Lou Rader
Actor / Playwright / Teaching Artist
“I have worked with James on multiple projects where their music was showcased, but my absolute favorite was the original music they composed for a production of Proof by David Auburn. I gave them what felt like the most complicated descriptors, and they returned the most beautiful original musical compliment to a show I’ve ever experienced. They truly captured the complicated beauty of this play in musical form."
— Torie Wiggins
Actor / VO Artist / Director / Instructor