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James Hagan launched his career at the Perth Playhouse in 1975. After seven years touring Britain and Europe with the renowned Australian theatre company Triad Stage Alliance, he collaborated with English-speaking theatres in Frankfurt, Germany, and Florence, Italy. Since returning to Australia in 1985, James has maintained a steady presence in theatre, film, and radio, performing in over forty Australian theatre productions.
He earned the New York Radio Festival Silver (1st) prize in 1987 and Bronze (2nd) prize in 1989 for narration in radio advertisements. James is a well-known voice-over artist in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, particularly recognized for his anti-smoking campaigns with Quit Smoking Australia, delivering the message that "every cigarette is doing you damage."
His extensive stage credits include performances with Hole In The Wall, Black Swan, Cross Roads, Sydney Theatre Company, The Ensemble, Hunter Valley Theatre Company, and Marian Street Theatre. With Parramatta Theatre Company, he portrayed Henry Higgins in Pygmalion and Claudius in Hamlet. At the New Theatre, he played Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream. For Shakespeare By The Sea, his roles included Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, The Duke in Measure For Measure, Lear in King Lear, Baptista in Taming Of The Shrew, Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Jacques in As You Like It, and Autolycus in The Winter's Tale. More recent stage appearances include Baptista in Taming of the Shrew and the professor in Oleana with the Bell Theatre Company at the Tap Gallery.
James has received excellent reviews for his theatre work, such as Ron Banks of the West Australian in 1987 praising his role as Baylor in Lie of the Mind at Perth Playhouse: "James Hagan as Beth's father almost but not quite overwhelms the rest of the cast." Colin Rose of the Sun Herald lauded his performance as John in Oleana at Tap Gallery in 2002: "As the professor, James Hagan is superb." He won the Best Actor award from the Equity Guild of WA for his portrayal in Red, presented on 23 January 2013 at the Perth Cultural Centre.
He has worked extensively with ABC Radio, recording a wide range of material including book readings, plays, scientific programs, and poetry. His voice features in numerous television commercials and radio voice-overs.
Beyond theatre, James has appeared in various film and television productions such as Intransit, Mary MacKillop, Wind, Rondella, The Diary of Watkin Tench, Headstart, Artful Dodger, Backburner, Stark, GP, Police Rescue II, Maths Break, and Fat Cat and the Time Bandits. His recent film roles include a mystery man in Needle (2010), the lead male role as the husband in Little Sparrows (2010), the police superintendent in The Great Mint Swindle (2011), and Father Bernard, an exorcist, in Foreshadow (2013).
James is highly sought after as a voice and drama coach for actors, announcers, and business professionals. He has served as a speech and drama instructor for NIDA Outreach, the Department of Education Performing Arts in Sydney, John Curtin Performing Arts, and various Screen Acting Workshops in both Sydney and Perth.
