1976 -1978 Co-founder and musical director of the ANGLES THEATRE COMPANY, now the ANGLES ARTS CENTRE, Wisbech, Cambs.

1980 -1984: Artistic Director/Musical Director - FRESH CLAIMS THEATRE COMPANY, CARDIFF [Fresh Claims became one of Wales' leading community touring companies achieving full revenue grant status from the Welsh Arts Council and touring extensively throughout Wales.

- Liverpool Daily Post

1985-1988: ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - SHERMAN THEATRE, Cardiff.

1988-1990: ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - SHERMAN THEATRE, Cardiff.

Plays directed at the Sherman Theatre include:

ROMEO AND JULIET - William Shakespeare
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - Tennessee Williams
BLOOD BROTHERS - Willy Russell
OUR DAY OUT - Willy Russell
VANITY FAIR - Thakeray, adapted as musical by Mike James
SPOKESONG - Stewart Parker
TRUE WEST - Sam Shepherd
GREGORY'S GIRL- (Bill Forsyth, adapted as a musical by Mike James)

Wrote and musically directed six children's shows commissioned by the Sherman Theatre/Welsh Arts Council:

OZ!
HARRY'S COMET
THE AMAZING MR TOAD
EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES
THE PIED PIPER
CRAZY JASON AND THE ASTRONAUTS

- The Guardian

Wrote and directed two plays for the MADE IN WALES STAGE COMPANY (Artistic Director, Gilly Adams):

1986 APPEARING LIVE (a chamber musical about five women working in an office)
1987 AFTER TOKYO (a satire about the yuppie mentality of the mid 80s)

1990 -1993: Appointed ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR for the TORCH THEATRE, MILFORD HAVEN.
Productions directed include: HISTORY OF MR POLLY - H.G Wells - adapted as a musical by Mike James)

1994 For the MID WALES TOURING COMPANY directed and wrote a musical adaptation of Henry Fielding's novel TOM JONES, which toured major theatres in England and Wales in 1994.

1994-98 Appointed ARTISTIC DIRECTOR for the TORCH THEATRE, MILFORD HAVEN. PRODUCTIONS INCLUDE:

CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF - Tennessee Williams
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST - Oscar Wilde
DUET FOR ONE - Tom Kempinski
RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE- Jim Cartwright
DANCING AT LUGHNASA - Brian Friel
SCHOOL FOR WIVES - Moliere - musical adaptation
UNDER MILK WOOD - Dylan Thomas

'a notable achievement for writer and director Mike James' - The Guardian

For the DYFFREN HOUSE SUMMER FESTIVAL, Cardiff (Summers '93-6) wrote and directed three open air children's musicals:
WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF? (1993)
THE FROG PRINCE (1994)
HANSEL AND GRETEL (1995)