James Cleeve

Musical Director & Composer




"James Cleeve’s smoothly accomplished musical supervision hits advanced standards".
The Guardian on Yank!

Current Projects

Ushers | The Other Palace | Cover Musical Director

Longitude | The Gatehouse | Musical Director

Bette and Baby Joan and Baby Jane | JW3 | Composer & Musical Director

Christine Bovill: Piaf To Pop | The Pheasantry | Musical Director & Pianist

West End Musical Choir | Musical Director

I am an experienced Musical Director and Composer who loves to get the best out of the people I work with.

I've MD'd numerous theatrical productions, workshops, cabarets and education projects in London and across the UK, including conducting in the Festival Hall and playing in West End pits. I play piano, keyboards, accordion and organ, and also transcribe, arrange and orchestrate.

I'm currently composing and workshopping two new musicals - Bette and Joan & Baby Jane and Oh Yes I Am! - and won the Iris Theatre Xmas Factor Prize with "Heroes of Christmas, Celebrated Panto Dames" .

Check out Sound Cloud to hear my work, and feel free to get in touch - I'm always on the lookout for great projects with great people!

I'm represented by Access Artiste Management.

Highlights


Yank!

Charing Cross Theatre
Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Musical Director

Following a critically acclaimed European Premiere in Manchester, The Squad of Company Y transferred into London with this really special show written by the Zellnik brothers.
Set in the U.S. Military during WW2, this intimate love story between two men captured the imaginations of audiences and the press alike.
★★★★★ Attitude
★★★★ The Guardian
★★★★ The Stage
★★★★ Daily Express

Emilia

Mountview
Composer & Arranger

Mountview staged the first performance of this fantastic piece after its run in the West End. My compositions for this production have been licenced by Nick Hern Books, and are now offered to all companies performing the play.

Alice in Sunderland

National Theatre Studio
Musical Director & Arranger

An amazing couple of weeks working with director Mark Bell and writer Mark Ravenhill on an exciting adaptation of this graphic novel. I was also lucky enough to arrange the beautiful music of Jez Lowe for our talented cast.

The Sound of Music

National Tour
Associate Musical Director

Associate MD for David Steadman on the BKL National Tour, starring Lucy O'Byrne and Andrew Lancel.
"A cast full of marvellous musical theatre voices ... Is there a stronger score in Broadway history?" (Broadway World)

Pinocchio

Orange Tree Theatre Richmond
Composer & Musical Director

I wrote the songs and score for this gorgeous adaptation of the classic children's tale, staged over Christmas 2021 at the Orange Tree.
Time & Leisure wrote: "The songs work astonishingly well - catchy and memorable for kids and adults alike – a rare feat in fringe musical theatre".

Oh Yes I Am!

King's Head Theatre | Bread & Roses Theatre
Composer & Musical Director

Lyricist Mike Stocks and I were extremely proud to premiere our first show at the gorgeous King's Head Theatre. After a sell-out opening night, The Reviews Hub gave us ★★★★ - "A highly entertaining show!"
Our transfer to the Bread & Roses Theatre went on to get ★★★★★ from Broadway Baby and Musical Theatre Review. Very chuffed!

CV

Theatre

2024 Longitude The Gatehouse
2024 Ushers: The Front of House Musical
(Cover MD)		 The Other Palace
2023-4 Betty & Joan & Baby Jane
(& Composer)		 The Other Palace and JW3
2023 Once
(& Additional Arrangements)		 Mountview
2022 Sleeping Beauty New Theatre Royal Portsmouth "Top-class orchestra...Panto exactly as it ought to be"
Chichester Observer
2022 Oh Yes I Am!
(& Composer)		 King's Head Theatre ★★★★★ Broadway Baby
★★★★★ Musical Theatre Review
★★★★ The Reviews Hub
2022 New Zealand Young Shakespeare Company Shakespeare's Globe
2022 Cells Season II Metta Theatre
2022 Twelfth Night Shakespeare's Globe / Royal College of Scotland
2021 Pinocchio
(& Composer)		 Orange Tree Theatre Richmond
2021 Dick Whittington Jordan Productions
2021 Tonight at the Musicals Paul Burton Productions
2021 [title of show] Mountview
2019 Cinderella Jordan Productions
2019 Emilia
(& Composer)		 Mountview
2019 Alice in Sunderland
(& Arranger)		 National Theatre Studio
2019 Liza Pulman Sings Streisand National Tour
2019 Yank! Renuion Concert Cafe de Paris
2019 Swallows & Amazons
(& Orchestrator/Arranger)		 Mountview
2018 Dick Whittington Jordan Productions
2018 East 15 Young Shakespeare Company Shakespeare's Globe
2018 San Domino
(& Orchestrator/Arranger)		 Tristan Bates Theatre ★★★★★ The Gay UK
★★★★ Musical Theatre Review & London Theatre 1
2018 Liza Pulman Sings Streisand National Tour
2018 9 To 5 Gaiety Theatre, Isle of Man
2017 Jack & The Beanstalk Gordon Craig Stevenage
2017 Yank! Charing Cross Theatre ★★★★ Daily Express, Broadway World & WhatsOnStage
2017 Yank! Hope Mill Theatre Manchester ★★★★★ Attitude
★★★★ The Guardian & The Stage
2017 Sing Before You Speak Again
(Associate MD)		 Young Vic
2016 New Zealand Young Shakespeare Company Shakespeare's Globe
2016 Peter Pan Gordon Craig Stevenage
2016 The Sound of Music
(Associate MD)		 National Tour
2015 Ushers: The Front of House Musical Arts Theatre West End ★★★★★ The Scotsman
2015 Sleeping Beauty Gordon Craig Stevenage ★★★★ The Stage
2015 Midnight The Other Palace ★★★★★ Musical Theatre Review
2015 Elegies
(Associate MD)		 Criterion
2014 San Domino Grimeborn @ Arcola Theatre
2013 A Class Act The Landor ★★★★★ Whats On Stage
2013 Avenue Q Theatre Royal Windsor
2013 - 2016 Lambeth Singing Festival Concerts Royal Festival Hall
2012 The Mystery of Edwin Drood Arts Theatre West End ★★★★ Time Out
2012 The Sound of Music Theatre Royal Windsor
2011 Oliver! Theatre Royal Windsor
2010 Mad About The Musicals National Tour

Cabaret

2023 Christine Bovil: Piaf to Pop National Tour
2023 Dillie Keane National Tour
2022 Christine Bovill: Paris National Tour
2021 Are You Ready?
Jess Robinson
2020 Jess Robinson Glastonbury & National Tour
2020 Shoo Shoo Baby National Tour
2019 Caroline Nin: Piaf Celebrate Voices Festival
2019 Claire Sweeney: Cabaret P&O Cruises
2019 Dillie Keane: Love & Other Bad Ideas National Tour
2019 Wendi Peters: Live at Zedel Crazy Coqs
2018 Claire Sweeney: Cabaret P&O Cruises
2018 Wendi Peters: Let Me Sing & I'm Happy P&O Cruises
2016 Wendi Peters: Let Me Sing & I'm Happy The Other Palace ★★★★ Musical Theatre Review
2016 Christine Bovill: Paris Crazy Coqs
2016 The Ruby Darlings Edinburgh Festival
2016 D'yan Forest: A Broad Abroad Edinburgh Festival
2013 - Present Black Cat Cabaret Crazy Coqs, Cafe de Paris, Cafe Royal

Composition

2023 Bette & Joan & Baby Jane The Other Palace - Musical Bites Season
2022 Oh Yes I Am! King's Head Theatre ★★★★★ Broadway Baby
★★★★★ Musical Theatre Review
★★★★ The Reviews Hub
2021 Pinocchio Orange Tree Theatre Richmond "The songs work astonishingly well"
Time & Leisure
2020 Beginnings London Accordion Orchestra
2019 Emilia Nick Hern Books
2019 Noye's Fludde Retold ENO Baylis
2019 Die Fledermaus Retold Baseless Fabric Opera
2018 Heroes of Christmas Iris Theatre Xmas Factor

Keys & Accordion

2020 Liza Pulman: The Heart of It National Tour & London MD - Joseph Atkins
2016 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang National Tour Dep MD - Andrew Hilton
2015 Top Hat National Tour Dep MD - Jae Alexander
2014 Jacques Brel is Alive & Well Charing Cross Theatre MD - Dean Austin
2012-13 Top Hat Aldwych & National Tour Dep MD - Dan Jackson
2012 Victor/Victoria Southwark Playhouse MD - Joseph Atkins

Education, Outreach & Choral Direction

2009 - Present Mountview Trinity Laban
LAMDA Italia Conti
Southbank Centre ENO Engage
Young Vic Taking Part Glyndebourne Learning & Engagement
West End Musical Choir Spitalfields Music
Associated Studios Hackney Music Development Trust
West End Workshop Ambassador Theatre Group