James Millar is an Australian actor, singer and writer. He wrote the musical drama The Hatpin, the song cycle LOVEBiTES and co-wrote the semi-autobiographical musical A Little Touch of Chaos.
While studying in Perth, he was directed and tutored by a number of notable Australian performers such as David King, Tony Sheldon, Nick Enright, Roma Conway, Rhys McConnochie, Adam Cook, John Milson and Nancye Hayes. Prior to graduating, he starred in the original recording and premiere performance of Up by Eddie Perfect, Susannah, Spurboard, The Pajama Game, Pacific Overtures, Perfectly Frank, The Crucible, Fiddler on the Roof and The Wild Party.
In 2010, Millar and collaborator Peter Rutherford were commissioned to workshop and produce their third book musical A Little Touch of Chaos at WAAPA.[2] In 2013, Millar was invited to direct WAAPA's production of Assassins, by the third year music theatre students, which opened in August 2013.[3]
Millar has penned a number of original cabaret shows, including Moments of Breathtaking Stupidity which he performed with Verity Hunt-Ballard in both Sydney and Melbourne in 2004; The Story Goes On for Amanda Harrison; Poison Soprano; Ten Things I Hate About Cabaret; Impossible Blonde; and Amelia Cormack's Love For Sale, which enjoyed four return seasons.[1]
He was also the winner of the 2004 Premiere Cabaret Showcase in Sydney which resulted in the performance of his second cabaret show, Other People's Stories, followed by a tour with celebrated Australian actor Amanda Muggleton in the cabaret Naughty.
Millar performed in a vocal trio with fellow actors Ian Stenlake and Scott Irwin, called Bravo.
In cabaret circles, he is known for his appearance in ShowQueen Sessions which toured Sydney and Melbourne.[4]
In March 2010, Millar featured in Another Opening Another Show at Chapel off Chapel in Melbourne and ShowStoppers produced by Lisa and David Campbell's company Luckiest Productions.
Millar was cast in the defunct production of Floyd Collins for the Kookaburra Theatre Company; however he, like the rest of the cast, made himself available for a one-off concert performance on 3 May 2010.[7] This production also starred Peter Cousens, Michael Falzon, Trisha Crowe and Queenie van de Zandt.
In April 2015, it was announced that Millar would play Miss Trunchbull in the Australian premiere season of Matilda the Musical opening in Sydney in July.
In 2023, Millar was invited to direct Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide, South Australia.
BBC Radio Voice of Musical Theatre
In 2006 he was invited to Cardiff for BBC Radio 2's Voice of Musical Theatre, one of only a select few international artists featured to perform each year.[1]
The Hatpin
In 2006 and 2007, Millar wrote and developed the musical The Hatpin alongside composer Peter Rutherford, based on a series of infanticides committed in Sydney by John and Sarah Makin (renamed Agatha and Charles for the show) in 1892, as well as the attempts by single mother Amber Murray to find justice for her son Horace.[10]
In 2008, The Hatpin was accepted into the New York Musical Theatre Festival, where it played in reduced-format with a US cast at The American Theatre of Actors.[13]
LOVEBiTES
Following the success of The Hatpin, Millar teamed up again with Rutherford for the song cycle LOVEBiTES in 2008. Millar appeared as a performer in the production along with Octavia Barron Martin, Tyler Burness, and Sarah Croser.[14] The production received a revival in 2009.
LOVEBiTES returned in 2009, when it earned two Glugs Award nominations and a season at Perth's Playhouse in 2010. The Perth cast again included Millar, with Amelia Cormack, David Harris and Sophia Ragavelas.[15] An official cast recording was done with the 2009 cast and released in February 2010[16]