Producer James Simon

James Simon never intended to become a producer. His earliest connection to theater came through acting, a path he followed throughout his childhood in school plays and summer camp performances. Over time, he took a few detours—college studies, work in radio—but eventually found himself drawn back to the stage in a new and unexpected way. Today, James L. Simon is known as a Broadway producer with two Tony Award nominations and a growing list of production credits in both New York and the United Kingdom. Born and raised in Bronxville, New York, James attended Emerson College in Boston, where he studied communications. After college, he spent a few years working in radio before relocating to New York City in the early 1990s to focus on acting full-time. As with many actors starting in the city, he took on multiple jobs to make ends meet. But what began as a way to support himself slowly turned into something more lasting. His first behind-the-scenes experience came on the revival of Damn Yankees, a Broadway production that showed him just how much effort it takes to get a show on its feet. That experience marked a turning point. It was then that Producer James Simon emerged—shifting from performance to the production side of theater. James began to build a reputation for identifying strong concepts and gathering the right people to bring them to the stage. He combined creative judgment with the practical skills needed to guide projects from the planning stage to opening night. His steady approach enabled him to make meaningful contributions to the theater industry. James L. Simon received his first Tony nomination for Bells Are Ringing in the Best Revival of a Musical category. He earned another nomination more recently for Operation Mincemeat, which was recognized as a Best New Musical. He co-produced The Woman in Black Off-Broadway, which went on to win Best Play Revival from the Off-Broadway Alliance.