HKAPA

James Mark has been serving the community in social services, performing arts and theatre education for more than 40 years. In the 1950’s, he studied under the tutorship of Professor Xiong Shiyi at the Tsing Wah College. He later enrolled in the Southern Drama Group of Shaw’s Brothers Studio and started his training in drama studies. In the 1980’s, Mark received further training in stage management and technical direction at the London Royal Opera House.

With an endeavour to promote performing arts in Hong Kong, Mark established the Catholic Youth Drama Group in 1968 and formed the Hong Kong Theatre For All in the following year by combining five drama groups. Supported by the then Urban Council, they launched the ‘One Dollar Drama Movement’. He was appointed the Liaison Officer of the Hong Kong International Arts Festival at its first six years. In 1982-87, he was the Technical Director of the Hong Kong Performing Companies Office. He directed numerous productions for the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre Company. Departure at River Yi, the very first opera of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra was one of his works. He also founded the first in Hong Kong a commercial theatre company, High Noon Production Company in 1987.

Mark is passionate in theatre education. He has been a member of the Advisory Board at the School of Drama and School of Technical Arts of the Academy. He sat on a number of Advisory Boards in government, non-governmental organisations and performing art companies, giving invaluable advices on theatre policies, and also led artist-in-residence schemes at theatres and educational institutions. In 2000-2005, he developed the ‘To Enliven Oneself’ programme to enhance the qualities of children and youth, a lot of teachers in Shanghai and Beijing have been benefited by the programme. Mark is highly praised as a pioneer in Stage Management in Hong Kong. He has been teaching Stage Management courses at the School of Continuing Studies of the Chinese University of Hong Kong since 1980.

Apart from being the consultant of James Mark Theatre Consultant Company, Mark is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Drama Societies and assists in the organisation of the 6th Chinese Drama Festival to be held in Hong Kong in 2007.