James Silson
Show Director, Creative Development at Disney Live Entertainment | Creative Producer | Themed Entertainment, Immersive Experiences & Nighttime Spectaculars
- Role
- Park Show Director - Disney\'s Animal Kingdom at The Walt Disney Company
- Location
- Orlando, FL, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About James Silson
Creative leader with 20+ years of experience conceiving, developing, and delivering immersive entertainment experiences for Disney parks and live productions. My work sits at the intersection of narrative, design integration, music, performance, technology, and guest experience—shaping projects from early concept through implementation. In my role as Show Director within the Creative Development team at Disney Live Entertainment, I originate concepts, develop vision materials and scripted frameworks, guide collaboration across art direction, media, music, scenic, costume, puppetry, lighting, sound, and special effects, and partner with executive, operational, and IP stakeholders to ensure experiences are both creatively ambitious and brand-aligned. My portfolio includes large-scale nighttime spectaculars, immersive entertainment, theatrical productions, and global park experiences, including an IAAPA Brass Ring Award-winning production. In parallel, I have also directed and produced works outside Disney, including new musical development, where I have led dramaturgy, script revision, music shaping, visual storytelling, and production execution across multiple disciplines. I have also contributed as a speaker and presenter, including co-presenting The Story of the Spectacular at IAAPA and appearing as a featured expert on Disney+’s Behind the Attraction episode on nighttime spectaculars, as well as We Call It Imagineering: Building Castles. I’m especially energized by roles that require creative leadership across teams, strong narrative instincts, strategic collaboration, and the ability to carry a project from blue-sky ideation to opening night.
Experience
Park Show Director - Disney\'s Animal Kingdom
Jun 2023 — Present · Lake Buena Vista, FL, US
Creative DevelopmentDisney Live EntertainmentServe as the executive creative liaison between Disney Live Entertainment and Disney’s Animal Kingdom—leading park-wide storytelling strategy and immersive guest experience design in alignment with creative vision and executive priorities. Partner cross-functionally across all lines of business to shape cohesive, emotionally resonant narratives. Drive ideation and early-phase development for future entertainment offerings that evolve the park’s experiential ecosystem.
Education
Silson Home School
GED, Academics, Performing Arts
Bristol Community College
Certificate - Computer Applications, Music Theory and Composition
Art Sake Studios
Meisner, Film Acting
School of Hard Knocks
Street Smarts, Common Sense, Rolling With the Punches, Making Every Moment Count, Living Now
Skills
- Entertainment
- Music
- Choreography
- Songwriting
- Theatre
- Voice Over
- Corporate Events
- Video
- Musical Theatre
- Arranging
- Acting
- Puppetry
- Training
- Show Direction
- Juggling
- Balloon Artist
- Jack of All Trades
- Task Master
- Piano
- Guitar
- Tin Whistle
- Isolation
- Mime
- Team Building
- Strategic Thinking
- Communication Skills
- Workaholic
- Band
- Casting
- Comedy
- Commercials
- Costumes
- Creative Direction
- Creative Writing
- Dance
- Directing
- Drama
- Drums
- Emcee
- Entertainment Industry
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