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Melissa James

@melrenayjames

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Dancer - Aerialist - Actress - Creator 💃🏼
Vegas based, Australian made 🇦🇺
Creator of @jailbirdstheshow 🎪
Founder and CEO of @thegildedcage.theater

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2025 new demo reel of some of the flying, dancing and playing I’ve done in recent years. Here’s to creating more art and achieving bigger dreams in 2025 and beyond….

Melissa James Bio:
Melissa James’ resume is a world’s only filigree of the arts. The Australian multi-disciplinary artist has been Dance Captain of numerous Broadway masterpieces such as ‘Chicago,’ ‘Hairspray,’ ‘Mamma Mia,’ and Future Cinema’s production of ‘Dirty Dancing,’ (Penny) and ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ (Choreographer). Melissa has bridged this unique articulation to life in the air as Associate Aerial Choreographer, Artist, and Artistic Coordinator of Franco Dragone’s “La Perle” in Dubai, starred as an Aerial Soloist at Dubai’s 2020 World Expo, headlined on the Las Vegas strip and was the star of the Opening Ceremony of the 2023 Saudi Games. In 2024, Melissa returned for another debut the Middle East where she played the lead role of ‘Celestia’ in the big top cirque extravaganza ‘Celestia Nouveau’ in which she was also Choreographer and Associate Director. Melissa rounded out 2024 performing as the featured specialty act in the US tour of ‘Velvet Underground’ and ‘A Very Merry Christmas Ball’.

#dancer #aerialist #actress #choreographer #creator #visionary #aerialartist #performanceart #aeriallyrapole #lyrapole #aerialhoop #aerialpole #pole #polefit #poledance #aerialarts #aerialdance #aerialdancer #artist #circus #circusartist #cirque by @melrenayjames

Tickets are officially LIVE.
The cells are opening and the most dangerous stories are ready to escape.

Welcome to Jail Birds — where world-class circus meets scandal, chaos and characters you’ll never forget.

If you want to experience the hottest show in Vegas, grab your tickets now before they disappear.

🎟️ Link in bio

#JailBirdsTheShow #VegasEntertainment #Circus #Cabaret #ticketsonsale by @melrenayjames

PREMIERING FOR 3 NIGHTS ONLY APRIL 7, 8, 9 IN LAS VEGAS!

This isn’t just a show.
It’s a takeover.

The first official teaser for Jail Birds is LIVE.

Savage. Seductive. Uncontainable.

Vegas… you’re not ready.

Hit play. Turn it up. Watch every second.
History starts now… 🖤

#JailBirds #Cabaret #VegasEntertainment #Circus WomenOnFire by @melrenayjames

Happy Halloween! It has been SUCH an honour to spend nearly every night in a Halloween world playing Lady Palms at Lady Palms Haunted Inn. This role was incredibly challenging but equally rewarding and I have grown yet again as an emcee, improv actress and character actor. Immersive theatre always presents different challenges and ever changing environments and as such, it stands as probably my favourite style of theatre. Every night we get to invite people into a world we create and encourage them to play with us. That may be why I love it so much. I perform for selfish reasons because it’s what I love to do, but doing the immersive shows and seeing how much people are willing and wanting to play make believe with us is truly endearing.

And that is the power of theater. So it is with the deepest gratitude I get to step on stage one last time this evening and play Lady Palms and invite people into this crazy, fun, chaotic world.

Forever grateful to @shaylanay, @enlightened_entertainment_ , @donovanfriedman , @themedreamproductions and Nick Olivero for taking a chance on me once again and letting me bring this character to life 🖤💜

#immersivetheater #popupplayground #ladypalmshauntedinn #actress #improvtheatre by @melrenayjames

2 weeks down, 3 to go! Come see me as Lady Palms and my dysfunctional family at Lady Palms Haunted Inn Wednesday through Sunday 6-10pm. Halloween meets comedy, immersive theater, cabaret: what more could you ask for?

Come for a drink, stay for eternity… by @melrenayjames

Lady Palms Haunted Inn if official open for business! And this quirky (and rather exhausted) Lady Palms could not be more grateful.

When my dear friend and one of the most talented writer/director/actor’s I’ve ever met, Ollie, first wanted to cast me as this character I was worried about taking on such a huge role. I didn’t first see the humour, wit and charm I could bring but I trusted in his vision. And as I’ve learnt in the past, the greatest challenges are often the greatest reward.

This show and role is no exception. Witnessing Ollie, @enlightened_entertainment_ @shaylanay @donovanfriedman @themedreamproductions, our set designers, wardrobe, wig, F&B work tirelessly to make this production a reality has been truly inspiring. Because after our first week of shows, I have been able to witness the magic we create to make a difference to people’s lives. Yes we aren’t curing cancer here but seeing people’s love and desire to play, to be immersed in another world, to feel immense joy in the presence of entertainment is exactly why I will always go the extra mile.

I may be running on 5 hours of sleep and fumes of delirium, but I’m loving every moment of it…

Come see what all the fuss is about… We animate 6-10pm every Wednesday through Sunday for the month of October at @palms

#immersivetheatre #actress #improv #improvacting #popupplayground by @melrenayjames

I’ve had to reinvent myself so many times throughout my career to remain a full time artist. I’ve been an actress, dancer, singer, director, choreographer, producer, clown, emcee and somewhere along the line I added aerialist to the list. If someone showed me this photo and said “This is what you’ll be doing for your job at 40” there’s no way I would have believed them.

If I could tell any young artist anything it’s NEVER PUT LIMITS ON YOURSELF. The outside world will try to but that will have no effect if you accept your limitless potential. Never stop learning: take class constantly, try new skills that force you to be uncomfortable, see shows/read books/watch movies that inspire your creative vessel, train when your body allows but find other ways to stay present as an artist when it doesn’t.

I get to open a new show next week as a lead actor in an immersive production before I get to tour for 7 weeks as a solo aerialist and dancer all whilst trying to build a company, write shows and create business plans, budgets and pitches for my show. And yes while I may not sleep much some days, the point is if you just keep showing up every day, it is inevitable that something will happen. You don’t have to know how, when and why, just keep showing up.

And on the days you struggle to, give me a buzz because no matter what, I ALWAYS have time for those I love 🩷

#aerialist #dancer #actress #creator #badassmftryingtomakeadifferenceinthisworld by @melrenayjames

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” — Thomas Merton

Maybe this is why it’s always been my favourite form of therapy…

#artist #aerialist #dancer #creator #aerialcage

📸 @imagesbyod by @melrenayjames

So excited to be premiering this new apparatus in @amagicalcirquechristmas this year! This was originally a prototype for what will be an aerial lantern but while it’s still in development, it makes for quite a pretty prop. Excited to share yet another new creation before the years end!

Always greatful to @imagesbyod for his amazing shots!

Apparatus build by the brilliant @steve_gale

#aerialist #dancer #artist #circus #aerialcage by @melrenayjames

Some jobs come along every once in a while that reignite a fire in me I didn’t know I needed. Camp Palms has been that for me. Getting to play the unhinged, wildly inappropriate Nurse Candy with a cast and crew of some of the most generous, kind, hilarious human beings has been an absolute dream. I’ve learnt in my career that the definition of success isn’t about the money or accolades, but waking up every day excited to go to work. Hence why life right now = winning.

Come check us out, you only have until August 9 before Camp Palms is closing up for the summer!

CAMP PALMS SPIRIT SOAR!!!!

#camppalms #nursecandy #immersivetheatre #actress #dancer by @melrenayjames

So in love with my new toy! After only a few R&D sessions, there is so much movement vocabulary on this thing. So grateful to be inspired to play and create again. Can’t wait to see where this goes and share this new act I have brewing 😈

#aerialist #dancer #aeriallantern #aerialcage #circus by @melrenayjames

After a few weeks off training due to other shows, rehearsals and a quick trip to recoup, it feels good (and slightly painful) to find some flow and get back to in the air 💪🏻

#aerialist #circus #aerialhoop #lyra #aerialdancer by @melrenayjames