James Nicholson's work has been professionally produced on three continents and has received both National and International Awards. He has received multi[le Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Missouri Arts Council and has participated in official Artistic Exchanges to both Irelands and the Peoples' Republic of China.

An alumnus (and former member of the Board of Directors) of New Dramatists, he is a member of PEN, the Playwrights Center and an active member of The Dramatists Guild. He has participated in both the National Playwrights' Conference and the MidWest PlayLabs, has received writing Fellowships in this country, Scotland and Ireland and has had his plays workshopped by theatres from New York to Los Angeles.

He has been Playwright in Residence at The Repertory Theatre of Saint Louis and an Artist in Residence at Shakespeare's Globe in London and has received commissions from, among others, both of those institutions, The New Theatre, the National Endowment for the Art