OUR TEAM

James, along with partners Paul Davis and Erica Jensen, runs Calleri Jensen Davis where they have been awarded 14 Artios Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Casting. 

 James began his casting career at ABC Television under Alexa Fogel and at Lincoln Center Theater under Daniel Swee, whom he credits for giving him his first big breaks. James then made his home at Playwrights Horizons where he served as Casting Director. It was at Playwrights where he cast for his idols including favorite writers Craig Lucas, Christopher Durang, Lynn Nottage, Jon Robin Baitz, Kenneth Lonergan, Jessica Goldberg, Richard Nelson, Peter Hedges, Kia Corthron and David Greenspan. He hung his shingle at Playwrights for 10 years before setting up shop as Calleri Casting with Erica and Paul. 

James has proudly served on the Board of the Casting  Society of America. He also heads the Graduate MFA Acting Program at Columbia University School of the Arts where he serves as an Associate Professor of Theater. He has taught at acting programs across the country and as far as Shanghai, China. He also runs calleristudio.com where he coaches and teaches professional actors.  

James is the co-author with Robert Cohen of ACTING PROFESSIONALLY: RAW FACTS ABOUT CAREERS IN ACTING, published by Palgrave MacMillan. In its eighth edition it is one of the leading books in the country for young actors.  

He resides in New York City and at his farmhouse upstate in Saugerties, New York.

Erica officially became a Black business owner when Calleri Casting was formed. As one third of the Artios-Award winning team of Calleri Jensen Davis she has worked steadily in film, television and theater for over 20 years. Erica’s career began with an internship in the casting office at Playwrights Horizons, which is where she met James Calleri and discovered a love for casting. Her internship led to a position as the Talent Coordinator on Comedy Central’s Chappelle’s Show during its second season. She returned to work with James when he was hired to cast the ABC sitcom Hope & Faith. Shortly after, Calleri Casting was officially formed and has been her professional home ever since.

In addition to her work in casting, Erica is a faculty member at The New School where she teaches Acting As A Business and Industry Showcase. She is the Industry Mentor for the graduate students at Brown/Trinity Rep. And with her business partner and talent manager Dani Super she co-owns and runs She-Collective, a women only acting and writing studio in New York. Originally from Tampa, FL., Erica moved to New York City after graduate school in 2000. She currently resides in Brooklyn where she is raising her daughter. She enjoys spending time with her dog, running marathons, watching TV and yoga.

Erica was named American Theater magazine's Top Theater Workers you should know in 2017. Erica holds an MFA in Acting from Illinois State University. She is a proud member of the Casting Society of America.

Paul hails from San Diego. As a child, he caught the creative bug in classes at San Diego Junior Theater and from attending performances at Starlight in Balboa Park with his family, who were front row season ticket holders.  Paul met James Calleri At UC Irvine where, as a grad student, Calleri taught Paul’s first year acting class. They remained friends and pen pals in a time before e-mail. 

Paul started his career in casting as the Assistant on the Broadway revivals of Annie Get Your Gun and Chicago. He subsequently worked with Mark Simon Casting, and later at USA Films and Focus Features.   

On his own, Paul cast The Crumple Zone for Jason Moore, the Obie-winning A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant for Alex Timbers and Kyle Jarrow, as well as God’s Ear for New Georges and The Vineyard. 

Prior to partnering with James and Erica full time, Paul cast commercials and short films with Stacy Gallo. His professional teaching appointments include Syracuse University’s Tepper Semester, The New School, and Brooklyn College. Davis holds a BA in Drama from UC Irvine.  

Proud member of Casting Society of America.