James Bruce Lyttle. Born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in North Bay, Ontario on September 20, 1952. Grew up there and in Toronto, then attended high school in the village of Rodney (60 kilometres West of London). Known as Bruce Lyttle until the mid-1980s, respecting Dad’s prior claim to the name Jim Lyttle.
Travelled back and forth across Canada in showbands with Bill Caldwell’s Canadian Talent Productions out of London and later with the Hogan Entertainment Agency of Toronto: playing guitar and occasionally keyboards or bass, singing, providing patter and limited comedy, while arranging both the music and vocal harmonies. Created 20-minute medley of songs from The Beatles, another with songs of The Beach Boys, and another from songs by The Four Seasons. These were a big hit in show sets, but were hard to dance to.
Left full-time performing in 1980 to take a job with Electrohome Electronics in Kitchener working on the Canadian government’s Telidon Project under Patrick R. Anthony. While doing that, played in part-time bands, produced musical arrangements for The Johnnie Johnston Show, and designed and/or operated the lighting for dozens of plays in Toronto theatres.
MUSICIAN/VOCALIST, 1970-1988
Knowbody’s Children— Part-time, 1970-1973
— Full-time, 1974-1975
Parnell
— Full-time, 1975-1977
Britannia
— Full-time, 1977-1978
Johnnie Johnston
— Full-time, 1978-1980
Country Fever
— Part-time, 1980-1983
Dianne and the Cavaliers
— Part-time, 1983-1985
Awesome Possum
— Part-time, 1986-1988
Pearl City
— Summer Tour, 1988
LIGHTING OPERATOR, 1991-1992
Apparitions— Theater Passe Muraille
The Love Talker
— Theater Passe Muraille
Coming Out of the Fridge
— Tarragon Extra Space
The Unveiling
— International Drama Ensemble
Frenzy for Two
— International Drama Ensemble
The Learned Women
— International Drama Ensemble
The Lower Depths
— International Drama Ensemble
LIGHTING DESIGNER, 1992-2001
No Sex, Please. We’re British— York Centennial Theatre
A Murder Has Been Arranged
— York Centennial Theatre
The Playboy of the Western World
— York Centennial Theatre
Hay Fever
— York Centennial Theatre
Blithe Spirit
— York Centennial Theatre
Nude with Violin
— York Centennial Theatre
Same Time Next Year
— York Centennial Theatre
My Three Angels
— The Village Playhouse
You Can’t Take It With You
— York Centennial Theatre
The Man Who Came to Dinner
— York Centennial Theatre
George Washington Slept Here
— York Centennial Theatre
The Affections of May
— The Village Playhouse
— York Centennial Theatre
Arsenic and Old Lace
— York Centennial Theatre
All My Sons
— York Centennial Theatre
Steel Magnolias
— The Village Playhouse
Night of the Iguana
— York Centennial Theatre
A Walk in the Woods
— York Centennial Theatre
Breaking Legs
— York Centennial Theatre
Charley’s Aunt
— The Village Playhouse
No Sex, Please. We’re British
— The Village Playhouse
Lost in Yonkers
— York Centennial Theatre
Dancing at Lughnasa
— York Centennial Theatre
— York Centennial Theatre
Incredible Murder of Cardinal Tosca
— The Village Playhouse
Rosemary & Thyme
— Tarragon Extra Space
A Slight Case of Murder
— York Centennial Theatre
Of Mice and Men
— York Centennial Theatre
Other People’s Money
— York Centennial Theatre
Dining with Friends
— The Glen Morris Theatre
Andrew My Dearest One
— The Lab on Britain Street
The Golden Pathway Annual
— Studio 311 (Ryerson Theatre)
Outside of Heaven
— Studio 311 (Ryerson Theatre)
Coming Out of the Fridge
— Canadian Stage Upstairs Theatre
Gesundheit
— Canadian Stage Upstairs Theatre
IN AMERICA SINCE 2001
Stand-Up Comedy Experience— American Comedy Institute
— Under Stephen Rosenfield
— Did 5 minutes at Caroline’s
Certified Community Producer
— Brooklyn Cable Access TV
Television Producer
— Public Access Cable TV Duluth
