LOGAN – The associate director of the Lyric Repertory Company here, Jason Spelbring, has been named as the new artistic director of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival.
Spelbring will replace Denice Hicks, the outgoing longtime executive artistic director of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival following a month-long transition period in September.
Hicks welcomed her replacement, calling Spelbring “a kind compassionate professional with years of experience” and a “big win” for her troupe.
“Jason is going to lead this company to new height,” she predicted. “I cannot wait to support him every step of the way.”
“I am fully aware that I will have some big shoes to fill as Executive Artistic Director Denice Hicks steps down after decades of leadership serving the mission of the NSF,” Spelbring acknowledged. “She is truly one of a kind.”
In addition to his role in the Lyric Repertory Company, Spelbring has been serving as an associate professor of Theatre Arts at Utah State University since 2019.
“We’re certainly sorry to see Jason leave us,” admitted Richie Call, the department chair for Theatre Arts at USU. “But we’re also thrilled about this incredible opportunity for him.
“Jason has incredible energy and he’s a visionary leader,” Call added. “’Nashville Shakes’ is in for a very exciting next chapter.”
In his dual capacities, Spelbring worked as director of the Lyric productions of Mama Mia!, Baskerville: A Sherlock Homes Mystery and Disney’s Freaky Friday as well as choreographing the USU production of Pericles and staging ferocious combat scenes in the Lyric production of Macbeth.
The NSF recruiters were also doubtless impressed by Spelbring’s contributions to previous Shakespearian productions including Henry VIII, The Winter’s Tale, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the Shrew and his past association with the Tony Award-Winning Utah Shakespeare Festival, as well as the Great River Shakespeare Festival, the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival and Shakespeare East in Boston.
A native of California, Spelbring’s instructional responsibilities at USU have included period acting styles, musical theater, movement, directing and stage combat.
He holds an undergraduate degree from the Conservatory of Theater Arts at Webster University and a master’s degree in acting from the University of California, Irvine. Spelbring is also a graduate of the two-year professional actor’s training program at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts.
Spelbring is a member of the Actor’s Equity Association (AEA), the union for professional actors.
“The Nashville Shakespeare festival is thrilled to welcome Jason Spelbring to our team,” said Isabel Tipton-Krispin, the NSF’s managing director. “We are looking forward to Jason bringing not only his classic theatre expertise and artistic leadership experience but also a commitment to community that is so critical to NSF’s work.”
Since 1988, the Nashville Shakespeare Festival has been continuously producing free summer Shakespeare productions. The festival presents one main stage show in the summer and one in the winter, with educational outreach, university co-productions, touring shows and community events throughout the year.
According to Call, Spelbring will be temporarily replaced at USU by local actor/director Stefan Espinosa.
“Stefan has been teaching classes at USU for the last two years,” the department chair explained. “So he is a natural fit to come in as a visiting assistant professor to take over for Jason for one year.”
During that same period, Call said that USU will conduct a national search for a permanent replacement for Spelbring.