Nashville Shakespeare Festival Names Jason Spelbring As Its New Artistic Director

The Board of Directors of Nashville Shakespeare Festival has selected Jason Spelbring as its new Artistic Director.

Jason Spelbring is a theatre director, administrator, educator, and producer. He has served as associate artistic director, artistic associate/resident director at Lyric Repertory Company, and associate professor/assistant department head in the Department of Theatre Arts at Utah State University’s Caine College of the Arts. 

“I was immediately struck by how at home I felt in Nashville. The leadership, staff, and board of directors at the Nashville Shakespeare Festival were so kind and inviting. I quickly realized that NSF was an organization I needed to be a part of, and serving as Artistic Director would be a joy, " Spelbring says.

"I am fully aware that I have some big shoes to fill as Executive Artistic Director Denice Hicks steps down after decades of leadership serving the mission of NSF, stewardship through a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic, and collaboration and dedication to the Nashville Theatre community. She truly is one of a kind. I look forward to sharing space with Denice and gleaning as much information from her as possible.”

Spelbring has a wealth of experience with Shakespeare Festivals, serving as director, movement director, intimacy and fight director, and more, as well as working with the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival. 

“We are so excited about all that Jason will bring to NSF, both in terms of artistic vision and his dedication to continuing to serve the Nashville community,” a press release read.