Nathan Dale Short

Nathan Dale Short (they/them) is a passionate theatre-maker, making their start in the local high school production of Seussical their mother tricked them into auditioning for at age ten. Three days in, they were hooked. Performing in over fifty productions all over the mid-west, including "All Shook Up" (Chad), "A Moon for the Misbegotten" (Tyrone, Jr.), "South Pacific" (Emile), "Big River" (Pap/The Duke), "Finian’s Rainbow" (Senator Rawkins), "Clue" (Ensemble), "The Wizard of Oz" (Uncle Henry), and "Legally Blonde" (Ensemble), "The Fox on the Fairway" (Justin), "She Loves Me" (Kodaly), "First Date" (Aaron).

Chicago performance credits include: "Love/Sick" (Parker Players), "Rumors" (MadKap), "The Minutes" (Edge of the Wood - Jeff Nom), "Promises, Promises" (Blank - Jeff Nom), "An Act of God" (WSRep), and "13 Suits" (The Outer Loop).
Founder of Sunrise Theatre Company in Topeka, Nathan served as the Producing Artistic Director for two years, directing productions of "The Realistic Joneses," "Other Desert Cities," "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," and "30/60," a show inspired by the Neo-Futurists' "Too Much Light Makes Baby Go Blind." Nathan also produced "God of Carnage" and Co-Produced several cabarets while working with Sunrise before making their move to Chicago.
Upon their move to Chicago, Nathan found a kindred spirit in Josh Leeper, and the two of them founded A Short Leap Theatre Company, a vibrant community hub dedicated to fostering growth in emerging Chicago performing artists, fueled by celebrating "your win, my win, our win."
Chicago directing credits include "Clearing" at A Short Leap as well as "Friends with Guns" this November; several readings of new plays and musicals including "Chomp", "Clone", "So I Was Dating This Serial Killer...", "Give it a Year", Kissing the Frog Prince", and "Q2Qsical: The Q2Q Musical". Nathan also loves serving as a Casting Director, having helped DC Cathro cast several of his new works.
Nathan is also an avid reader, professional mixologist, House DJ ‘thatoneguy', a coffee connoisseur, an aspiring cicerone, and roommate to their old man of a dog, Theo.
“Lift while you climb. Can’t reach? Use my shoulders.”