Nathan Dale Short (they/them) is a Chicago-based theatre-maker, director, and producer whose work centers community, collaboration, and the belief that theatre should crack something open—not tie it up neatly. Their relationship with performance began early (thanks to a high school production of Seussical their mother tricked them into auditioning for), and quickly became a lifelong practice rooted in curiosity, rigor, and play.

In Chicago, Nathan’s performance work includes Mauritius, Love/Sick (Parker Players), Rumors (MadKap), The Minutes (Edge of the Wood – Jeff Award Nomination), Promises, Promises (Blank Theatre – Jeff Award Nomination), An Act of God (WSRep), and 13 Suits (The Outer Loop). Across companies and styles, they gravitate toward work that is sharp, funny, and socially aware. Nathan loves plays that invite audiences to lean in rather than sit back; comedy that comes at a cost.

As a director and producer, Nathan is particularly invested in new work development and ensemble-driven processes. They are the founder of A Short Leap Theatre Company, where they directed two productions in the inaugural season: Beth Hyland’s Clearing and Friends With Guns by Stephanie Alison Walker. Nathan’s work continues to help shape programming that prioritizes risk, care, and conversation. Their directing work also includes staged readings of new musicals such as Give It a Year, Kissing the Frog Prince, and Q2Qsical: The Q2Q Musical.

Nathan frequently serves as a casting director and early collaborator on new plays, working closely with playwrights to support scripts at formative stages. They have assisted DC Cathro in casting multiple new works and have cast readings of Chomp, Clone, So I Was Dating This Serial Killer…, and others, all projects unified by experimentation and trust in the rehearsal room.

Prior to relocating to Chicago, Nathan founded Sunrise Theatre Company in Topeka, Kansas, serving as Producing Artistic Director for two years. That experience of building an organization from the ground up continues to inform their Chicago-based work, particularly in creating artist-first systems and sustainable, community-rooted practices.

Outside of the theatre, Nathan is an avid reader, professional mixologist, house DJ (“thatoneguy”), coffee connoisseur, aspiring cicerone, and devoted roommate to two senior pets, Theo (dog) and Al (cat). These identities inform a practice grounded in hospitality, rhythm, and care—both onstage and off.

Nathan’s guiding philosophy is simple: “Lift while you climb. Can’t reach? Use my shoulders.”

NathanDaleShort.com

ASL Credits: Clearing; Friends With Guns (Director, 2025)