Wesley Young, teacher, director, actor, is beginning his ninth year in Radford University’s Dept. of Theatre and Cinema where he teaches directing, acting, voice and mentors aspiring theatre artists. In addition to this work, his passions are acting and directing. This past summer he appeared in Mill Mountain Theatre’s production of Into the Woods, where next season he will direct Driving Miss Daisy.

Among the shows he has directed at RU: Pippin, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, featuring Sally Struthers, Fifth of July (also with Ms. Struthers), The Lion in Winter with Bridget Hanley, and the very popular The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas starring Susann Fletcher-Smith. Young has appeared on the RU stage himself in his all-time favorite role as Irish wit and dramatist Oscar Wilde in Diversions and Delights which he also produced and directed, and Morris Lacey in The Dark at the Top of the Stairs. Last year, he was seen as Drosselmeyer in RU Ballet Theatre’s new production of The Nutcracker and as the emcee of the RU Opera Ensemble’s Beyond Compare, a benefit for the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts.

Professional directing credits include Rounding Third and Barefoot in the Park for Kentucky Repertory Theatre, The Nerd at St. Croix Festival Theatre and The Diary of Anne Frank.

Wesley has served as voice, text and dialect coach on several productions here at RU as well as a national tour of Rent. He was also served a guest respondent for the Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory at UCLA taught by renowned musical theatre and television performer Karen Morrow.

He is a founding member of Public Theatre of Kentucky, in his hometown of Bowling Green, Kentucky. As an actor he has been seen on stages from the Northeast to California –MacHaydn Theatre, Horse Cave Theatre, Tennessee Stage Company, Smoky Mountain Shakespeare, and Nebraska Theatre Caravan, to name a few. He is particularly proud of having played Prior Walter in the Alabama premiere of Angels in America.

Memberships/affiliations: Virginia Theatre Association (board member, State SETC Auditions Coordinator), Actors’ Equity Association, Southeastern Theatre Conference, Voice and Speech Trainers Association and Theatre Communications Group.