Jason Young

Jason A. Young is the Executive Director of The Rustic Mechanicals, West Virginia’s Shakespeare troupe. A visionary leader in the Appalachian arts landscape, Young has spearheaded the company’s mission to make classical theatre vibrant, dynamic, and collaborative across the Mountain State and the greater mid-Atlantic region. Under his strategic direction, the Mechanicals have built extensive multi-state touring circuits, instituted robust community engagement initiatives, and fostered emerging talent through youth intensives and apprentice training programs.

Young champions an innovative, text-centered staging aesthetic that honors the raw energy of Shakespeare's Staging Conditions while infusing it with contemporary relevance. Beyond artistic curation and tour development, he cultivates institutional growth through key educational partnerships with regional universities and statewide arts advocacy. Through his enduring stewardship of The Rustic Mechanicals, Young continues to solidify classical theatre’s vital role in West Virginia’s cultural fabric.