J. Cody Spellman (He/Him) is a director and producer who primarily focuses on stories that challenge the ever changing concept of the “American Dream”. He is attracted to genre breaking stories that balance tragedy, comedy, and horror with the intention of creating complex shared experiences within a community. Through mixed genre storytelling, Cody’s directing style has an emphasis on strong world building, creating palpable aesthetic and rules to the world in which the story is living, showing a more free and committed environment that allows performers to live authentically within the world of the piece.

Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Cody moved to Chicago, Illinois in 2009 to attend Columbia College Chicago where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre with a concentration in Directing. He has been directing and producing theatre and film ever since. He has a passion for developing new works with writers and storytellers, and is an avid painter and reader in his spare time. Cody is the Artistic Director of Throughline Theatre Company in Pittsburgh. He was an SDC Observership Class recipient in 2019 - 2021

Cody is an advocate for a fully equitable and anti-racist theater and film industry, supporting the work of institutions and productions that follow the We See You W.A.T. demands, the #NOT IN OUR HOUSE Chicago Theater Standards, and the principles of Chicago Theater Accountability Coalition and on how plays should be reviewed. He advocates for safer intimacy staging practices, supporting the need for Intimacy Directors on all works that require moments of intimacy, sex, and trauma that follow the Staging Sex guidelines by Chelsea Pace and the IDC (Intimacy Directors and Coordinators) core values. These anti-racist, equity and safety focused principles are the foundation of how he approaches his work, creating a space where everyone is safe to bring their full selves to the work.

Theater directing credits include: A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller (Throughline Theatre Co.), The Miseducation of 55th Street (The Revival Comedy Theater), Kaitlin: a solo comedy review by Kaitlin Larson, Burn by Ian Michael James (World Premiere (Mercy Street Theatre Company), #Matter by Idris Goodwin (Jackalope Theatre Co. Living Newspaper Festival), Public Parts (Blood Oath. Comedy - The Second City), Root Sin by Paloma Nozicka(Jackalope Theatre Co. Living Newspaper Festival), Bury The Ratchet (Blood Oath Comedy -The Second City), The Blue Room by David Hare (Stage 773), Waiting for Grimace by Ross Berman (The Neapolitans Theatre Co.), The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh, The Glory of Living by Rebecca Gilman, 27 Wagons Full of Cotton by Tennessee Williams, Wind Mills by Ross Berman (Columbia College Chicago), Christmas in Chicago (The Fine Print Theatre Co.)

Film credits include: We Are Nowhere (Short film - currently in post production, Written & directed by J. Cody Spellman), Poor You (Music video co-directed by J. Cody Spellman & Sam Kohlhaas, Song by Reliant Tom) #matter (Short Film - written by Idris Goodwin, directed & produced by J. Cody Spellman), Solo (Short film - written, directed, and produced by J. Cody Spellman), Blood Oath Comedy Pilot (Written by Blood Oath. Comedy, produced & directed by J. Cody Spellman) 3x (Creative director, music video series)

Staged Reading directing credits include: The Velvet Tabernacle by Michael Allen Harris, American Nocturne by Ross Berman, My 6 Year Old Therapist by David Himmel (The Fine Print Theatre Co), The Adventures of Bozonski & Kringle by Lucas Pusatelli (City Theatre Co., Young Playwrights Festival), Brian by Kevin Lewis (Television Pilot - Point Park University, MFA Screenwriting)

Assistant directing credits include: Pomona (Dir. Robin Wit, Steep Theatre), Death of A Streetcar Named Virginia Woolf: A Parody (Dir. Michael Halberstam & Stuart Carden, Writers Theatre) My Name Is Asher Lev (Dir. Kimberly Senior, TimeLine Theatre Co.), The Knowledge (Dir. Jonathan Berry, Steep Theatre), The Receptionist (Dir. Joanie Schultz, Steep Theatre), The Sweeter Option (Strawdog Theatre Co.) Floyd Collins (Dir. Tom Mula, Columbia College Chicago)

Dramaturgy credits include: The Raid (Jackalope Theatre Co.), Lunacy! (Jackalope Theatre Co.), The Late Henry Moss (Artistic Home), The Killing of Michael X: A New Film by Celia Wallace (Jackalope Theatre Co.), Saloon (Peninsula Players), Rocky Road (World Premiere - Columbia College Chicago & Millennium Park New Theatre Lab Series), Splendora, Floyd Collins (Columbia College Chicago: Main Stage)