Blake Spence (Director) is thrilled to be directing Aspire PAC's production of Seussical JR. He is a graduate of Northwestern University’s theatre program where he worked under the guidance of Frank Gulati, Mary Zimmerman, Tina Landau, and Anna D. Shapiro. Past professional credits include: Sweeney Todd and The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Spectrum Theatre Company), Rent (American Theatre Company), and Candide (The Kennedy Center d. Mary Zimmerman). He is currently the Artistic Director for Madison High School Theatre where he has directed The Drowsy Chaperone, Hello, Dolly!, Footloose, and Bright Star - which won the 2019 Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Award for Outstanding Overall Production. Bright Star also earned him the Rising Star Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Teacher/Outside Director. He is a proud proponent of inclusion and diversity in educational theatre and his Madison productions have twice won the “Theatre for Everyone” Inclusion and Access Rising Star Award. Much appreciation to Lisa and the entire production team for welcoming him into the Aspire family with open arms. For mom, dad, Cameron, Jason, Gus, Roscoe, Hudson, and Vivi!
Daniel Mullens (Music Director) A native of Upstate New York, Daniel started taking piano lessons at the age of 6…and hasn’t stopped playing since! Having spent the formative years of his career in Colorado (developing skills as a teacher, conductor, and collaborative pianist), Daniel moved back to the East Coast in 2017. Since then, he’s worked with various theatre groups and ensembles throughout North Jersey and New York City, balancing an active rehearsal and performance schedule with single (dog) parenthood. Daniel is also the music director at Packanack Community Church in Wayne, NJ, and currently resides in Jersey City. Daniel is a highly versatile musician whose résumé reflects a wide range of both opera and musical theatre productions (current and upcoming projects include Matilda, Jekyll & Hyde, and Grease). He is a staunch believer in the power of music to heal, provoke, and unify, and his end goal is to win a Tony award for the musical he hasn’t started writing yet.
Becci Tank (Choreographer) is a recent graduate from Montclair State University and received her Bachelor's Degree in Theatre Studies with a concentration in directing and a minor in Musical Theatre. Becci is originally from Idaho, where the majority of her experience in choreography began. She received an honorable mention from the 5th Avenue Theatre Awards in Seattle, WA for her choreography in Bring It On! and Singin’ In the Rain. Recently, she won an award for Best Director in Rhino Studio’s One Act Jamboree. Becci is so thankful to Blake, Lisa and the entire Seussical Jr. team for this experience at Aspire.
