Education
- M.F.A. in Acting, University of Montana
- B.S. in Theatre Arts, Southern Utah University
- A.S. in Theatre Arts, Ricks College
Biography
Justin Bates is an actor and educator who has worked throughout the Rocky Mountain region of the United States and Canada for most of his career. He earned his B.S. in Theatre from Southern Utah University and an M.F.A. in Acting from the University of Montana. Justin has taught in several academic and pre-professional training programs, including the University of Montana, Utah Tech University in St. George, Utah, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
A student-centered teacher, Justin joined the faculty of Brigham Young University–Idaho in 2009, where he teaches courses such as Introduction to Theatre, Voice and Diction, Storytelling, and all levels of Acting. In addition to directing annually as part of the department's mainstage production season, Justin has served as Associate Dean for Online Instruction in the College of Performing and Visual Arts and as Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance from 2019 to 2024.
Justin is a collaborative, honest, and compassionate artist whose directing and acting interests range from Shakespeare and Absurdism to Realism and Magical Realism. Known for his strong ensemble work, some of Justin’s directing credits include the world premiere of Jon Jory’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mary Stuart (honored by Region 7 of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival), Dancing at Lughnasa, Enchanted April, Waiting for Godot, The Tempest, How I Learned to Drive, The House of Bernarda Alba (in an original translation by award-winning translator Steven J. Stewart), Silent Sky, Leaving Eden (an original work by Janine Gilbert based on the award-winning short stories by Jack Harrell), These Shining Lives, Blithe Spirit, and Babette’s Feast.