Featured Actor:
Jason Hildebrand

Special Note From Jason

When I graduated from the York University acting school in Toronto over a decade ago, I had dreams (as most up-and-comers do) of working with important theater companies and starring in feature films. Never in a million years did I ever think I would be one of a growing number of artists bringing a renewed paradigm of dramatic art back into the church.

I have been acting my whole life – every school play, every church Christmas concert. I have always had big stars in my eyes. I have always liked to be the center of attention. After high school I did a year of Bible college. This was a pivotal year for me as an individual and artist. I discovered the kind of Christian I didn’t want to become.

Studying acting in University swung between profoundly important and frustratingly inappropriate. It was tough to be the only person in the entire fine arts drama faculty who had a relationship with Jesus. But God was faithful and I made it through my training on my knees in prayer, with only a few bumps and bruises. The greatest advice I ever got from an actor friend of mine was, "God will forgive you, no matter what you do." It sounds like silly advice. But it gave me a freedom to fail as I honed by craft and continued to seek for His best path in each situation.

After acting school, I landed a strong agent and started to work in TV commercials, independent film and live theater...and waitered...and waitered...and waitered. Then I felt God calling me to write and act in a solo performance on the life of David.

I had seen an actor named Bruce Kuhn do a solo performance on the book of Luke and was totally blown away by its power. I think it was the first time Scripture came alive for me. I had been invited to the show by my girlfriend (now my wife) and went kicking and screaming. I thought, "What the world does not need to see is more crappy Christian theater!" Well I was glad I went. The show was off the charts good. God was showing me that he wanted to redeem the arts through His co-creators. That’s us, by the way.

I said no to God on the whole David thing for about a year. Then all my "real acting work" started to dry up. For a long while, I didn’t think performing for a church audience was worthwhile. I think it had to do with the poor quality of art displayed in the church at the time. Finally I gave in and put together the show. My first David performance was for everyone I knew at a buddy’s church, with script in hand. It went very well. Even in that first performance, I had a sense that God wanted to touch people deeply through His grand stories, and through my walking with Him in my work.

The funny thing is, my agent started getting work for me in TV again. Not tons. But I was making money for them. This began a dilemma for me. I had started to go on the road performing Life of David in churches and my travels would conflict with audition opportunities from my agent. I became really frustrated. I really wanted to follow God’s leading AND I really wanted to follow my desire to become the next Robert Downey Jr.

So one night, my wife and I took time to pray specifically for direction for my career. Never pray this kind of prayer if you really don’t want God to answer. Because He did. The next day I received a letter in the mail from my agent, saying that they were dropping me from their roster because it had become too full. What? I was making them money. Not even a phone call. I was livid. And mad at God. It took me months to get over it. However, solo performance was absolutely what I needed to focus on.

This began a twelve plus year run of performing in the church, and it continues to this day. I have performed in every denomination you can imagine, audiences from 2–12,000 people on stages throughout North America and the UK. I have seen God literally transform people’s lives as they have experienced God’s story enfleshed before them.

I have developed and performed six shows – Life of David, The Prodigal Trilogy, Blue Like Jazz // Live, Herod the Great, Job Alive, and Himself – The Story of A.B. Simpson. I have also had the privilege of collaborating with other artists on their projects, both within the church and without, and in both theater and film. I have discovered that my greatest joy is to tell extraordinary stories to all people. In the process, I have also written and directed projects and have become a communication coach as well.

The funniest thing of all is that, after over a decade in the church, I have found myself back to what I wanted most at the beginning of my career – to work with great companies and to work in film. However, now I have years of experience under my belt as an actor and artist and – I hope – a great deal more love for God and his people, both within the church and without.

In recent years, I have produced, written and acted in two of my own film projects – the multi award winning The Prodigal Trilogy and Blue Like Jazz // Live. I am also currently in pre-production for a short film adaptation of my Herod the Great monologue, which will be called Kingdom of Herod. I am also finding that a good number of folks are expressing interest in working with me as an actor on their film projects.

God’s process of leading in my life truly astounds me.

Biography

Jason Hildebrand is an accomplished actor, award-winning filmmaker and communication coach. As an actor he has performed in film, television, theater, and continues to tour the globe with his acclaimed solo performances - The Prodigal Trilogy, Blue Like Jazz // Live, Life of David, Kingdom of Herod, and Himself - The Story of A.B. Simpson.

Jason is perhaps best known on screen in the roles of Younger Brother, Elder Brother, and Father in his multi award-winning short film The Prodigal Trilogy. He also starred in a cinematic adaptation of his multi-media solo performance Blue Like Jazz // Live, based on Donald Miller’s award-winning book. Recently, Jason starred in Ted and Company TheaterWorks hilarious DVDs Fish Eyes and Creation Chronicles. He has acted in a number of independent films and a host of television commercials.

Selected stage credits include: James Keller in The Miracle Worker, Mr.Toad in the Dora Award nominated Wind In The Willows, a host of characters in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Rev. David in The Foreigner, Antonio in The Tempest, Gov. Philip in Our Country's Good, and Oswald in King Lear.

Over the years, Jason has trained with some of the industry’s finest acting coaches, such as David Rotenberg, David Smukler, and Tom Diamond. He has a BFA in acting from York University theater school in Toronto, Canada. He completed this degree after one year of theological study.

Upcoming projects include portraying Herod the Great in a short film adaptation of one of his solo performances, Kingdom of Herod, and performing 23 characters in a “live” film of another solo performance, Life of David.

Jason also works with film and theater companies, and educational institutions in various capacities throughout North America and Europe.

For more information, bookings, or to purchase The Prodigal Trilogy or Blue Like Jazz // Live, please visit JasonHildebrand.com.

Click here for an exclusive interview with Jason about The Prodigal Trilogy

Trailers

• Blue Like Jazz // Live
• The Prodigal Trilogy

The Prodigal Trilogy Photos

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