Danny Yuska
Artistic Director
Danny Yuska is currently in his 17th year teaching high school theatre, speech, English, reading, and debate. For the past ten years, he has been a high school teacher and theatre director at Hinsdale South High School. He retired as head speech coach last year after winning the IHSA State Speech Team Championship in 2022 with his talented students. Before Hinsdale South, Danny taught and directed theatre and the speech team for seven years in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In Iowa, Danny was named the “Speech Coach of the Year” in 2007, won several speech team awards, and directed many plays and musicals.
Danny graduated from the University of Iowa in secondary education and theatre performance in 2004 and later received his Master’s degree in Directing from the Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in 2012. He is grateful for the excellent teachers, his current and former students, and the instruction and experience he has received that has truly shaped him into the teacher and director he is today. He is excited to expand his love for the theatre through MainStage Theatre and can’t wait to meet the new families along the way.
Danny is a Founding Member and Artistic Director of MainStage Theatre. He is married to Jason Hedden, and together they have a daughter, Reese, who is five years old and goes to kindergarten at Elizabeth Ide Elementary. They live in Downers Grove and love traveling, going to the theatre, taking Reese to her various activities, and spending time with their dog, Linus.