In Memoriam: Nick Bradshaw, Wimberley Players

Nick Bradshaw (via Wimberley Players)Wimberley Players Board Member and former president Nick Bradshaw passed away unexpectedly February 4 in Austin. His contributions to the theatre were extensive and he will be very much missed for his sense of adventure, enthusiasm, hard work and leadership. He began volunteering in set production in 2012, working alongside former Executive Producer, Adam Witko, and other production volunteers. He enthusiastically supported more than a decade of performances with season subscriptions, donations, leadership, effort and, most of all, a sense of deep bonhomie with the Players family. He regularly invited guests to share in the experience of theatre and helped create a family connection among volunteers and staff. In 2019 he oversaw the planting, and later maintenance, of the Players garden and outdoor stage project.

 

In 2020 he was chosen to serve as Board President, just as the Covid Pandemic surfaced and began shutting down public performances throughout the world. He successfully steered the theatre through the financial challenges of those years and helped the Board and staff innovate so that it became an entity that was more resilient and nimbler than it had been before.

 

“When I became Board President,” he was known to say, “I made the decision to listen carefully before I acted.” According to former Board Member, Teresa Kendrick, “He was a thoughtful person, and he championed the work of so many volunteers. He fostered relationships wherever he could and spent a great deal of time thinking about the bottom line. His was a difficult job but he carried it more lightly than many would have. I found him to be a particular treasure and was so happy to call him a friend, as well as a colleague. He leaves so many of us wanting more.”

 

His background was far from the art world. He earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering, which launched him into a career designing and managing huge offshore structures for oil production. His career took him to many places throughout the U.S. and the world, including London, where he and his wife Deb welcomed their three children. He partially retired to Wimberley in 2006, and among other things, became a Master Gardener and WP volunteer.

 

For those who would like to share their memories of Nick please feel free to email boxoffice@wimberleyplayers.org. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Nick's memory, to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the Wimberley Players or local arts. 

 

His life will be celebrated Saturday, March 4, from 2-5 pm at The Plant in Kyle. To get the address, email info@theplantatkyle.com or call 512 689-6777. Out of respect for their neighbors, the address for The Plant in Kyle is not published.

 

About The Wimberley Players

 

The Wimberley Players present inspiring, entertaining performances and programs that bring a diverse community together through live theatre, events and education. Founded in 1979, it was Wimberley’s first nonprofit. Its current location on 450 Old Kyle Rd, just east of the Wimberley Square, welcomed its first audiences in 2006.