Jesse Stephenson started his love for theatre with his high school’s production of Newsies his freshman year. Though he was just sitting in the audience watching the show, he knew from that moment on he wanted to do theater, and do it from behind the scenes. Jesse started his career in stage management with assistant stage managing Mary Poppins at Park Hill High School in Fall of 2019 and has most recently stage managed Twelfth Night at Wichita State University in Fall of 2024. For Twelfth Night he was awarded a Certificate of Merit from KCACTF Region 5. Jesse is currently in his third year of pursuing a BFA of Design and Technical Theatre and Certificate of Stage Management at Wichita State University. At Wichita State he works in the scene shop as a scenic carpenter and artist. He has scenic design credits on Noises Off (Park Hill High School) and Trail to Oregon (Wichita State Music Theatre Company). He is the enacting Production Manager for Empty Space Theatre. Jesse’s up and coming show is Empty Space’s spring production of She Kills Monsters. His career goal is to eventually open a youth theatre to help kids and teens learn about the intricacies of technical theatre. Outside of theatre Jesse can be found burning CDs and playfully arguing with his roommate’s cat.