We were lucky to catch up with Jessi May Stevenson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jessi May, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
When I chose to open our 2025 Season at the Santa Paula Theater Center with POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, I knew it was a bold choice. It’s sharp, irreverent, and unapologetically fearless—a far cry from the safer fare that often launches a season. I took a risk, fully aware it might spark debate or even discomfort.
But sometimes, the right risk reminds us why we make theater at all. I’m delighted to share that POTUS didn’t just land, it soared. Audiences showed up in record numbers, laughed, gasped, and left talking. It became one of our best-selling productions in many years, a testament to our community’s openness to smart, daring comedy and to the extraordinary artists who brought it to life.
I’m very fortunate to have a board of directors who trusted my vision that proved that Santa Paula Theater Center can take risks, and thrive doing it.
Jessi May, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Jessi May Stevenson is the Artistic Director of the Santa Paula Theater Center, a role she has held for the past five years. She earned her MFA in Theater from UC Irvine as the recipient of the Chancellor’s Full Ride Scholarship and continued her training and performing at Harvard University with the Moscow Art Theater, the American Repertory Theater in Boston, and South Coast Repertory.
At SPTC, Jessi May has directed on the main stage for nearly a decade and, in 2020, founded the SPTC Acting Conservatory, where she serves as lead instructor for teen actors. She also teaches with The Muse of Fire Teen Acting Conservatory in Ojai and has led Shakespeare workshops at Ojai Valley Schools. She also started the Santa Paula Film Festival that will be heading into it’s 3rd year.
As a performer, she created and starred in the one-woman show and short film Isn’t That Just My Life, which has been featured in 33 festivals worldwide and honored with 12 Best Actress Awards, a Silver Medal Acting Award, and a nomination for Best Original Idea. She also served as assistant director and played the role of Candy in the feature film Time Capsule, winner of multiple awards including Best Picture at the Dallas Movie Awards Festival. Her most recent SPTC role was Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I am very proud to be the Artistic Director of SPTC. We have brought powerful, high-quality performances to our community. Our mission is To lead Ventura County in artistic and educational excellence through transformative theatre experiences, comprehensive arts training, and dynamic cultural programs that connect and enrich our community.
When curating a season, I always begin with the question: “Why this story, here, now?” I believe in creating necessary theater—work that confronts the big, messy questions of our time. Not to give easy answers, but to spark thought, conversation, and change. I choose plays that empower women, challenge simplistic narratives, and make the everyday, unfamiliar once again.
Join us in celebrating 40 years of transformative storytelling.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
As an artistic director, I’ve seen firsthand how deeply art can move people. How a play, a painting, or a song can change the temperature of a room, or the direction of a life. But I’ve also seen how fragile the ecosystem that sustains creativity can be.
To keep creativity alive, we have to take care of the people who make it possible. That means paying artists fairly, keeping rehearsal and performance spaces accessible, and making sure the next generation grows up with art in their lives.
Every time someone buys a ticket, tells a friend about a show, or defends an artist’s right to take risks, they’re helping this ecosystem thrive.
At SPTC, we’ll keep taking those risks, telling bold stories, and making room for voices that move and challenge us. Because when art thrives, we all do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.santapaulatheatercenter.org
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Image Credits
Kevin Parks