Stephen Purdy, Technical Director

Stephen began his theatre career at age 11 portraying the refrigerator repairman in Mr. Popper's Penguins in the Junior Theatre" of Whittier, California. Being tall for his age, he was always cast as a father, a grandfather, a king,a secretary of state or some other supporting role, never the romantic lead! So, he decided to give up acting and became a television and motion picture set painter working for over 25 years at Universal City Studios where he became the lead painter on shows such as Murder, She Wrote, Major Dad, Sixteen Candles, and Breakfast Club."

He worked with many great art directors and production designers in Hollywood and when he and his wife and three children moved to Utah, he turned his skills back to the theatre.

Stephen is the design lecturer, resident scenic designer, scenic painter and technical director in the Theatre Department at the newly created Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah (formerly Utah Valley State College). His theatre career came full circle when last summer he played "Baptista" in Kiss Me, Kate.