Steven C. Kemp is a set designer for opera, theatre and events. Originally from Houston, Texas, he received his MFA from UC San Diego and currently resides in Kansas City, Missouri. He has designed for more than forty opera companies and over fifty productions in NYC as well as for a multitude of regional theatres, cruise ships and international tours.
For Lyric Opera of Kansas City, he has recently designed Cavalleria Rusticana | Pagliacci, Amahl and the Night Visitors, The Abduction from the Seraglio, Sketchbook for Ollie, The Haberdasher Prince, and Maya and the Magic Ring. He also works frequently with The Atlanta Opera, New Orleans Opera, Sarasota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Utah Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Indiana University, and many more. For Opera San Jose his thirty designs include the West Coast Premieres of Anna Karenina, Silent Night, and the American premiere of Alma Deutscher’s Cinderella.
In NYC his work Off-Broadway has been seen at Second Stage Theater, The Duke on 42nd Street, Fellowship for the Performing Arts, York Theatre Company, Mint Theater Company, 47th Street Theatre, New Worlds Theatre Project, The Shop, The Cherry Lane Theatre, The Playwright’s Realm and Keen Company where his 11 productions include the Off-Broadway revivals of Tick, Tick…Boom!, Ordinary Days, John and Jen, Marry Me a Little and the new, award-winning world premiere of Adam Gwon’s All the World’s a Stage. Other NYC credits include work at 59e59, HERE Arts, Clubbed Thumb, Studio 42, and fifteen productions for New School For Drama.
His international credits include designs for the West End in London and the current tours of Sesame Street Live!, Peppa Pig Sing Along, Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour, as well as Baby Shark Live!, PJ Masks Live!, and Nickelodeon Takeover at the Feria de Leon 2025. He has designed regionally at Pasadena Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Antaeus Theatre Company, Bucks County Playhouse, Royal George Theatre, Stages Houston, Hudson Stage Company, Gulfshore Playhouse, Catholic University of America, and multiple productions for Norwegian Cruise Line.
Steven also worked extensively as an Associate Designer for Robert Brill and David Gallo on Broadway, national tours, The Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Disney Theatricals, Dreamworks, and a multitude of other regional theatres and companies. Additional work has included Associate Design credits for Jesse Poleshuck, Walt Spangler, Christopher Acebo, and Assistant Design for Christopher Oram, Alexander Dodge and exhibit and broadcast design with Clickspring Design, Gallagher & Associates and Jack Morton Worldwide.
His design for Candide at Des Moines Metro Opera won Honorable Mention at the 2021 Golden Trezzini Awards for Architecture and Design. Falstaff was selected as a finalist in the World Stage Design 2017 exhibit in Taipei, Taiwan. His work was selected for exhibition in the USA student exhibit in the 2007 Prague Quadrennial and he was the 2008 USITT Rose Brand Scenic Design award winner and was the 2013 Live Design Broadway Master Class speaker for associate set design. For more, follow Steven @stevenckempdesign and www.stevenckemp.com
