Steven Schmidt is a founding member and technical advisor for California Scenic Fabrication, where he served as the founding Executive Director from 2024 to 2025. Steven served as the Technical Director for California Shakespeare Theater from 2017 to 2024, where he built the scene shop into a sustainable, year-round enterprise constructing scenery for many Bay Area theaters. Through his work with Cal Scenic and Cal Shakes, Schmidt oversaw the technical design and fabrication of over 100 productions for American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Playhouse, California Shakespeare Theater, Center Rep, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Magic Theatre, and Shotgun Players among others. 

Schmidt’s academic work focuses on the intersection of engineering and technical design for the stage. He is a co-author of Structural Design for the Stage, 2nd Edition and has presented at the United States Institute of Theater Technology annual conference. 

Previously, Schmidt worked as the Associate Head of Production for Yale Repertory Theatre and Yale School of Drama. He has consulted on technical design, rigging, safety, and budgeting for Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. He has also worked as the Technical Director for B Street Theater, as an Adjunct Professor for Folsom Lake College, and managed the Richard Brunnell Performance Hall. Schmidt was also the Founding Artistic Director of Barnyard Theater.