About

Sam is a Chicago based light designer, currently in his third year at Northwestern, though he is geographically flexible and has also done work in New York City and Washington DC. He is currently an ensemble member at Gwydion Theatre Company and the Technical Director for Seesaw Theatre.

Sam is passionate about design that places the feeling of the world on equal grounds with the facts. He believes the pace of the lighting should match that of the world being lit: seamless and subtle when a work glides from one moment to the next; distinct and blunt in staccato, individualized moments. Overall, Sam strives to light in accordance with how characters inhabiting see it, inviting audiences into the world of the characters.

You can contact him at samjbessler@gmail.com or @sjblights on Instagram.