Biography
Tesia Benson is thrilled to be joining Oberlin’s Department of Theater in a professional staff position as associate costume designer!
Selected costume design credits include Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George for Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Great Lakes Theater; Land of Oz, Life Sucks, Grounded, and Peter and the Starcatcher for Dobama Theatre; The Sound of Music for The Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom; La voix humaine for Opera Cleveland; Ragtime, Memphis, and The Toxic Avenger for Cain Park; Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea and Ancestra for Cleveland Public Theatre; and Bent and ’Night, Mother for Beck Center.
Selected scenic design credits include Egress for Cleveland Play House as well as Grounded and Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. for Dobama Theatre.
Other credits include designs for Apollo’s Fire, Lakeland Civic Theatre, Near West Theatre, and Keystone Repertory Theater.
Tesia has served as resident costume designer for Dobama Theatre (SPT) since 2015. Her designs for Dobama’s Marie Antoinette were featured in American Theater magazine in May 2016. She also served for 14 years as a professor, draper, costume designer and mentor to design, technical and management students at Baldwin Wallace University.
Tesia is a proud member of United Scenic Artists Local 829 (USA 829), the labor union and professional association representing designers, artists, craftspeople and department coordinators working in film, theatre, opera, ballet, television, industrial shows, commercials and exhibitions. She is also a member of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), a nonprofit organization which aims to advance the skills and knowledge of theatre, entertainment and performing arts professionals involved in the areas of design, production, and technology.
