Michael Lee Stever was born in Medford, Oregon, the son of Robert Roy Stever who was in retail management with JCPenney, and a decorated World War II veteran, and Elizabeth Anne Stever, (née Gubler) a nursing assistant. Stever is the youngest of four siblings. He attended Rancho Cordova High School and Sacramento High School's Regional Occupational Program, where he produced his first film at age seventeen.
Stever screened his first independently produced documentary, Saturday Nightmares; The Ultimate Horror Expo! in New York City in October 2010.[9][10] In 2011, he filmed and co-produced his first indie comedy/drama Checking In,[11] an independent feature based on the New York Fringe Festival play of the same name by Brian Hampton. He followed this with a 2012 music video Don't Come A Knockin for singer/songwriter Dwight Thomas Vaughn. Two following projects, the 2012 documentary short film Resurrecting Carrie, featuring Piper Laurie[12][13][14][15] and Jan Broberg'sGuide To Thespians, Sociopaths & Scream Queens,[16][17][18] featuring Elijah Wood, were chosen as official selections at the third and fifth annual Macabre Faire Film Festivals, first and second annual Scares That Care film festivals, as well as the first annual ParaFest Festival in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. and the inaugural FEARnyc film festival, in New York City.[19]
He reunited with Shirley Jones and Marty Ingels in 2011 for his self-produced documentary short, Jon Finch: The Ultimate Impresario.[20][21] He has produced mini-documentaries, including a collaboration with Stephen Schwartz in 2011 chronicling his first opera, Séance on a Wet Afternoon.[22] He films and writes for Broadwayworld.com, TheaterPizzazz, and TheatreArtLife.[23] Stever also served as the official camera man for The Drama Desk Awards in New York City.[24][25] He has also worked as a filmmaker and videographer.[26]
In 2014 Stever met and collaborated with A Nightmare on Elm Street star, Heather Langenkamp. Together they produced Heather's Freddy Cut Nightmare[27][28] which chronicled her first charity haircut auction on behalf of 'Scares That Care.' Later that year Stever worked with actor/playwright Stu Richelle, and director/dramaturge Linda S. Nelson filming and creating numerous multi-media installments for the Off-Off Broadway production of Vietnam…Through My Lens.[29][30]
May 2016, Stever joins forces with Broadway dancer, choreographer and historian Mercedes Ellington - Grand Daughter to Duke Ellington and founder of The Duke Ellington Center For The Arts.[31] Also worked with Columbus State University Dance Department head Karyn Tomczak and Lester Schecter PR to produce a documentary honoring Mercedes which screened at the New York Friars Club on December 20, 2017.[32][33] In late 2017 filmed and co-produced two TEDTalks episodes with performance coach Kelsey Crouch. Episodes included 'How BS cured the blind girl' with Vicky DeRosa,[34] and 'Design experiences, not things' with Abraham Burickson.[35]
In May 2018, he collaborated with Richard Hillman PR, executive producer Harvey Butler and director/playwright Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj to film the play, Little Rock a historical drama about the Little Rock Nine.[38][39] Filmed and edited by Stever and co-produced in conjunction with the Mabel Mercer Foundation, KT Sullivan and Ken Bloom's Harbinger Records, Sidney Myer: Live At The Laurie Beechman Theatre DVD.[40][41]
2019 found Michael filming with Klea Blackhurst,[42] clarion voiced Lorna Dallas,[43] Lynn Henderson,[44] singer/songwriter Dawn Derow,[45] as well as several collaborations with beloved Broadway veteran, Karen Mason.[46][47][48][49]
On January 13, 2021, Stever was the recipient of the BroadwayWorld Best Filmed Show, Presented From Archival Video award along with Karen Mason, Paul Rolnick, director Barry Kleinbort and musical director Christopher Denny. The award celebrated Mason's October 15, 17 and 18 online screenings of Mason At Mamas In March, which was filmed at the historic Manhattan cabaret club Don't Tell Mama which she helped open.[50][51][52]
Hoboken Library produced a staged reading of ′Torch Song Trilogy: Widows And Children First′ on August 28, 2021. It featured NYC cabaret luminary Sidney Myer as Arnold, Florence Pape as Mrs. Beckoff, Stever as Ed, Logann Grayce as David and was directed by Ethan Galvin.[53]
Activism and Personal life
In addition to 'Scares That Care,' Stever has donated his skills to numerous U.S. based charitable organizations including AIDS Walk New York, and the 2006 Tourette Syndrome Celebrity Fundraiser. On February 23, 2009 he documented the historic 'Defying Inequality Broadway Concert,' interviewing the likes of Lynda Carter, Billy Porter, Gavin Creel, Tamara Tunie,[54]Jonathan Groff, Stephen Schwartz and many others as Stever stood in support of marriage equality after the Supreme Court of California upheld a ban on same-sex marriage approved by voters in November 2008 by ballot Proposition 8.[55][56]
Filmography
2021
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age, premiered August 14, 2021 on PBS as part of Great Performances
