Jesse Mattox found a rewarding theatre career through HFC
For someone who didn’t think college was for him, and even dropped out of high school, HFC alumnus and Henry Ford II Honors Program graduate Jesse Mattox has now earned his master’s degree.
The self-described “non-traditional college student at its finest,” Mattox – who appeared in HFC’s 2024 production of Dear Harvey – earned his master’s degree in theatre arts and interpretation and performance from Eastern Michigan University in spring 2025.
Mattox, of Ann Arbor, directs much of the credit for his academic success to HFC.
“I enrolled at HFC on a whim at 23. I didn’t know if I’d be any good at college, but I wanted to give it a shot because I wanted to start making positive changes in my life,” recalled Mattox. “The first English class I took at HFC was Introduction to College Writing with Dr. Chelsea Lonsdale, and it opened doors for me. It helped me understand my place in the world. It laid the foundation for my field of performance study and public speaking. It taught me how to think for myself, think critically, and think analytically. Educators at HFC created a strong support system for me. They teach at HFC because they want to be there, and they want to see students succeed. HFC helped further my understanding of what academics would entail and if it was something I’d be interested in, which, as it turned out, it was.”
Theatre motivated him to finish high school
The youngest of two, Mattox was born in Wyandotte. Although he dropped out of high school, Mattox eventually returned and graduated from Woodhaven High School in Brownstown Township. His motivation? The opportunity to participate in the drama club.
“I was not the best high school student,” he confessed. “What kept me doing well in high school was theatre. A friend asked me to be in the play, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? So I gave it a shot.”
That's how he found his calling. In the beginning, Mattox suffered from stage fright, but he was fully engaged in learning the acting process. He overcame his fear of public speaking by taking acting classes that got him to step out of his comfort zone and build his confidence. A final monologue in one of his acting classes at Woodhaven set him on his path to becoming a performer.
“The process of getting into character, saying the lines without having to think about them, really helped,” he said. “It allowed me to exist in the moment as I let the lines take over and I took a backseat to the character. I realized then how cool a feeling that was.”
Flourishing at HFC
After graduating from Woodhaven, Mattox supported himself as a waiter for five years before enrolling at HFC, where he earned his associate degree in liberal arts with a deaf studies certificate.
Lonsdale became Mattox’s mentor and recommended he join the Honors Program, where she served as his directed study advisor. His directed study project was called “The Influence of Online Literacy and Identity Development in LGBTQ+.” He was also copy editor for The Mirror News and president of the Mindfulness Club. And, he participated in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Under Lonsdale’s guidance, Mattox founded the Sexuality and Gender Acceptance (SAGA) student club in 2017. SAGA’s purpose is to provide an atmosphere or safety, inclusiveness, and security for LGBTQ+ students. Find out more about SAGA by emailing Dr. Chelsea Lonsdale.
“We noticed a distinct lack of opportunities and engagement for LGBTQ+ students at HFC. There was a similar club that was no longer active, so we used that as a spark to start SAGA,” he explained. “Community was big part of it. It was a central part of exploring identity, especially as a gay person navigating the world. I’m happy that SAGA is still going strong today.”
Through the Transfer Bridges to the Humanities @ University of Michigan program, Mattox transferred to U-M, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in drama and women and gender studies (WGS) with a minor in American culture.
Discovering his directing chops
During his time at U-M, he was active in the Department of Theatre & Drama. He portrayed Jonathan Harker in the stage version of Dracula, adapted from Bram Stoker’s original 1897 horror novel of the same name.
Mattox also switched gears and discovered directing at U-M. He directed short productions for class, a 45-minute adaptation of Will Arbery’s Heroes of the Fourth Turning and a production of Marsha Norman’s ’night, Mother. He co-directed a production of the award-winning Angels in America and served as production manager of Shakespeare in the Arb (SITA).
SITA is a unique collaboration between the U-M Residential College and the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum. With SITA, there is no stage. The audience moves with the actors as the play unfolds throughout the 120-acre Nichols Arboretum (or the Arb). The Arb and its vast panoramas are as much a part of the action as the actors are.
“Working as the production manager for SITA allowed me to realize for the first time that theatre was something I can do at a professional level. While I was at U-M, (the late) Dr. Kate Mendeloff became both a mentor and a friend, and I was thrilled when she hired me to assist with the 20th anniversary of SITA. That summer spent in Nichols Arboretum working on A Midsummer Night's Dream was one I won't ever forget. It reignited my passion for theatre after the pandemic.”
An academic scholar and performer
While he enjoys both acting and directing, Mattox leans more toward acting.
“There’s a freedom to being onstage and embodying another person for a little bit. That’s a feeling I love to this day,” said Mattox. “Directing can help round you out as an actor and give you a better understanding of all the moving pieces. It’s a great way to bring in everything you learned as a performer and give that wisdom to other actors and, hopefully, encourage them and inspire them to do the same for the next generation.”
Mattox isn’t sure if he’ll pursue an MFA or a Ph.D. next. He is sure he'll be earning another degree, and would like to pursue a career as a theatre professor.
“I really enjoyed EMU,” said Mattox. “Am I an academic scholar or a performer? EMU allowed me to be both. It also paired really well with my WGS degree. It is one of the better theatre programs in the state, which was a driving factor for me to attend. I could hone my performance skills and get back onstage, while focusing on my academic work.”
Welcomed back to HFC with open arms
It was a full circle moment for Mattox to return to HFC and portray AIDS and LBGTQ+ activist Cleve Jones in Dear Harvey, which was directed by HFC Director of Theatre Dr. John Michael Sefel. Lonsdale reached out to Mattox about Dear Harvey.
“I was 100% game!” he said. “I was happy to return to the MacKenzie Fine Arts Center. I loved working with Dr. John. He’s made some welcome changes to the theatre program. I found out that students are designing sets and there are now classes designed for musical theatre. A lot of the classes EMU offers are now cropping up at HFC.”
Having Mattox return to the College for Dear Harvey was important for HFC students.
"My initial goal was simply to have them see someone who once was exactly where they are now, and has gone on to do some very cool things,” said Sefel. “His involvement, however, became so much more! He truly became a mentor, and several of the students are actively taking important career steps, thanks in large part to their time with him." He added, laughing: "I think it's one thing to hear advice from Dr. John, but they tend to treat the same advice more seriously coming from someone they view as a cool ‘older brother’ rather than their gray-haired teacher."
Mattox was stoked about the experience. “Coming back to HFC was amazing! There was such an uncanny feeling after being away for five years! I enjoyed the opportunity to be welcomed back!” said Mattox. “The kinds of shows now being produced at HFC are relevant to the community. Seeing the changes Dr. John’s bringing to the program was exciting. He has so many great ideas. Being able to watch him work and flourish was awesome.”
Lonsdale was proud to see how the production, and the experience, turned out.
“When Dr. John invited me to be involved with Dear Harvey, I immediately thought of Jesse!” she said. “Spending time with Jesse for two months was an absolute joy. It's not often that we get to keep in touch with students for so many years! One of my favorite moments from rehearsal was when we looked up the AIDS Memorial Quilt together. I was telling Jesse about my first encounter with the quilt when two panels came to EMU, and Dr. John must have overheard us chatting because the next thing I knew, we had secured a panel of the quilt to display at HFC! Jesse is an incredibly talented actor, and he is also a kind soul. We have all been so lucky to learn from and work alongside him this semester.”
