A descendant of circus trapeze artists, jugglers, and acrobats on one side of his family, and coal miners and minor league ball players on the other side, Stehlin began his career at New York's prestigious Juilliard School, landing a role in Henry VI, Part I with fellow alums Kevin Spacey, Val Kilmer and Mandy Patinkin. After graduation, he joined the New York Shakespeare Festival, acting in dozens of plays including, Richard II,Henry V, Casanova, Julius Caesar, Timon of Athens, Don Juan and Romeo and Juliet, among others.
Of his stage work, Stehlin has been a theatre critic darling, often calling him "one of our very best actors", "unpredictable", "dangerous", "brimming with energy", "an electrified presence on the stage."
Inheriting the circus performer work ethic, Stehlin founded his theatre company Circus Theatricals in 1983. The company's first performance was Chekov's Uncle Vanya in which Stehlin starred opposite Kevin Spacey and Tom Hewitt. Now based out of Los Angeles, Circus Theatricals continues to thrive today, producing classic and new plays to critical acclaim. Stehlin runs the company with his wife and partner Jeannine, an actress/producer he met in 1995. Together, they have produced more than 50 plays in NYC and Los Angeles.
Jumping effortlessly from stage to screen, Stehlin's film credits range from the Weinstein Company's wildly popular cult sensation, Boston Strangler: The Untold Story to the thriller tale Blackout Effect alongside Eric Stoltz. Stehlin collaborated with film legend Al Pacino in an unraveling interpretation of Oscar Wilde's once banned and most controversial work in Salomaybe? written and Directed by Pacino. Fall 2010, Stehlin completed filming the role of Marshall Jones in The Chicago 8, directed by Pinchas Perry. The Chicago 8 is based on actual court transcripts of 8 anti-war protesters on trial for conspiring to cause riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Constantly lighting up the small screen, Stehlin has guest-starred on countless hit TV series such as Without a Trace, Monk, NCIS., ER, and NYPD Blue. He has also had memorable recurring roles in fan favorites: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, JAG and The Practice.
