Houston, as one of the cultural centers of the USA, offers many opportunities for those who want to develop their acting skills. The city is famous for its troupes, has many theater festivals and provides proper education in the field of performing arts. In addition, great attention is paid to the upbringing and training of new theater personalities. This is a full-fledged education with a diploma and a final creative work. Every year, hundreds of students acquire a new profession. Houston can rightfully be considered a factory of new talents. Read more on houston-trend.
How and where to learn acting in Houston?
The city has many different educational institutions that offer to acquire any theatrical profession. These can be private specialized studios where you can engage in acting as a hobby or it can be a full-fledged higher education with a qualification. Among the most popular universities offering acting training is the University of Houston. The institution has developed a powerful program for obtaining qualifications in various theater professions. Students have the opportunity to prove themselves on the stages of local theaters. Other higher education institutions are not far behind.
In addition, there are specialized schools and studios in Houston that offer their own systems of acting. Among the most famous are the Allyn Buckley School of Acting and the studio at the Stark Repertory Theatre. Many community theaters in Houston hold regular master classes and courses for anyone who wants to try themselves in acting.
The path to Parnassus
Michael Leonel Sifuentes is one of many representatives of Houston’s young actors. In 2024, he received the Houston Theater Award for Best Supporting Actor. He received such recognition for his role as Rafael in the dramatic play Clyde’s. Let’s discover more about the formation of the young actor.
Houston is his hometown. He was born and raised here. According to Michael, the theater became an accident for him. At school, he did not like theatrical productions. He even tried to avoid them. However, while studying in college, he had to enroll in another elective course. Choosing from the list, the young man stopped at Introduction to Theater. Michael says about this:
‘I thought that sounds fun, why not? And I had an absolute blast. It was so much fun to be a part of something that was coming together to create something bigger than ourselves’.
Thus, the young man fell in love with the theater. Then, the trials began. At first, his parents were against continuing his studies at this field. They said that this was just a temporary hobby that would not be able to bring benefits to him and could not be a full-time job. Then, under pressure from his parents, Michael Sifuentes began to doubt the chosen path. The Gordian knot was helped to be cut by a friend who one day came to Michael and said: ‘Get ready, we’re going to an audition’. He didn’t even ask where to go but followed his friend. The examiners liked the young man and he was enrolled in the University of Houston. While studying for his degree, Michael became convinced of his choice. He plunged headlong into the theatrical world. Despite his expressive appearance, he was more impressed by comedic roles. Therefore, in most university productions, he chose funny characters.
Doubts, choice and recognition…
After graduating from university, the young man was faced with a choice. He could continue working in the theater, linking his fate with the performing arts, or work at a higher-paying job. His parents persuaded him to do the second. When Michael was ready to agree to their offer, a coincidence intervened in his life. The young man was going to seek a better fate in New York and had bought a ticket. He was supposed to fly out on Monday. On Saturday, he saw an announcement about an audition for a role in the new Ensemble Theatre. After some hesitation, he decided to try. They called him on Sunday and invited him to audition. Michael went to it. His fate was decided. Then, came a whirlwind of wild emotions from new acquaintances, exhausting rehearsals and the condemning looks of his parents. However, the young man knew his purpose in this world. When his entire Latin American family was present at the premiere of the play Clyde’s, the young man was worried. After the triumphant performance, everyone was delighted, including his family. The first words his mother said were:
‘I didn’t know you knew how to cuss like that’.
The young actor replied that it was only for the stage and he didn’t use them in life.
After the wild success, it was time for peace, but not for creativity. Now, Michael Sifuentes continues to play in the same theater. According to the actor, he likes to find new facets of his creativity. He tries to play diverse roles and not only comedic characters. As Michael says:
‘I try to choose roles that seem the most difficult for me to learn and grow and see what I can do’.
