Michael Baker
Michael Baker
Acting School Director

 

Beginning at the age of 8 as the Gander in Charlottes Web , Michael started in similar place as many of the students whom he currently teaches.  Believe it or not, his experience only got more interesting after that premiere performance at Bainbridge Performing Arts in the small community of Bainbridge Island in Washington State. From there, he became a student in acting classes and working in community and professional theaters throughout the Northwest. Throughout his youth and teen years he was lucky to perform in many musicals and even in a USA network re-enactment television show entitled Cased Closed .

After high school, he moved to New York where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Acting from CW Post Campus of Long Island University. Since college Michael has trained and work shopped with many great teachers including Uta Hagen (HB Studios, NYC) and Patrick Tucker (The original Shakespeare Company, London). More recently, Michael assisted in Master Classes led by musical theater great, Marvin Hamlisch. Michael’s love for performing and teaching has also led him around the country in national children theater tours and even performing in Europe on stage at the North Sea and Montreaux Jazz Festivals. Between his travels he has had the opportunity to teach as a substitute professor at Long Island University and other Long Island Camps and School Districts.

Michael is more than grateful to have found an artistic home at Gateway Acting School shortly after his debut on the Gateway Playhouse Stage in 2001. Since then, his Gateway productions include Jeckyl and Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Miss Saigon, The Wedding Singer, Avenue Q, A Christmas Carol, and more. Michael is a member of Actor’s Equity, the union for professional actors, and proudly continues to be a part of the working actor community in New York City.

Since 2003 Michael has had the pleasure of teaching in the Gateway Acting School off and on, when his Company Management duties at Gateway allow it. He has seen many of his students, then tweens and teens, move forward into their collegiate years in arts study.  He was an influencial member of the original Gateway's Haunted Playhouse team, becoming it's director and spearheading it's progress, driving it ahead into it's subsequent seasons.