Michael Stever

Michael Stever is a full time freelance director, filmmaker, camera man & writer, shooting and editing projects in both New York City, and Los Angeles. A graduate of Rancho Cordova High School, & Sacramento High School's Regional Occupational Program, Stever originally set his sights on a career in journalism. At seventeen he produced his first film at Sacramento High School, and nearly twenty years would pass before finding himself behind the camera again. During those twenty years, Stever worked successfully as a full time actor, singer & dancer. Theater and screen credits include the role of Joe Hardy in NETworks national tour of Damn Yankees, Diesel in a Berlin-based Broadway production of West Side Story, a stint at Brisbane Australia's 1988 World Expo, singing & dancing on the world's largest stage in Donn Arden's Reno-based epic, 'Hello Hollywood, Hello' several shows at the prestigious Paper mill Playhouse, and singing in New York city's historic Radio City Christmas Spectacular. He also had the good fortune to star opposite film/theatre legends Betty Garrett and Carole Cook in an Oklahoma based production of 'Arsenic And Old Lace.' In 1998 Stever made his television debut in an episode of the Robo-Cop inspired science fiction series, 'Super Force.' In it he plays an alien abductee opposite the forever notorious, shape-shifting reptilian she devil Traci Lords. Stever put his acting chops on hold in 2001, & devoted himself exclusively to writing. In 2004 he had a reading of his first play, 'Erzsebet,' a historical account of notorious sixteenth century Hungarian Countess Erzsebet Bathory. More recently, he became signatory with SAG for his directorial debut independent feature, 'Ghosts Of Zion.' 2001 also marked his return behind the camera where he worked for nearly three years as Unit Production Manager on the critically acclaimed documentary, 'Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There.' An avid 'King Kong' lover from the time he was six, It was on the set of 'BGA' where Stever met and was befriended by none other than Fay Wray. 'BGA' was Wray's last film. After Wray's passing in 2004, Stever spent an exhilarating stint researching & unearthing a tremendous amount of archival data on her for the documentary, 'Fay Wray: A Life.' Stever's first independently produced documentary, 'Saturday Nightmares; The Ultimate Horror Expo!' screened in New York City in October 2010 to solid reviews, and is now available on DVD & pay per view. 'Saturday Nightmares: The Movie' focuses on the now historic George A. Romero family reunion which took place at the legendary landmark Jersey City Loews Movie Palace in March, 2010. His homage to the 'epic bloodbath' of genre luminaries' features the likes of Adrienne Barbeau ('Creepshow'), actor John Amplas ('Martin'), make up effects wizard Tom Savini ('Friday The 13th'), and filmmaker Roy Frumkus ('Document Of The Dead'). His recently completed documentary short films, 'Resurrecting Carrie' featuring Academy Award nominee Piper Laurie and 'Jan Broberg's Guide To Thespians, Sociopaths & Scream Queens' featuring Elijah Wood were both chosen as 'official' selections at the third & fifth Annual Macabre Faire Film Festivals in Long Island, and the First Annual ParaFest Festival in Bethlehem Pa. In early 2012 he finalized principal photography on the music video, 'Don't Come A Knockin' for talented singer/song writer Dwight Thomas Vaughn. In June of 2011, he finalized principal photography on his first narrative comedy/drama, the upcoming independent feature 'Checking In,' based on the Fringe Festival award-winning play. His exclusive mini-doc on Stephen Schwartz's first ever opera, 'Seance On A Wet Afternoon' can be viewed at BroadwayWorld.com along with other multi-media exclusives he's produced. Stever also films/writes for TheaterPizzazz.com He also serves as the official camera man for The Drama Desk Awards in NYC. Recently, Stever had the honor of directing & filming Vanessa Redgrave for a Drama Desk Awards promotional reel, and also had the unique privilege of filming Debbie Reynold's induction into The Friars Club in NYC. Broadway vets Mary Bond Davis, Judy McLane, the legendary Shirley Jones, musical virtuoso Janice Martin, & 'As The World Turns' star Colleen Zenk round out some of Stever's other clients. He also co-teaches a regular 5-week intensive at Actor's Connection, where he continues to sharpen his narrative filmmaking skills directing/filming & editing scenes for actor demo reels.