Meet David Rainey | Studio Director and Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with David Rainey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I think the success of Studio for Actors Houston stems from the seriousness we have about training. We are in a creative field, and those with professional pursuits are trying to build careers and find success as artists. Through the studio I’ve tried to offer a range of training tools that will help artists grow and develop, and ultimately help them succeed.

And that includes all levels. Our main focus, of course, is to provide professional training for professional artists. We have a range of classes designed to help working professionals continue to develop their skills and gain new tools. But we also have entry level classes for adults, and youth programs focused on both personal development and skills for a career in the arts. We continue to also develop camp programs for summer and winter at the studio and have recently launched a few in-school programs as well.

I’ve certainly tried to build into the studio the same standards that I try to live by in my work as an actor. A serious approach to the work. An openness to what you don’t know. A belief that there is always more to learn if you keep looking for it. Sometimes the growth we’re seeking happens just by doing the work, and other times it is found in the classroom, or the lab, or studio, with guidance from people that have enormous gifts to help expand skills and accelerate careers.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m primarily an actor. And to be honest, it was the only thing I was good at. I found theatre by accident. I was in 8th grade and in a class that I didn’t really enjoy. We were taking apart lawnmowers and reassembling them. I wasn’t getting it, and I wasn’t into it, so I ask the counselor if I could take something else. He told me that the only thing they had left was choir or drama. I knew what choir was, so I opted for drama, not really knowing anything about it. I met a quirky guy named Paul and we started writing comedy skits together, so I was having a decent time with this drama thing. But it took almost the whole year before I got the bug. I got to try out some of our comedy stuff at my first speech tournament, and after a few rounds the light bulb went off. I discovered that I loved being in front of an audience. By the time I got to college I was doing more plays than speech events, and that’s where I settled into the idea that I was an actor.

I have always been fascinated by process. I think it’s why I thrived in my college experience and later at The Juilliard School, where I graduated with the top honor. Process is how I see the world. And it’s one of the reasons I began teaching acting. Process is what I enjoy, and helping others explore it helps me be a better performer. It keeps me grounded in what is most important to me: authenticity. Even if the style is completely unrealistic, it still demands that the outrageousness come from an authentic place, based on the rules of the style. Helping others find and stick to that has been enormously satisfying to me as I’ve navigated my career.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Credit must go to my folks, who at an early age always supported my interest in the creative . As long as I was practicing, they would never disturb me to take care of chores or other distractions. They let me finish, then I’d take care of the rest. At the time, I never realized how important that was, but it was significant. So, thanks Mom and Dad!

Website: studioforactorshouston@gmail.com

Instagram: studioforactorshouston@gmail.com

Image Credits
Photos by David Rainey and Ricardo DaVila