Michael grew up in Moscow, Russia, in the waning days of the Soviet Union. Following a childhood marked by some world-changing events in his home country, Michael’s family moved to Colorado in 1995, where he has resided ever since. Living in Grand Junction through middle and high school was a bit of a change of pace from a city the size of Moscow. Michael returned to a metropolitan setting while attending the University of Colorado at Boulder, graduating with a degree in Engineering Physics, starting a career in the laser optics industry, and settling down in the Denver area.

Though a lifelong attendee of the theatre (his parents took him to places like the Bolshoi regularly), Michael did not seriously pursue acting until 2013, when he started seeking out roles on stages across Denver regularly. With the Covid-19 pandemic changing everyone’s normal, Michael left his optics job to go hike the Continental Divide Trail in 2021. Upon returning, he decided to lean into his creative pursuits rather than returning to the world of engineering. Acting and writing have become his two biggest passions over the years, and now occupy most of his time.