I tell stories for a living.
Working across acting, singing, theatre, writing, and digital media, I’m interested in the places where culture, identity, and storytelling collide. Whether I’m performing someone else’s words or creating my own, I’m always looking for the human truth underneath the story.
ANEMONE
Shay Shalem as Nili and Hila Kremer as Eden in ANEMONE. Photo by Austin Patterson.
Written, co-directed, and produced by Michael Valdes.
Sold-out New York premiere at The New School’s APEX Festival, 2026.
An intimate bilingual English-Hebrew play exploring friendship, Jewish and Israeli identity, grief, belonging, and the ways events thousands of miles away can enter the most personal spaces of our lives.
Selected Work & Projects
Hot Jewish Energy
Jewish Pride at 54 Below
ADL Heroes Against Hate
Creator & Host
Performer & Co-Producer
Honoree
Pop culture through a Jewish lens. A digital media platform exploring Jewish identity, culture, entertainment, and contemporary life through commentary and original storytelling.
Michael will make his 54 Below debut in “Jewish Pride: The Sound of a People, The Soul of Broadway,” celebrating Jewish identity and musical theatre through performance.
Recognized by the Anti-Defamation League as a 2026 Heroes Against Hate honoree for his work confronting antisemitism and using storytelling and digital media to advocate for the Jewish community.
“I’m drawn to stories that make people recognize something in themselves—or see someone they thought they understood in a new way. Whether I’m working onstage, on the page, or online, I’m interested in the intersection of identity, culture, humor, memory, and the little things that make a story feel human.”
- Michael