Sterling Houston

Sterling Houston (1945 – November 8, 2006) was an African-American experimental playwright, actor, musician and prose writer renowned for his works of social commentary exploring black and gay identity. His plays encompassed multiple theatrical genres, including musicals, dramas and comedies. He also wrote several prose works of fiction and non-fiction.

Life and career Born in 1945 in San Antonio, Texas, Houston later moved to southern California, where he attended Los Angeles City College until 1964, when he left California for New York City to study acting. He worked for several years acting in off-Broadway productions with the Playhouse of Ridiculous Theater. In 1968 he returned to California, settling in San Francisco with his partner Larry Neal. From 1968 to 1977, Houston and Neal performed as the band Fleshtones. From 1978 to 1981, Houston worked for the Magic Theatre in San Francisco. He returned to San Antonio in 1981 to work in his family's travel agency. In 1988, he became involved with Jump-Start Performance Co., a small theater group in San Antonio.

Houston lectured at numerous colleges and universities, and presented at conferences on theater, the arts, and grant writing.

He died in San Antonio on November 8, 2006. In September 2009, Jump-Start Performance Co. named its performance venue the Sterling Houston Theater.

Works Among Houston's plays are: