December 27, 2015
Directing credits include: A Christmas Carol (McCarter Theatre – annual production designed by Ming Cho Lee with choreography by Rob Ashford), Retribution (Off-Broadway, Lambs Theatre), Noises Off (New Harmony), Meet Me In St. Louis (The MUNY), Triumph of Love and School For Wives (The Weston Playhouse), Changes of Heart (Barrington Stage – BRAVO Award), In Perpetuity Throughout the Universe (Juilliard), Crimes of the Heart (Blowing Rock Stage), Still (World Premiere), Les Liaisons Dangereuses and The Game of Love and Chance (French language productions), Cries From the Mammal House (American Premiere), Cleavage and Smokes (Mark Taper Forum – NWF) and Taming of the Shrew (Complex Theatre, LA).
Recent credits include the world premiere musical, Caligula, which just finished a sellout run at the Theatre at St. Clements as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival – which won the audience favorite award. He also recently directed the sellout world premiere of William Finn’s new musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Barrington Stage Company, Kiss Me Kate at The Depot Theatre and The McCarter Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. Michael is also helping develop new musicals based on the lives of John Dillinger and Charlie Chaplin.
Michael teaches acting classes in New York City in his own studio. He has directed Love’s Labours Lost, Dancing at Lughnasa, The Three Sisters and Buried Child at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, as well as three musical showcases at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Click HERE for information on his private classes.
Readings include Dillinger: The Musical, Liberty Smith, The Mystery of the Dancing Princesses for the National Alliance of Musical Theatre, Christina Alberta’s Father (Nat’l Music Theatre Network), Water From The Moon (Education Alliance Center) and Dance On The Rooftops, Summer of ’42 and Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus all at The York Theatre.
Broadway assistant directing credits include: King David, A Christmas Carol (Madison Square Garden (’96, ‘97) and the first reading of The Night They Raided Minsky’s for the late, Mike Ockrent, Buried Child for Gary Sinise and Steel Pier for Scott Ellis. Off-Broadway assistant directing credits include Eyes For Consuela (Manhattan Theatre Club) for Terry Kinney and Closer Than Ever (The Cherry Lane) for Richard Maltby, Jr.
At Steppenwolf Theatre, in his hometown of Chicago, Michael assistant directed A Clockwork Orange for Terry Kinney and Buried Child for Gary Sinise. Film and television credits include Picket Fences, HBO’s Truman, Albino Alligator, and Ransom.
Click Here For Directing Resume
Before becoming a director, Michael worked in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago as an actor. Highlights include performing in all three plays of the Neil Simon trilogy: Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues (regional tour) and Broadway Bound (Broadway Tour and Jupiter Theatre), appearances at The Cleveland Playhouse, The Williamstown Theatre Festival, American Jewish Repertory Theatre in L.A., and performances in several Shakespeare and Moliere plays. Film acting credits include Body Trouble, Albino Alligator and Wolfpack.