Michael Thomas Gruber (born November 1, 1964) is an American actor.
He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the youngest of four children, two sisters and one brother. At an early age, Michael showed great interest in gymnastics and diving. He became the 2nd best diver in his age class in the world at the age of fourteen.
Michael was an All-American diver who graduated from Indian Hill High School in 1982 and attended the University of Michigan on an athletic scholarship as an Olympic diving hopeful training under then Olympic coach Dick Kimball.
His passion was acting and he decided to study theatre at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He made his Broadway debut in the final company of A Chorus Line, 1989-90.
Michael is a composer and co-lyricist, with long-time collaborator Jennifer Allen, of three musicals: The Old Dead Five, Vegas Organic and Hit It, Mike!. He has also composed music for poems, currently working on a series set to children's poetry.
Michael has performed the roles of Munkustrap both on Broadway and in the 1998 Cats proshot. He quotes regarding Cats, "It is sort of the signature of my career."
Theatre credits New York Year Title Role Theatre Notes 2007 Stairway To Paradise Joe New York City Centre Encores! Revue in Review An Original Encores! Production 2006 Applause for the Golden Boy: The Music of Charles Strouse Performer New York Historical Society, New York City Benefit Tribute 2005 And Then I Wrote... The Songs of Steve Marzullo Performer Birdland Jazz Club, New York City Concert 2003 Laughing Room Only Standby Lena Horne Theatre Broadway 2003 A Manhattan Christmas Performer King Kong Room, New York City Cabaret 2001 Kiss Me, Kate Hortensio (Second Suitor) (replacement)Ensemble (replacement) Al Hirschfeld Theatre Broadway 2000 14th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition Performer New Amsterdam Theatre BCEFA event1999-20Swing!PerformerSt. James TheatreBroadway, part of the original cast1998DreamgirlsDaveEvening Dinner Theatre, Elmsford, NYDinner Theatre1997The Wizard of OzThe Tin Man/HickoryThe Theatre at Madison Square GardenOff Broadway1996-99CATSMunkustrapWinter Garden TheatreBroadway, periodically left to do other shows1996Angela Lansbury - A CelebrationMe and My Town DancerMajestic TheatreThis benefit concert only had one performance on November 17, 19961995Little By LittleManEighty-eights Club, New York CityOff-Off Broadway19937th Annual Easter Bonnet CompetitionBroadway GIBroadway TheatreBCEFA event1992-93My Favorite Year (musical)EnsembleVivian Beaumont TheaterBroadway, part of the original cast1991-94Miss SaigonEnsembleBroadway theatreBroadway, part of the original cast. Periodically left to do other shows1989-90A Chorus LineMikeSam S. Shubert TheatreBroadway, part of the final cast. Michael's Broadway debut!
Tours YearTitleRoleNotes2008-09A Chorus LineZachNational and International Tours1999TommyCousin KevinConcert Tour1990West Side StoryRiffUS National Tour1988West Side StoryRiffEuropean Tour
Regional shows YearTitleRoleTheatreNotes2024-25White ChristmasBob WallaceChanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN2023-24Jersey BoysGyp DeCarloChanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN2022-23FootlooseRev. Shaw MooreChanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN2020-22The Music ManHarold HillChanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MNThe show stopped running because of COVID from January to July 20212019-20Mamma Mia!Harry BrightChanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN2018-19Holiday InnJim HardyChanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN2018NewsiesNunzioChanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, 2016 South Pacific Cmdr. William Harbison Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, MN Wurtele Thrust Stage 2015 The Music Man Ensemble Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, MN Wurtele Thrust Stage 2014 My Fair Lady Swing Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, MN Wurtele Thrust Stage 2013-14 Fiddler on the Roof Avram Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN 2012-13 Bye Bye Birdie Albert Peterson Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN 2012 Roman Holiday Ensemble Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, MN McGuire Proscenium Stage 2011-12 Hairspray Corny Collins Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN 2011 Jesus Christ Superstar Judas/ James of Alphaeus Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN 2010-11 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Simeon Ordway Center for the Performing Arts 2010 Hairspray Corny Collins Theatre Under the Stars, Houston, TX The Hobby Center Sarofim Hall 2010 Hits from The Music Man Harold Hill Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA Seattle Symphony, conducted by Marvin Hamlisch 2009 White Christmas Bob Wallace 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA 2009 Singin' in the Rain Don Lockwood Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, St. Paul, MN 2009 Grey Gardens George Gould Strong Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, St. Paul, MN 2008 White Christmas Bob Wallace Theatre Under The Stars, Houston 2007 Irving Berlin's Easter Parade Don Hewes Chanhassen Theatres, Chanhassen, MN World Premiere 2007 White Christmas Bob Wallace 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle and California Musical Theatre, Sacramento 2006 My One and Only Billy Buck Reprise Concert Series, Freud Playhouse, Westwood, CA 2006 Godspell Jesus Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia 2006 Guys and Dolls Sky Maltz Jupiter Theatre, FL 2005 White Christmas Phil Davis Wang Center Theatre, Boston Revival 2005 What a Glorious Feeling Stanley Donen Mason Street Warehouse, MI World Premiere 2005 Singin' in the Rain Don Lockwood Theatre Under The Stars - Houston, TX; 5th Avenue Theatre - Seattle, WA; California Musical Theatre - Sacramento, CA A co-operative production with the theatres listed 2004 Anything Goes Billy Crocker Stratford Festival of Canada 2003 Wizard of Oz The Tin Man/Hickory Stratford Festival of Canada 2003 Crazy for You Bobby Child Marian Theatre and Solvang Festival, CA 2003 Anything Goes Billy Crocker Riverside Theatre, FL 2002 Dames at Sea Lucky Goodspeed Opera House-CT 2002 Smokey Joe's Cafe Sacramento, CA 2002 Dames at Sea Lucky Goodspeed Opera House 2001 Red Hot and Blue Fingers Paper Mill Playhouse, Milburn, NJ 2000 Anything Goes Billy Crocker 5th Avenue Theatre-Seattle 2000 Rags Saul Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia 2000 Singin' in the Rain Don Lockwood Music Theatre of Wichita (KS) 1999 Floyd's Follies Flood Relief Performer Paper Mill Playhouse, Milburn, NJ Benefit Concert 1998 Follies Young Ben Paper Mill Playhouse, Milburn, NJ 1998 History of Sex Narrator Golden Nugget Casino, Las Vegas 1995 West Side Story Riff Muny Theatre, St. Louis, MO 1995 Curtain Raisers Salute New Year's Performer Paper Mill Playhouse, Milburn, NJ Concert 1995 Oklahoma! Jud Fry Phoenix & Tucson, AZ 1994 Kiss Me, Kate Bill/Lucentio Goodspeed Opera House-CT 1994 West Side Story Riff Music Theatre of Wichita 1994 Harvest of Stars Gala: An Autumn Evening with ArtsPower Performer Paper Mill Playhouse, Milburn, NJ ArtsPower Benefit 1994 Singin' in the Rain Don Lockwood Paper Mill Playhouse, Milburn, NJ 1993 Little Me George Musgrove Birmingham Theatre, Birmingham, MI 1993 Falsettos Whizzer Alliance Theatre, Atlanta 1993 Anything Goes Billy Crocker Music Theatre of Wichita 1993 Good News! Tom Marlowe Music Theatre of Wichita 1993 Singin' in the Rain Don Lockwood California Musical Theatre 1993 Songs of Unlikely Lovers Performer Music Theatre of Wichita A Valentine's Day Review 1992 Singin' in the Rain Don Lockwood Music Theatre of Wichita 1988 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Joseph Alaska Light Opera, Anchorage 1987 My One and Only Ensemble Paper Mill Playhouse, Milburn, NJ
Readings / Workshops Year Title Notes 2003 Taboo New York City 2003 Sammy Cahn 2002 Ain't That a Kick in the Head Workshop at The New 42nd Street Studios, New York City 1997 Dodsworth Part of a New Works festival at National Alliance for Musical Theatre
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1997 Oz: The American Fairyland Tin Man (uncredited) Documentary 1997 CATS Munkustrap Filmed 1997, released 1998
Television Year Title Role Notes 2000 The Rosie O'Donnell Show Self Dated February 1st 2000 and June 1st 2000 1997 The 51st Annual Tony Awards Self TV Special 1991 The 45th Annual Tony Awards Self TV Special 1996 As The World Turns Ron Dated March 8th 1996
Discography Year Title Record label 2013 A Midnight Queer One Voice Mixed Chorus 2001 Carols for a Cure 2001 (BC/EFA) Rock-It Science Records 2000 Swing! Sony Classics 2000 The Most Happy Fella Jay Records 1998 Wonderful Town Jay Records 1998 Follies TVT Soundtrax 1996 42nd Street Jay Records 1996 Singin' in the Rain Jay Records 1993 My Favorite Year BMG Classics 1993 Good News! Jay Records
External links