About Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas is celebrating his 12th year as the Artistic Director of the Renaissance Theatre. Originally from New London, he attended Wright State University before heading off to Chicago where he musical directed the national tours of The Secret Garden and Once On This Island, co-wrote the long-running Hamlet: The Musical with Jeff Richmond, performed with The Second City, and also received three coveted Joseph Jefferson Awards for his theatre work, including With or Without Wings, which was named “Best New Play of 2001”. His original musical, Melancholy Baby, (also written with Jeff Richmond) was the inaugural show at New York City’s acclaimed Ars Nova Theatre in 2002. He has directed 84 productions on the Renaissance stage, including Les Misérables, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Sweeney Todd, Sunday In The Park with George, The Light in the Piazza, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Cinderella, Dreamgirls, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Sister Act, Ragtime, A Chorus Line, Mamma Mia, Newsies, White Christmas, Rock of Ages, Matilda, Avenue Q, Mary Poppins and Chicago.
His original works that have had their world premiere on our stages include, At Last: An Evening with Etta James, The Last Act, Hot Mess: A Lethal New Musical, Remember Me Always: Highschool Yearbook 1977, The Unforgettable Marvelenes, Twilight Gardens, and Count: The Legend of Dracula (adapted for Neos Dance Theatre.) Michael has spearheaded the Emerging Artists Program, a nationally recognized program that fosters new works for the stage and film. Housed at Theatre 166, our black box space, it allows writers, composers, lyricists, choreographers, and poets to workshop and develop original plays, musicals, and dance and film projects.