
ARtIST StATement
Shortly after finishing school, I found myself in this weird "'tween space". That's that space 'tween looking young enough and looking old enough, 'tween being too fat or too thin; that space 'tween being too short and too tall (I'm rarely ever "too tall", but you get the point). I wasn't willing to give up performing just because I wasn't getting cast, so I did what my friends called "pulling a Tootsie".
I developed a character and began performing - and even auditioning - as Ivana Dü, who quickly became known for her spot-on impersonations of various celebrities and pop icons; most notably Karen Walker (Will & Grace), Miss Swan (MadTV), and Ursula The Sea Witch (The Little Mermaid) all for which I provided live vocals. As Ivana, I earned attention from promoters, producers, and directors, landing a job as spokesperson for OUTinFla.com, performing in solo cabarets, headlining Vegas-style productions, working alongside celebrities including Alec Mapa, Lady Gaga, Lady Bunny, RuPaul, and Jimmy James, and serving at the world-famous Lips Restaurant & Cabaret.
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But after eight years in Ivana's heels (and incredible muscle definition in my calves), I longed to be back in shoes - and roles - that were made for men. I hung up the wig, put on my big boy britches, and equipped with a reputation for being "one hell of a character," I was finally getting offers for roles in which Christopher - not Ivana - could finally shine.

"Am i my Resumé...?"
Christopher currently serves as Resident Director of
IndieWorks Theatre Company & Bite-Sized Broadway
References Available:
Upon Request

THEATRE
THE GIANT HOAX (NYC Premiere at Theatre Row)
Director - IndieWorks Theatre Company, NYC
CASPER, THE NOT-SO-FRIENDLY GHOST
Director - IndieWorks Theatre Company, NYC
EMPTY FRAMES (World Premiere)
Director - IndieWorks Theatre Company, NYC
THE WEDDING WARRIOR
Director - IndieWorks Theatre Company, NYC
TWO COUSINS & A PIZZA (World Premiere)
Director - New York Winterfest
THE COMMUTERS OR A CAUTIONARY TALE ABOUT
THE PORT AUTHORITY * (World Premiere at the Theatre at St. Clements)
Director - IndieWorks Theatre Company, NYC
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Starring Latrice Royale)
Director - Muchadu Productions/Broward House, FL
OKLAHOMA!
Director/Lighting Design - Osceola High School, FL
LITTLE THINGS (World Premiere)
Director - St. Petersburg Little Theatre, FL
CLOSER THAN EVER
Director - Pinellas County Center for the Arts, FL
INTO THE WOODS, JR.
Director - Largo Cultural Arts Center, FL
CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE KID'S SOUL (World Premiere)
Director - John Hopkins Center for the Arts, FL
TWO BOYS IN A BED ON A COLD WINTER'S NIGHT
Asst. Director/Set Design - Rising Action Theatre, FL
YOSEF: AN EPIC NEW MUSICAL
Asst. Director - Born Entertainment, NY
THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW
Asst. Director - Rodeph Shalom Middle School, NYC
FILM/MEDIA
VALLEY HIGH (Based on the song by Drew Gasparini)
Director - Calendar Boys Productions/Jeremy Terry Productions
THE GIRLS IN BLUE
Director - Calendar Boys Productions, NYC
BITE-SIZED BROADWAY (Monthly Podcast of Mini-Musicals)
Director - IndieWorks Theatre Company, NYC
READINGS
THE GIANT HOAX
Director - IndieWorks Theatre Company/Gallery Players, NYC
VANITIES
Director - Karen Kohlhaas' Summer Directing Program, NYC
FAIRY TALE CITY
Director - Mariolio Productions, NYC
EVANGELINE: A CURIOUS JOURNEY
Asst. Director - Davenport Theatricals, NYC
CABARETS/CONCERTS
SAXE AND THE CITY: THE MUSIC & LYRICS OF PETER SAXE
Director - IndieWorks Theatre Company, NYC
SONGS FROM A HAT
Director - IndieWorks Theatre Company, NYC
DIRTY LITTLE DITTIES
Director - IndieWorks Theatre Company, NYC
KIT GOLDSTEIN GRANT & FRIENDS!
Director - IndieWorks Theatre Company, NYC
SONGWRITER SHOWCASE: VOLUME 1
Director - Playlight Theatre Company, NYC
SONGWRITER SHOWCASE: VOLUME 2
Director - Playlight Theatre Company, NYC
LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS
Director - Calendar Boys Productions/Jeremy Terry Productions
EDUCATION & TRAINING
PINELLAS COUNTY CENTER FOR THE ARTS (2000-2003)
Majored in Musical Theatre; Minored in Playwriting
ACTING
Howard Thomas, Ron DeBeck, Keven Renken, Dave Alan Thomas, Michael Leeds, Kimberly Vaughn
DIRECTING
Karen Kohlhaas, Kimberly Senior
WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
Karen Kohlhaas' Summer Directing Program 2018
Primary Stage's Articulating Your Vision with Kimberly Senior 2018
TRU's Writer/Director Communication Lab 2019
Jackson Gay & Sheri Wilner's Playwright/Director Workshop 2020
SPECIAL SKILLS & TALENTS
PERSONAILTY
Ambitious, Collaborative, Communicative, Confident, Curious, Detail-Oriented, Driven, Focused, Leadership-Oriented,
Open-minded, Organized, Punctual, Service Oriented,
Visual Storyteller
RELATED SKILLS
Writing, Music Composition, Lyric Writing, Editing, Casting, Producing, Stage Management, Graphic Design/Publicity, Sound Design, Lighting Design, Makeup Design/Artistry
SOFTWARE & EQUIPMENT
Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point; Google Suite;
Adobe Photoshop; Audacity; Final Draft Pro; iMovie; Zoom;
Good working knowledge of Finale Music; QLab
*The Commuters or A Cautionary Tale About The Port Authority was voted Audience Favorite and was nominated for five awards including Best Musical, Best Actor, and Best Costume Design and won the awards for Best Director and Best Actress in the Riant Theatre's 2016 Strawberry Theatre Festival in NYC.
PRODUCTIONS
THEATRE
CASPER, THE
NOT-SO-FRIENDLY GHOST
FILM & OTHER MEDIA
CABARETS & CONCERTS

SONGS FROM A HAT
"WHAT'S THE BUZZ...?"
THE BOYS IN THE BAND
"Michaels' effeminate Emory is the gay-man-as-fireball, a screaming comet of wicked glee. I would be perfectly pleased to never hear another gay man call his fellows 'Mary so long as I live, but the way Michaels does it makes me want to join a sorority."

"Each actor gets a moment, or many, to shine... For example, Emory (the very funny Christopher Michaels) is flamboyantly campy as he refers to the other guests as 'she' or 'Mary'."

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
"...there’s great support from Christopher Michaels as LeFou who, in both sight and sound, is a dead-ringer for his animated counterpart!"

"Christopher Michaels is equally as hilarious as Gaston's comical sidekick LeFou... Michaels doesn't overplay LeFou broadly, which is a huge plus."

THRILL ME​
"Michaels admirably goes back and forth from the lower-voiced, mature man of 53 at the 1958 parole hearing to the youthful 19-year-old Leopold of 1924. Michaels gives a wonderful performance riding Leopold's emotional roller coaster throughout the show. His need for Loeb is raw, his romantic fervor for him made palpable by the longing and injured looks cast at Bryan C. Ortega's Loeb."

"Michaels' Leopold is flat-out addicted to Loeb. Nothing else, not even murder, matters to him... And there is a twist just after the two 'superior' killers are caught, one that Michaels handles with just the right amount of relish."

"Michaels as Leopold inhabits his character, giving a strong performance, both dramatically and vocally. This is the more demanding role of the two as the script calls for his character to frequently change moods ― from young, lovestruck college boy to a 53-year old prisoner facing a parole board 34 years later. Michaels handles the task with skill and the transition is never choppy. His Leopold is immature, nervous and nerdy, but also likable."

TOP GUN: THE MUSICAL
"Christopher Michaels is a Mario Cantone clone who steals the show!"

"Michaels is a pleasure to watch. His performance injects his character with some personality and back-story, transcending the Iceman role to show the actor playing the character as a world-weary theatre gypsy who’s seen many big breaks fall through. He’s especially funny when he’s trying to introduce a little homoerotic bromance into the storyline. Ironically, Michaels stepped in for an ailing actor, and only had six hours of rehearsal before opening night. He’s going to be replaced after opening weekend by another actor, who has a pretty big flight suit to fill."

THE NOSE
"But what truly makes this production enjoyable, more than anything else, is its cast of characters, brought to life by an ensemble of five compelling actors. Christopher Michaels delivers a highly delightful performance in the role of the comically blustering Police Chief!"
