Michael Thomas Gruber (born November 1, 1964) is an American actor. He was born in

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, the youngest of four children, two sisters and one brother. At an early age, Michael showed great interest in

gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, s ...

and

diving Diving most often refers to: * Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water * Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes Diving or Dive may also refer to: Sports * Dive (American football), a ...

. 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 Indian Hill High School is a public high school near Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the only public high school in the Indian Hill Exempted Village School District. In 2022 Indian Hill was ranked #198 in the National Rankings and #5 in the State of Ohi ...

in 1982 and attended the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

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 Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

at the

University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

. He made his Broadway debut in the final company of ''

A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers ...

'', 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 Munkustrap is a Jellicle cat from T. S. Eliot's 1939 poem "The Naming of Cats". He is a principal character and the main narrator in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical ''Cats'', which is based on Eliot's poems. Munkustrap is the storyteller and ...

both on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

and in the ''Cats'' video. He quotes regarding the ''Cats'' video, "It is sort of the signature of my career."

Broadway credits

'' revival 2007
''Laughing Room Only'' 2003
''

Kiss Me, Kate ''Kiss Me, Kate'' is a musical written by Bella and Samuel Spewack with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The story involves the production of a musical version of William Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew'' and the conflict on and off-stag ...

'' Hortensio 2001
''Swing!'' Original cast member 1999-2000
'' CATS'' Munkustrap 1996-1999, periodically left to do other shows
''My Favorite Year'' Original Company Ensemble 1992-1993
''

Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed roma ...

'' Original cast member. Periodically left to do other shows Ensemble 1991-1994
''A Chorus Line'' Final Company Mike 1989-1990

National tours

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play '' Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid ...

'' US and European Tours Riff US tour 1990
''A Chorus Line'' 2008 National tour - Zach

Off-Broadway shows

The Wizard of Oz The Theatre at Madison Square Garden The Tin Man/Hickory 1997

Regional shows

Footloose - Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN - Michael Brindisi - 2021-2023
Irving Berlin's Easter Parade - Chanhassen Theatres, Chanhassen, MN - Don Hewes - World Premiere - 2007
Irving Berlin's White Christmas - 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle and California Musical Theatre, Sacramento and The Hobby Center, Houston - Bob Wallace - 2006-2008
My One and Only - Reprise!, Los Angeles - Billy Buck - 2006
Godspell - Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia - Jesus - 2006
Singin' in the Rain - 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle - Don Lockwood - 2005
Singin' in the Rain - California Musical Theatre, Sacramento - Don Lockwood - 2005
What a Glorious Feeling - Saugatuck, MI - Stanley Donen - 2005 - World Premier
White Christmas - Wang Theatre, Boston - Phil Davis - 2005
Anything Goes Stratford Festival of Canada Billy Crocker 2004
Singin' in the Rain Houston's Theatre Under The Stars Don Lockwood 2004
Crazy For You PCPA-CA Bobby Child 2003
Anything Goes FL Billy Crocker 2003
Dames at Sea Goodspeed Opera House-CT Lucky 2002
Smokey Joe's Cafe Sacramento, CA 2002
Red Hot and Blue Paper Mill Playhouse Fingers 2001
Singin' in the Rain Music Theatre of Wichita (KS) Don Lockwood 2000
Anything Goes 5th Avenue Theatre-Seattle Billy Crocker 2000
The Who's Tommy DE, CT, MA, IL Cousin Kevin 1999
Follies Papermill Playhouse Young Ben 1998
Oklahoma! Phoenix & Tucson, AZ Jud Fry 1995
Kiss Me, Kate Goodspeed Opera House-CT Bill/Lucentio 1994
West Side Story Singin' in the Rain Papermill Playhouse Don Lockwood 1994
Music Theatre of Wichita Riff 1994
Good News! Music Theatre of Wichita (KS) Tom Marlowe 1993
Falsettos Alliance Theatre-Atlanta, GA Whizzer 1993
Singin' in the Rain Sacramento, CA Don Lockwood 1993
Anything Goes Music Theatre of Wichita (KS) Billy Crocker 1993
Singin' in the Rain Music Theatre of Wichita (KS) Don Lockwood 1992
Readings / Workshops:
Taboo 2003
Sammy Cahn 2003

Films

'' Cats'' Munkustrap Filmed 1997, released 1998

Recordings

Singin' in the Rain Jay Records
Follies TVT Soundtrax
The Most Happy Fella Jay Records
My Favorite Year BMG Classics
Good News! Jay Records
Swing! Sony Classics
Wonderful Town Jay Records -
Carols For A Cure 2001 (BC/EFA) Rock-It Science Records For complete and accurate information visit Michael's official website

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gruber, Michael American male musical theatre actors 1964 births Living people University of Michigan alumni Male actors from Cincinnati University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music alumni