Biography
Michael was born in Flint, Michigan, to Dorrene Dawn MacKenzie and Loyde David Wills. He is known for playing Alexander Blaney in The Choirboys directed by Robert Aldrich. His performance is highly praised by Vito Russo in his book The Celluloid Closet. In theatre he's played Garry Lejeune in Noises off, Mick Gregory in The Holly and The Ivy, and Ed Carmichael in You Can't Take it with You.
He most recently wrote the libretto for a new opera called Cow Goes to the Opera with composer Sunny Knable. He is the creator/writer/director of Operation Opera which won a MAC Award in NYC, was a hit at the 2011 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, played Off-Broadway at The York Theatre, Symphony Space, and Lincoln Center.
He was co-founder and Artistic Director of Playful Theatre Productions NYC where Theatre Row and The Currican Theatre was their home for 10 years. Playful Theatre Productions also had a grand regional program which included such classics as The King & I, Guys & Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, Brigadoon, and Alan Menken's A Christmas Carol.
He has worked with several cutting-edge icons such as Penn & Teller, Blue Man Group, MTV Networks, and FUSE TV. His association with Penn & Teller includes being part of many of their best-known stage and television appearances, such as the Broadway show Penn & Teller's Refrigerator Tour, Saturday Night Live, and several infamous appearances on Late Night with David Letterman. His premiere productions in New York City include developing and directing James Gandolfini (The Sopranos) in Tarantulas Dancing, Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan) in G-Force, Recreation by Penn Jillette, Hunting Humans by Richard Thompson, Fixing Frank by Ken Hanes, The Honest Liar starring Jamy Ian Swiss, and The Last Session. Other regional productions include Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together, Cole Porter's Fifty Million Frenchmen, Gershwin's Lady Be Good, and Jerome Kern's Very Good Eddie.
He has written the book and lyrics to several successful musicals including the musical farce A Cow Named Cow, The Adventures of Superbunny, The Princess the Cow and the Corn Maze, A Superbunny Christmas, Cow Saves Christmas, Superbunny's Pirate Vacation, and The Star. His adult plays include POE: An Introduction to Edgar Allan, and Stormy Weather.
His film Grinch won honors at FILMEX, the International Film Festival in Los Angeles. He has been a member of The Actors Studio since 1992 and belongs to SDC (Stage Directors and Choreographers Society) the Dramatists Guild, SAG/AFTRA, and The GRAMMY's. Education: American Academy of Dramatic Arts, UCLA (Michael Gordon), Gordon Hunt, and Playwrights Horizons Professional Theatre Program (Bob Moss).
He is also an illustrator of children's books.
