Michael Gruber
Michael in Singin' In The Rain, Music Theatre Of Wichita, 2000
Born (1964-11-01) November 1, 1964
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1987–present
Spouse
Tony Vierling
​
​
(m. 2013)​

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 Cats video. He quotes regarding the Cats video, "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 event
1999-20 Swing! Performer St. James Theatre Broadway, part of the original cast
1998 Dreamgirls Dave Evening Dinner Theatre, Elmsford, NY Dinner Theatre
1997 The Wizard of Oz The Tin Man/Hickory The Theatre at Madison Square Garden Off Broadway
1996-99 CATS Munkustrap Winter Garden Theatre Broadway, periodically left to do other shows
1996 Angela Lansbury - A Celebration Me and My Town Dancer Majestic Theatre This benefit concert only had one performance on November 17, 1996
1995 Little By Little Man Eighty-eights Club, New York City Off-Off Broadway
1993 7th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition Broadway GI Broadway Theatre BCEFA event
1992-93 My Favorite Year (musical) Ensemble Vivian Beaumont Theater Broadway, part of the original cast
1991-94 Miss Saigon Ensemble Broadway theatre Broadway, part of the original cast. Periodically left to do other shows
1989-90 A Chorus Line Mike Sam S. Shubert Theatre Broadway, part of the final cast. Michael's Broadway debut!

Tours

Year Title Role Notes
2008-09 A Chorus Line Zach National and International Tours
1999 Tommy Cousin Kevin Concert Tour
1990 West Side Story Riff US National Tour
1988 West Side Story Riff European Tour

Regional shows

Year Title Role Theatre Notes
2023-24 Jersey Boys Gyp DeCarlo Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN
2022-23 Footloose Rev. Shaw Moore Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN
2020-22 The Music Man Harold Hill Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN The show stopped running because of COVID from January to July 2021
2019-20 Mamma Mia! Harry Bright Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN
2018-19 Holiday Inn Jim Hardy Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen, MN
2018 Newsies Nunzio Chanhassen 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
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