Michael’s diverse professional career in entertainment began at the age of twenty-one when he appeared with the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, working with such people as Larry Shue, actor and author of the plays The Foreigner and The Nerd. Shortly thereafter, he hit the stage as a standup comedian, playing clubs and colleges around the Midwest until he headed west to Los Angeles, where he ventured into commercials, cartoon voice-overs, two pilots for television shows, and a featured role in Brian De Palma's The Bonfire of the Vanities. His many television appearances include Veep, Last Man Standing, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Criminal Minds, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, House, Two and a Half Men, and sketch work on both Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.In addition to performing, Michael has also worked as a writer of television cartoons, for which he has twice been nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards. Animated series he has scripted include 101 Dalmatians, Hercules, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, X-Men: Evolution, Krypto the Superdog, Lilo & Stitch, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers, Katbot, Postcards from Buster, Tutenstein, Sitting Ducks, Santo Bugito, Casper, and Dinobabies.
On the Los Angeles theatre scene, Michael appeared at the Company of Angels in Life During Wartime, A Lonely Monkeyhouse, Lucifer’s Lament, and The Valiant; at Theatre Neo in The White House Murder Case, Coming Attractions, O Solo Neo!, and Neo a la Carte; in Acting Alone at The Elephant Asylum; in The Inkwell Theatre Company’s production of The Architect of Destiny with Simon Helberg at The Zephyr; in Astroglyde 2002 at Zombie Joe’s Underground; in The Chicago Conspiracy Trial at The Odyssey, in Tom Lenk’s production of Save Me From My Sister at The Hudson, and in the world premiere of Thomas O’Malley’s musical comedy The Dutch Hill Mob, in which he had the opportunity to work with Tony Award-winning composer Albert Hague.